New-York tribune., 1841-05-15
MECHANICAL LABOR N THE STATE Ffi>oN>,
~ SENtTE-...-.--.....i .iiaI :. ISL
nc--aSe from tl,e Governor, tran n't'lRs II mo
,.j -cIattyc TO he Mechanical Labor IN the state
Prisons. IN NJ. -,
rxrerr.vr cRANnss. Albanr. Ma! la.

al re lat
Ff''0"'' rxrerr.yr cRANpss, Albany, MAY l-'i.
10 ~ r,5"l transmitted concerning the grcv
, ~ r,a1ic- IL consequence OF the manufacturing ope-
,or carried on IA tc State Prisons, has been 'nii''eI
=, ,c with a request the pWt OF the petitioner, 'h'
wuuid lay the -ane oci7'c tne icS'-1a''ic '''f ~
p- with That request
.eot ,f the convict, IN the occupations pursued n i!c
a ii has hitherto been conducted, Is injurious TO the
,es, of those cowcltten> engaged IN similar lu'
MT $, the same ti,no there De- doub; that II would
no, be WISE or humane depart from system OF como
; hard labor with imprisonment and discipline IN our pc-
rentiars appears however. aAd very rrcVA-
l,ut OPINION saS been made OF the experiment
,ee manufacturing operations cannot be introduced into
The prisons, differing from many carried on there ;'ud
,rb would not conflict with the interests any portions
,i our ,c,izens TO maintain the convcrsc, 10 assume
that fur the largest nuuhcr OF manufacturing braifhc' ana
many o those which the important and lucrative
:, Other countries capsot flourish among Cerainy therc
: no ground Tor such an assumption On the contrary with
the increase of capital and labor and almost without the ard
# protecting duties, continually, although not rnPdy
charging tie scale OF manufacturing operations hen
tic ccapncSs labor and other facilities III the State Prisons
are considered b. doubted that system when
oprS niriously by competition upon mechanical pursuits
row carried the State. might bc made useful III nitro
iucis- those in which ciow-citizcu' have not Yet
fund sufficient induccment History shows mat
in almost country Euro;e ncw branches ot "Grcu
tr and mechanical industry have required ard received
favor and encou cement from the government This State
can give such encouragement some extent III the AancI
indicated and certainly ought lament that when
ne, branch has been rendered profitable IN the
- son. our fcliov-czens viii engage IN H.
II such n experiment could be successful it is manifest
that the public welfare word be promoted nasmuch sc
should be relieved in from dependence upon
foreign manufacturers. 4; the time II certain that
an abrupt and general change the occupations OF the con-
vic, .euld followed by inurio, consequences Such
an iDneda change however i not, believe contemplated
or sired ,on consultation vita the present agents OF the
prisons find reason to believe that branches OF the
ma .aclue oi ,ik might sc successfully introduced and
that there are many ations Of
carried tins State which might be made prot9b,e in
the prisons. The prisoners maintained without and
from the Treasury sad r.oba5y favorable state OF
circumstances will submit therefore whether It
sy be prorer 10 provide eectualy for enforcing exist
ing laws ar eq-iIe the Of the prisons to introduce
from ti-nc other kinds of labsr far and fast
they do without vioatHg existing contracts Such
course woai avoid all danger of reducing the OF
the prison. below the necessary for their support, and 1t
the same time question interesting the mcmoriais
and The public large may be safely tested and the result
made known from time to future Legislatures. tor
bear however e.;erng iio The discussion Of the b
ect because has 2rcad engaged the attention of the e-
gisiatUrc. WILLIAM II. SEWARD