Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-12-28
NJ | s C E L L A N Y
STATES PRISON.
BraiEtree. Dec. IL, lS4l.

Ii is rumored that the most barbarous
c:ueties are practiced upon The convlcls In
the State penitentiary. l was about 10
ask some member of the Legislature 10
inquire into it = for they certainly don't
want their house of correction to be
scene of whipping and barbarity. Pris-
oners there, are sentenced to confinement
and hard labor. They are not sentenced
to be whipped. If il is said the labor can
not be compelled without power of the
whip, reply it cannot, without power Of
whipping 10 death. Has the War
den The power Of killing The prisoners!
Ii so, very well lie him whip or kill
at his discretion. If he has not the dis
crelioaary power TO kill - he has not 10
whip at all - for killing may become as
necessary as whipping TO overcome DISC
! bedience.
1t must be allowed the warden to whip
and TO kill, on reflection. He cannot en-
| force sentence TO labor without it, any
more than the planter can enforce slavery.
The prisoner will not work willingly
If he may not be whipped to labor, or
otherwise punished by the Warden, he
can't be expected 10 work as punishment.
II he was kindly used and treated as
man, he would generally do more work
and betler-but thai would not be punish
menL The Legislature can't preven;
whipping the prisoners, only in one way,
and that is 10 refuse 10 vote any salary TO
the officers Of the Prison. If there were
no salary, the keeper would resign aud
l ~
should not have a salary--on the same
principle, no other officer should 1.-The
Judges should not-the General Court
members should not. The Prison would
4 go down. and the prisoners 60 their ways.
And if The people should let them 60 Tree
-unanimously-they would no more in
ljure any Of The people. Ifthey wanted 10
commit crime. they would emigrate, aud
60 among people who hate them enough
TO imprlson them. They would play
parks among them, as they do now
lamong our people here. The Safe Eonse
would GO down with the Stale Prison. =
Aud The Court House with that. Aud
as The Reverend minister said the otnel
evening, ths Meeting House would follow
And away would go all our free institu.
lions. eea ~ ~
: Well. can the people do without them
Not unless they love each other. An'
, they can't do much longer with them. |
they would love each other, and be right
: they can live without Meeting Houses an
(; Prieas-Siale Houses and Governors
! State Prisons and WaIdens. Blu, if the
i are wrong and wicked, they mus. expec
all these visilations. Il is Inc ineyilub!
: consequence Of the spirit Of brute force
s IL the people feel thaI-it must be fashion
b ed and sysIemaiized. or they can't carry
d on. Out Of il spring General Court
Stale Prisons-Meeting houses. and
: Priesthood. Ga the whole, l would N
J. recommend any inquiry by the Lagi
b la,ure. They had better not INQUIRE
r They had better leave the Warden 10 mar
e age that matter The wall is high an
" thick. and the cry of the convict Cam
" over-leap II, any more than be can oscar
ne over it himself. If he is flogged, il
In doubtless necessary. II he were not, Il
n prison could not be maintained Al
> wilhoutthe prison. lard lis grea: sanclio
3. the 2allows.) the State House could q
lg be kept in operation. The Laeislatu
"a would be of no force-or use. TIE
4. could make no laws. They could on
" advise the people-and The people ecu
oe do their own advising. Laws are mug
be tory without penaItics. Without the pr