Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-12-30
PENITENTIARY.


measures for the erection of Penitentiary.
Until some more efectual means be provided !
than fine al imprisonment in County Jails,
crime may run rio. with itnpunlty, and our
criminal prosecutions will continue 10 be
burlesqoe in criminal jurisprudence.
The expenses attending confinement in our
County Jails, where the convict caa be in no
way probably employed, is SO onerous TO The
tax payer, that, unless The crime Of the cul.
pri. be Of very high grade, his imprisonment
will afflict The community more than did the
crime for which he is anaigned. Ii all the
convicts Of the Territory were placed within
Penileniiary, under the supervision Of thor
ough, business man, it is confidently believed
that the proceeds Of their labor would cover
the expenses of their confinement. Indeed,
il is we'll known iha.lhe labor Of the convicls
Is a oourco Of revenue in many OF the States
Of the Union. But whether the Peni,eniiary
be source of pecunary profit to The Terrific
~ or not, certainly the usins of County Jalls
10 its stead is much more bunhensome. Be-
iy Jail the means Of comfort, improvement,
and reformation tina, are now generally and
wisely par, Of State prison discipline. and
therefore Immediate provision for Peniien-
,iary Is claimed upon The score Of humanity.
The criminal laws are less eflectual in pre-
venting crime than they should be, because
the Judgment of our courts, consignlng TO im-
prisoment in the County Jail. for The lack Of a
State prison, does not stamp the culprit with
that nfamy which makes State prison coniine-
mon! so much dreaded.
Iowa Territory for two years has had PEN
i,on.iary that suiiicss for her presen, popula-
lion, and conyicis Of that Territory are proh,a-
bly, employed in enlarsing and flushing il.
The universal wish so far as we have heard the
popular will expressed is thai our Legislature
would speedily make provision for erecting
Stale prison.
Upon petition Of the Legislature of Iowa
Territory Congress made an appropriation Of
$4,000 for tho building Of a Peni,entiary.
Our Legislature has frequently sent memorials
TO Congress praying appropriations for this OBJ.
Ieci; but, owing perhaps TO the scaadalous
misapPicaiion Of The $4,000 appropriation
TO Wisconsin for The purpose Of erecting and
finishing the Capi,ol-ihe palpable disregard
OF the Legislature for all limitations and re
sirciions which the laws Of Congress impose
upon IL. and The shameful squandefing Of mon
cd IN
cal favoriles and in mock Legislation, Con
gress has no, thought fl TO extend the same
liberality 10 Wisconsin. II is useless there
fore longer To look TO Congress for aid in this
matter. But, Il may be asked. how is money
sufficient for this purpose TO be o5anedi We
answer--by Taxation. There is no tax the
people viii more willingly pay than for the
erection OF Penilenliary. The passage of
law 10 raise the requisite amount. in three years
lone third each ycar-it would scarcely be
Eel. by single Taxpayers and 1t may well DO
doubted whether the Increased expenses Of
confinement, 10 County Jais. above that in a
peoiiendary, will not yearly amour, TO the
cos, of erecting tho latter.
We understand that portion OF the Legis.
lalofe oppose the building OF Penitenliary
upon The ground thai the tax for such purpose
would prove too huIdensome for their conslitu-
ents. Bot they as widely mistake the public
sentiment on this subiec as they did when at,
tempting TO hold a session Of the Legislature
without The concurrence of the Executive or
on appropriation Of Congress TO dofray The ey-
penses thereof II is somewhat surprising
that such an objection should be made, or that
the Legislature should so long have conlen,ed
themselves with legisla,ing upon useless and
absurd projects Of corporations for mining pur.
poses and for rendering navigable. by slack
wa,ot navigation, such streams rs Little Platte
hserto Plattevil!e, to The total neglect of mat
ters Of such impor,ahce.
II the Legislature wish to dc any thing Cor
Buncomoe. let them look this matter.
We have received the first No. Of weekly
newspaper, published at Racine. W. T., BY
Fnler & Evans. entitled "Tng WISCONSIN
EoIs." Ills devoted, particularly. to The dis.
eussion Of Abolition principles and is ir favor
Of an immediate end TO Slavery. lis tho
only paper of that character in the Territory.
Now is the time Cor AboliIionsts to support
"theif own"
THT WEATHER for four weeks past has
completed a twelve month Of anomalies in this
respect. December has been made up of wea,h.
or thai would have made an appropriate and
eommendabie October. On the FRS, Of Janua.
~ last, we bad enjoyed six weeks Of excellen,
sleigAing, aud during the sane six weeks :ais
year we had scarcely day Of passable sip.