Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1844-03-19


the Ohio Peniteniiary for the year end.
iag November SOIh ls4S. BY this re-
port il appears that there we're in the
Peniientlary on the SOlhof Novembsr46O.
prisoners. During the year there has
been an average kof 26 less prisoners
per day than during the year 1912. -
Between November 30sh le42 and No
vomber SOlh ls43, $50 prisoners have
been received; 1873 discharged, 10 have
died, 2 have committed suicide, has
been murdered, and 3have escaped..-
During the same time. ten have been
re-cOmmilled who have heretofore been
discharged from The prison. One Of
these Is now there for the third time,
and one for the fourth. OF those in con-
6nement on The 3Oth ofNovember last,
4OS were white males, Al colored
males; 2while females, 5 cOlored females,
and Indian.
The earnings Of the conv;cts during
the year amount to $394s6,O2. This
includes about Ss,4OO worth of labor
done on the public institutions, &c
The receipts Of cash amount to $3i.-
5l3, l3--and The expenditures for The
support Ofthe institution amount TO S23,
$50, ,24-leaVing balance Of earnings
over expenditures Of $l5,52 7s.-
There should be deducted, however,
from this latter sum, the costs ofprosecu
ton and transportation Of convicts, a.
mounting 10 $l2, OO2 90. From this Il.
will be seen that the receipts and ex'
penditnres are nearly equal, as they
should be iD such an institution. While
the criminal should be made to pay The
expenses consequent upon his tr0nsgres'
sion ;lhe State should not derive profit by
bis conviction. (
OF those discharged from the Prison
during the year, So we're pardoned-(2
by the President and 81 by Governors
CUrwin and SharnOn,)aDd thereby restor.
ed TO the rights Of citizenship. Eleven
Of these were pardoned by Gov. Shan-
non on the day previous to The time
when their sentences would have Cypir
ed. And 72 were discharged BY expira,
iion Of sentences,- sent forth into
the world deprived OF the common rights
Of citizens, to be pointed at as objects Of
scorn and Contempt,-without the hope
Of. ever regaining their lost reputation; /;
and having, therefore, little or no induce.
ment to reform, they will be led by The
prospect Of gain from fraud and crime,
and the chances OfoscaPe from detection,
20 renew and increase their dePredaiions
upon community. These evil conse
quences OfthePenitontiary system in this
as we'll as most Of the other States, cry
loudly for reform in our criminal laws.---
The reformation Of the criminal should
be as much the object of the law as his
punishment. Without the first, the lat
ter is almost uselo IS, except on accOun
Of the onatIorded to tho commu
nifty while lie Is confined; and this goOr
may be Overbalanced BY the evil Of set.
ting OF large a confrmsd criminal. II il
true, ihe punishment isslill held out
10 deter bin from Crime-but tho re
wards which result 10 other citizens from
good cOnduct,are over afIer Withheld from
him aud as the hope Of reward is d
much stronger motive to do right than
the fear Of punishmeni, he has not half
the inducement 70 refrain from crime
that he had before he was committed.
Il may be said that these penalties
and disabilities are necessary part Of
the punishment 10 deter from The com,
mission ofcrime in the first instance .Ifse'
we're punishment Is necessary asa pref
Vsntiye, let tbs time Of imprisOnmsnthe
prolonged-but when that is ended, eve
" mark Of degradation should be remov.
ed from The prisoner, aud with the garb
Ofpcilizen let him again assume his
privileges, with the same inducement 10
become an honest aud industrious citizen
that are held out 10 others. With such
amendment 10 our criminal code, the,
country would derive Infinitely more
benefit thanit now does from the system
Of Peniten,iary punishment. 9'se7
= -
sPRlNo TRADE TnR TARITr. - Tie
a. Z Et.I