New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-03-29
THE TRIBU NE.
The New State Prison EiII-Movements OF
the Mechanics.


could be employed in mining and the manufacture
Of such qualities of Iron as are not now produced
in this country, by which our Mechanics would be
relieved from the runous competition entaied by
TIE present system, was passed, after long and
bitter opposition through the Assembly. This
step on the part of the popular branch OF our Leg
stature was hailed with sincere and heartfelt
gratitude by the Northumberland they have
watched with the most earnest socltude its pro-
gress in the Senate-where we are sorry to
say nothing satisf actory or encouraging has yet
been done in the matter. The right and Justice
of the measure of relief to the Mechanic Inter
est seem to US to be unquestonable. 1t appears
an absurdity of the grossest complexion that our
free, honest and industrious mechanics should be
threatened with poverty and disaster by the com
petition of the labor of criminals and convicts--
: competition authorized and sustained by the
very Government whose first duty it is to protect
and encourage virtuous labor, and which inflicts
general tar upon its citizens for the support Of
these very convicts. 1t is really too bad that the
poor Mechanics should in the first place be taxed
in their general capacity of citizens for the
support of our bloated State Prison system, and
then oppressed and in many cases absolutely
ruined in their means Of livelihood by the con-
victs themselves. This is monstrous and a
double injustice.
Besides, there are other considerations which
speal- strongly in favor of the proposed establish
ment The whole country is aware of the un-
pleasant and somewhat humilating fact that
there are certain species of Iron Manufacture
which have never yet been successfully produced
in this country. For this state Of things there is
certainly no necessity or excuse. We have as
good iron ore as there is in the wOrd-we have
as enerprizng capitalists and skillinl artisans
and mechanics--wha then is the matter ! Why,
we have never given the thing a fair trial. We
want an opportunity to make few experiments,
to profit by experience and to gradually reach
perfection And how can all this be accom-
plished SO well as in an institution of the kind
proposed, where the punishment which Law and
Humanity find it necessary under the present
state of society TO mete ont to criminals may be
made subservient to the cause OF Science and OF
National Independence Suppose the expert
ments tried there should, for year or two, ut
terlv fail--the deficit in the expense Of maintain
ing our convcts would not be much greater than
thew somehow manage to make ii under existing
arrangements and whatever it might be would
be as dust in the balance compared with the
evils which now exist or the immense advantages
that would then cnsue The loss by State Prison
competition in the single branch of Cabinet-ma-
king is estimated by judiclous calculator MT
Lee at 600 per annum to the mechanics Of
Buffalo alone-and to all the various classes OF
mechanics in that city at not less than $l50,0oo
In Rochester, Auburn, and other Western places
the loss would ofcourse be about proportlonableto
this and in New York the amount would reach
more than five times this sum. If 1t were pos
sble to procure data upon which to found stats
teal tables on this subject, it would be found
that million of dollars per annum would be toe
small a sum to compensate the Mechanics OF TINS
State for the direct losses incurred through the
iniquitous competition Of our two State Prisons
which, like ulcers, absorb and poison all the ma,
tural and healthlul juices which 60 to nourls
and sustain the great body of the MECHANIC
INTEREST.
The total expenses of both the State Prisons
varies from S65,000 to $4,000 per annum-
stealings included. There are upwards OF SIX
teen hundred convicts, Of all sorts, now in these
Prisons, at work against the rights and interests
OF the Mechanics, and many OF them, VI
to the close of the last year, upon contracts
in direct violation of law-as is abundantiy
shown in the Report of the Mechanics made last
December. Now would it not, as mere matter
Of pocket and money, drawer, be greatly to our ~
terest to employ these convicts IN picking up
paving-stones and carrying them backward ano
forward to no possible purpose but their health and
exercise rather than permit them to GO sa thus
overwhelming with their productions our virtuous
and hard working mechanics and grinding them
to the earth-if not in too many instances, lead
ing them to despair and crime, and thus to IN
creasing the evil under which they themselves
have been crushed Most certainly.
But we arc right glad to see that our Mechan
les are fully awake in this matter, and keeny alive
to the Importance of pressing the SO much needed
and so nearly accomplished measure of reform
nor, that the attention of our dilatory and slug
gish Legislative power has been drawn IN that di
rection, and before the healthy disposition there
manifested shall have again subsdedinto the cole
and selfish apathy which too generally para'yzes al
healthy and really necessary reform IN the ha
Of our Republican Representatives OF the feopie
A Memorial with FOUR THOUSAND flVf
HUNDRED signatures-the names OF our bes
and worthiest mcchanics-is now IN existence