New-York daily tribune., 1844-03-09
VGE. HEE. NO. ESQ.

be contaminated in his morals or degraded in So
cety by associating with felons. But as the gen.
tieInan offered no argument in support of his
opinion, shall dismiss my notice of it, by briefly
remarklng that envy not that man his felicity
whose moral sensibilities have become so obtuse.
that ne does not shun the approach Of the guilty
and shrink intutivelv from the contaminating
influence of vice | hope, Mr. Chairman, the
Committee will pardon me for an Illustration OF
this sentiment from an eminent poet -
Vice is monster OF such ;rightfu! raiep
hat 20 be hated needs but 10 be seeu;
Bnt seen 100 Off, familiar with her face.
We first endure. then PITY, then embrace
Sir, 1t is said that facts are stubborn thinos.-
Lake the figures of the gentleman from Cavuga,
Nr. Hali) they are apt to be ugly customers
Now, sir, IN answer to gentlemen who pronounce
so authorltatlvely upon subject of which they
appear to be so profoundly ignorant, permit me to
introduce dry narratlve-one only out Of mu-
tltude OF similar import. which might be adduced ::
len years since, a young man Of gentlemanly
manners, and prepossessing appearance and ad
dress, applied to me for employment, which was
gwen HIM. He soon became the favorie of all
the hands in the shop, but he attached himself
more particularly to an apprentice s years DID,
a poor frendless boy that had received into my
family when only nine years Of age. and in whom
my confidence SO great that would have
entrusted him with untold gold. His fidelity was
! proverblal, and no could have bought his
time Of me for $500. Well, sir, the villain that
IN an evil hour | had admitted into nv family, in
SIX months converted that boy into a drunkard,
debauchee and feon; and in less than nine
months as a consequence Of his crimes, he was
summoned to the tribunal Of his final Judge ruin
ed for time and for eternity. But, sir this
was not all. The work Of the destroyer was not
yet accomplished. Two young and vrtuous fe-
males, one the sister of the boy in question, the
other the daughter of a neghboring farmer, were
seduced and ruined by this villain. He dcbauch-
ed married woman, and broke up her family.
But at length Justice overlook him. His accom-
plices betrayed him, and upon theirs and other
testimony, he was indicted for participation in
twelve distinct burglaries Under the advice of
the presiding Judge, he was only tried upon three
of these charges, and was sentenced TO the State
Prison for twenty lone years, and he has now ser
vcd out nine years of his apprenticeship 1t after
wards appeared that that man had served out one
term in the State Prison before he came into my
employment This, sir is but one of many like
cases.
In relation to the other part of the assertion of
the gentleman from Chautauque, (N1r, Sjmons)
have only to ask gentlemen TO turn TO the authcn-
tic statements which have been laid upon our
tables. IF they do not demonstrate the utter
hopclcssness Of the contest on the part Of the me-
chanics TO compete with State Prison labor,
then may we well despair Of ever producing con-
viction.
Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Cayuga
(AIr. HalD deserves a passing notice from me
The mechanics arc under igfinite obligation TO
that gentleman for he has unlocked the Arcana,
and conducted this Committee into the inner
temple Of prison corruption. He has portrayed
with the hand ola master the Jesultlca tricks
the frauds and collisions understood and pracus-
cd alike by officers and contractors--ycs, SIR CDt-
GERS and contractors. That gcntlemans author
ity, sir, is unquestionabe, for he too has been
contractor. Common Fame asserts-we know,
sir, that Common Fame is celebrated forhcr men,
dacity-Common Fame asserts that he obtained
two thousand dollars for his contract. II she does
him injustice, l cheerfully give him an opportu-
nitv to correct the statement.
But, Mr. Chairman there is another point IN
which the mechanics are indebted to the gentle
man. BY him the officers of the prison plead
guilty to their indictment, and he, as the apolo
gist of the defendants, offers various excuses N
mitigation Of punishment. lie admits the truth
of the charge, that the joiner and carpenter were
| put on the cablnet-maker's contract, but gravey
asks, are not cabinet making and Jolnerng the
same trades? They both work in wood will
not insult the intelligence of the committee by
arguing the point will only ask the gentleman
are not casting cannon and matchmaking one
trade Why not They both work IN metal
But again, the mechanics charge that they found
two raw hands apprentced TO forbidden trades
The gentleman admits it, but he tells you that the
-,,bhinu Enu-r,
nish, and the cooper only preparing hoops. In
deed And let me tell that gentleman, those
are the first stepsin educating apprentices TO these
trades And now, sir if there is any virtue in the
law Of 1912, l call upon the Attorney General
TO put it in force against the officers of the Au-
burn Prison.
leone now, Mr.. Chairman, to another cues
ton, and that is, the mode of relief. The me-
chanics, sir, were told year after year, that the
Legislature could afford no relief. They admit.
ted the Justice of our claims-they admitted that
we ought to be relieved But they told US no
measure could be adopted to effect that object
Yes. sir. the concentrated Legislative wisdom for
20 wears could devise no mode OF redress The
mechanics have done it in two years. They have
presented you a plan, and, as they contend, an
effectual plan of relief; and what is now sad TO
rs? We are told that II IS asked to put our
hands in the State Treasury and draw out some
$50, 900. Sir, your State Prison system has
robbed enough from the mechanics, to build
Prison in every section of the State, and shall
we be now told, the State cannot afford to give US
relief? Sir, there was man, appointed under
an order of this House-a mechanic SIT, and a
man of scicnce-whose report made to this Le-
gislature contains more practical wisdom than
the whole host OF spectators in the regions OF ao-
stracons, have ever put forth on thus or any other
question That report sir is worthy oi all praise
Itneeds not nv humble endorsement. 1t has re-
| ro;red that of all your State officers