Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-12-10

cessary. and in all they might be rendered so, b
80 amending tho general law, to confer the ne
cessary powers. The Same local authorities upo
whom the law confers the right of establishing
ferries, could under suitable restrictions, be au
thorzed to license toll gates and toll bridges. Thu
would save much delay in making the necessa r,
applications for the privilege sought, and would
hasten the completion Of works Of much needed
improvement.
AT noa:ly, if not quite every session. specia
laws arc passed for the election of Justices of thu
peace. in addition to those authorized bv tn.
general lawn one session as many as seven
teen, and III tho following session, eighteen sucl
bills wero passed. 1t is respectfully suggested
whether by clothing the Board eff Commissioner
with the necessary powers, the object could no
be as vol attained, tho wants Of the communt,
sooner met. and no small amour. Of the expense
and abor of legislation saved.
Bills have been passed vacating towns and par
of towns, and to change their ma mes. and examples
have not been wanting Of successful application:
TO vocato town alloys. Admitting the power o.
tho legislature to effect each Of these objects, i
follows, that it can, by general law be transfer
red. and, it is believed, more appropriately trans
fcrred, to tho county commissioners.
A moro fruitful source of legislation is that oil
granting corporate powers to scminaries, literary
societies, military companies, bands of musicians
to mill and manufacturing companies, and to Other
objects Of u purely local and private character.--
sed within this State, above four hundred private
acts of Incorporation. mostly for similar objects
making an average of moro than fifty voluminous
acts for each session. Without discussing tho
utility Of these corporate privileges in every
case, tho opinion is confidently expressed. that al
who need them might BE- enabled to obtain their
object by general law. By this means a vast
accumulation Of private and special acts would
bc dispensed with, which only serve to lengthen
tho session. to Increase tho labors Of mcmbers
and what is not Of less importance, to withdra "
the mind from that full and m1tured coasidera-
ton Of questions Of a general and pcrvading
character which is demadcd by the public welfare
1t would DO proper in any general law of this
character. to limit the amount Of property to be
held, to provide for the principle Of indvadu al
liability where the same would be applica bic, and
to insert tho other usual restrictions in our legis-
lation upon this subject, with reservation to the
General Assembly of tho right of modification
+ repeal.
The policy Of confinement in the county ails,
punishment for crime may, in most cases, well
be questioned 1t is not onlv a serious burden on
tho counties, but is believed to be incompatible
with reformation, which is the leading purpose OF
criminal punishment. Tho at,ainmen, of th
object may 90 hoped for by the penitentary sys-
tenn, when madc to combine Imprisonment, ha I'd
labor. and suitable moral discipline. But this
system, under our present laws only operates up.
the higher class of offenders, and has no bear
ing upon prisoners in tho county as. Yet there
is far moro hopo Of retaining the lattor by this
system than the former. who, generally speaking:
more practised in crime. As a remedy for
this evil, tho application of the principle of peni-
ton,iary discipline upon those guilty of minor Of
fences, as we'll as upon juvenile and female offen-
dcrs, by means of Houses of Correction, is res
poctfuliy recommended. They should be estab-
Iishod with eye to the comfort and separate
employment of the inmates, and to tho exercise
of kindly, but firm and steady discipline.
By this means vicious associations would be
prevented, and habits of industry formed. For
all, who the children of misfortune. rather
than of crime, (and Of such most of those
who havo only committed their first offencc,) such
retreats, would be. not only in name, bat in fact,
houses of refuge.
A principle obstace to the permanent rcfor-
mailc OF tho Ionitonti,ry convict is that having
lost his scif-respect, and despairing of ever re.
gaining public confidence, he feels his release.
that his character Is Como and that no has nothing
worth living for but the nero support of his ami
NAL existence. To obviatc this difficulty as far
as possible, established rule, that on a written
report from the clerk Of the prison, that convict
had faithfully complied with the rules Of tho pris-
on, and by his exemplary conduct, had given
evidence Of reformation, he should be restored to
the rights Of c,izenship-to the same platform
whenc he descended. by pardon bearing on its
face, the cause of it being granted. Four con-
vlctS nave 6lreauy aval!ed themselves OF this
privilege, since last February, when the rule
was first established, and am informed by the
clerk that moro had entitled themselves to this "a
vor, and would gladly have awaited themselves of
it, but for the fact. that they would thereby lose
tho small sum of money, which, under an exist
ing law, is paid to every convict at the end of the
time for which no is sentenced, as a necessary
means of support, until no get into reputable
employment. | recommend that tho samo law
be made to apply to all cases, where tho prisoner
is released by pardon, within gwen time before
the expiration of his sentence, and expressly on
the ground of good conduct.
The report of the Visitor of the State Prison
has been received. and will shortly be laid before
you. with such remarks as may DO required by the
subject.
The fixing of the number of Representatives
and Senators. and the apportioning Of them among