Holly Springs gazette., 1845-09-06
Your friend s. fellow citizen,
]. w, MATTHE WS.

..Your committee are of opinion that
change, in the mode, of employing the CON
yicts. from the mechanical branches OF la
bor to the manufacture OF coarse cotton fab
rics ofvarious kinds-of bale rope and bag
ging. either of hemp or cotton would be as
advantageous 10 the State as it would be
grateful 10 NEE hanics, and those who deal
n manufactured articles as merchand ze.
The reasons which have brought the
minds OF your committee 10 this conclusion
are numerous. and confirm their belief that
considerations of public policy and econo-
my, as we'll as a just regard TO the rights
of free and unimpeachable citizens, de.
nand the change. Such could not fail,
when once fairly established, TO be produce
tive to the revenues OF the institution, while
Ii would be anact OF sheer justice TO large.
respectable and eminently useful portion of
| the community, with whose Interests The
| present operations ofthe institution serious
| y interfere; and by dong away with this
Interference, an immense benefit would be
corfered on the State at large, by introduc-
| lion, to planting interests, of u home manu-
| facture,. wrought from home staple, the
purchase of which. from abroad. now costs
the planters ofthe State hun lreds of thou>
sands Of dollars annually.
1t is surely good policy for the State to
| do all in her power to encourage the in
PRODUCTION and prosecution of every new
mode of labor which may be profitable to
the State, and diminish the expenditures
of citizens who must have such. or similar
! manufactures, to ai6 them in bringing the
productions of the soil, IN good presefva.
tion TO market. and to clothe the laborers
employed in such production. Every ac>
knowedged aud established All. N D pliti-
cal economy consents to truth SO intimate
ly connected with this subject Of pententia.
ry labor and, on the other hand, il cannot
| but be al variance with the true interests
OF the State, to pursue any course, which,
in effect will tend TO discourage the success
full and energetic prosecution of those
| branches of productive labor already intro>
duced IN our community. aud possessing IN
| themselves an inherent power Of improve
ment, and of conferring affi lence and pc
| cuniary inde pendence on all who are enga-
ged IN such pursuits. heSe facts, taken
in connection with The dlscouragIng inha
ences exerted upon some rising b;anches
of mechanical labor now prosecuted in our
State. by peni' entiary competition and IN.
der prices, with the probable increase ol
such injurious prodnction-caused by an
increased number of convlcts, and their in.
creaslng skill in The operations of labor
aid win he fact that but limited market
can be found, in a community so sparse as
ours, for the consumption-all prove to the
satisfaction of your committee that a pleth-
The market will induce further IN
terferance with many other branches Of
mechanism now pursued by the citizens oil
The State. at continued pecuniary sacr;
he11r
competition, carried on both al the expense
and detriment OF The community a Id Of its
own risking the depopuation OF the coun-
try, By driving Its industrious citizens ana
mechanics to more favored States, where
pub!ie institutions are not Suffered to com-
pete with indis idual skill and ind usiry
The very general, almost unanimous
demonstrations of popular objection the
present conrse of penitetiary competition oil
| mechanical production at large. as well as
the earnest Recommendation of the officers
ofthe Penieniary. invest this sunj .ct With
an importance that cannot fail 20 COM
ne nd The immediate attention of This egis-
| IatLre.- Ii 1t be an object to the guardians
of The laws and rights Of this community
TO secure an ultimate saving IN the expetl
dItures OF this lnStilution-.o introduce at
the same time. a new and most useful
branch ot productive labor, and proving, to
the full satisfaction of in1ividu1 enterprise,
the advantages fan extended pursuit of
business OF manufacturing such goods
within our own borders, your committee are
fully ofth opinion that measure of
more importance, and one promising more
permanent advantages 10 our whole coun
try, or one more accordant vita The gener-
al and expressed wishes Of the community
cannot be introduced to your notice as leg>
islators. or your enlightened action as phil
| anthropists and patriots.
The loud complaints of the mechanical
portion of our community are well founded
The subject is one which involves not only
sustenance but reputasion; and The relative
responsibility of their several occupations.
as no earthly power can prevent the acces.
sion of many OF these conyicts, when dis.
charged from their penal confinement, to
the occupations and workshops of industrl-
Gus. honored and unImpeached citizens-
thus lowering the respectability ofthese USE
ful empoyments, and almost irresistibly
connecting the idea of state prison gradua-
ton with all mechanical pursuits. The
mechanic certainly can have no satisfaction
in the reflection that what he has achieved
/ hxy 1,.1nr Of L