Holly Springs gazette., 1845-08-02

another, n must be ABOLISHED atogeiner.-
And the question then arises, what Is 10 be
do ne with those men who are and Will be
confined there2 There is oniv Que ar
swer, they must be kept in ldteness. This
would be an absolute induceneut with
some men 10 commit crime, when they
would be maintained a, the pubic expense
and be exempted from labor. To others
again it would aff;,rd time to brood over
Their supposed wrongs. they would return
to The wo I'D irrecIaimed. and irTeclaina-
ble Oar State Is already sufficiently bur
dened with debt, and as one OF It's citizens L
am not willing To- be taxed to support men
who can ard should be made to support
themselves.
Mr. Editor. though you are opposed to
to the principles advocated In the inclosed
communication, may l ask its inse rtion In
the columns ofyour paper.
Yours, &c, A.
The modesty with which "A T." intro
duces his remarks in reference 20 the re-
cent movements of the mechanics is in
deed singular La the very outset, he very
unce tremendously asserts that be has not
seen one sensible" reason for making the
proposed change in our peni'entiary sys-
tem-noihing but loose and extIavagant as
sertions. &cs--that is, you mechanics are
all fools and know not what effects your
own interests hear me! Well, we hare
read "a. Z.'s' article, and we fear, that
though our stock of sense aoas exceedingly
limited before, there is yet but very liAie
increase OF ii. Now, in our simplicity. we
thought that some good reasons had been
given for the aforesaid change; but We bow
in humble submission to his superior judg
menti Hear ye him!! However, as il
may not be out Of place, we will proceed to
give few ofthe reasons which we deem
sufficient, at least: to induce those sinipielons,
the mechanics. to persevere in their efforts,
even ia opposition to the sense and manli-
ness displayed in other quarters. Would n:
presume, however, to call them sensible"
o: "manIy."
The principle is admitted by "a. z" to
be good one, as set forth in the preamble
of the intelligent mechanics at Jackson,
that the government should be so framed
and administered, as to afford equal pro
lection" TO all elias ses Of the governed
Hence. If it can be shown that any measure
Of government is destructive Of this end by
which one portion of its people are made
20 bear an unequal share Of its burdens, or
should be unfairly oppressed i'm any other
way, 1t is the FrivIlege-nay, i! becones
he Imperative duty-of that particular
class, to demand an immediate redress of
the grievance. Let US, then, examine our
convict system upon this principle. Tae
is an institution erected for the
benefit ofthe people at large, in preserving
peace and restraining crime. by punishing
all offenders and thus making them warn
Ings to Others. Here, then, is a heavy
public expense which has TO be met in some
way and, Of course, as this institution is
for the good'of the whole people, conferring
peculiar advantages on none, the expense
oil sustaining i; should De borne equally by
all ibis Is very clear. But it defrays
It's own expenses" say you. Not SO fast. if
you please. We will admit, for the argu.
ment. that 1t sustains ITSELF in a certain
sense. But we assert that the burden
must fall at last somewhere. anu that mn,
on the convicts themselves. Then where
does 1t falla Certainly not on the farmer;
tor The carrying on of mechanical pursuits
In the penitentary cannot iriure him in
any way. IL affects the prices of nothing
he has 10 sell, nor does il Increase tiaat of
anything he has to buy. Ii cannot iniure
the lawyer, the doctor, the schoolmaster
or any other profession for the same rea.
son. Then It's whole weight must be sus.
tanned by the mechanics. Do you ask how
IS this2 Well then. there is no fact better
established, than that the price of an ar,i-
Gle depends prime Pally upon the proportion
which ;he supply bears 10 The demand for
It. Hence. IL is evident, that the articles
thrown lnto markedly the labor of convic.s.
the supply being thus increased, reduces
the price of all articles of the same kind be.
tore IN market Just in proportion to tha, in
crease; therefore, just that much Is taken
out OF the pockets of Industrious mechanics
and the rAoie burden of supporting this o.
dIeus system falls directly upon their sboul.
ders- 1t is frequently even worse than
this For instance, il is fen the case ,h.,
The State has large supply of these ar;i.
cles on hand. and being comnelled 70 h.a