Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-08

49, w hsonTe noble monuments OF our phllan'
, ,s.nnr mon which every Virginian may LOOK
with pride and pleasure.
VA hpni Inc first oil last September visited OH
Military Institute, and found The Cadets IN can P
The buildings in their military dress, the wnile
tents pitched upon an elevated slope and aomifa,
bly arranged The corps under arms in neal and
anpropriaIe dress. and, as | approached them
depuloying into line for my reception, made
unon me a most agreeable impre ssion, and
assured me that The high character ALREADY
awarded to this School has been fully earned. n
fnrlhpr examination OF my young feliow-cilizens
in their quarters, and of the other departments o.
the institution, which also made, satisfied me
that had more than me, the highest expectations
Of ils warmest friends, and that il deserved, and
ousb, 10 receive The favor of the General Assem-
bly. You will receive herewith the annual re-
port of the Board of Visitors, and lis accompany
ing documents, for the year 1886. ask ior Il
your attentive consideration, and earnestly re-
commend TO you It's various Suggestions.
The Penitenliary calls Tor your aitentlon. Inc
usual Annual Reports in relation thereto accom-
papy this Message That this establishment
with very large capital, ana TWO hundred xhc
,wenty-six convicls kept al "hard labor and leo
upon coarse diet" should not pay prohi sais
fies me thai The system is inherently wrong OF
that there is something very detective in It's ad
ministTalion.
The fir,, reform that would suggest, is in the
manner OF stating The accounts OF The institution
Who now knows lis actual pecuniary condition
Il draws about fifteen thousand dollars year
from the Treasury the appropriation Tor Inc
Public Guard is most strangely charged with the
expense Of its civic guard. IL furnishes annual
supplies 10 the Lunalic Asyums, and 10 those oil
the Deaf and Dumb and OF the Blind-and per-
hlo ut b.
lie edi6ces and grounds, none of which are regu-
lated by contract or adjusted at the Treasury
In this connection, submit herewith statement
(marked } exhibiting various items OF expendi-
lure, receipts &C., for and on account OF The Re-
niteniary, from the year 1916 to October OF the
present year, and also the capital invested in the
erection OF the Penilenliary up 10 1906. II is a
table nll OF interesting statistics, and calculated
to engh,en This subject.
! recommend that stock account be kept
which shall include The cost OF all buildings and
fixtures tools, manufactures, and all materials on
hand al its commencement; that all expenses, Of
every description, including salaries, subsistence
criminal charges, and civic or interior guard
shall be paid BY the Superintendent, by drafts on
the Sorekeeper, and be included in said account
the whole TO be credited by the sales-exhibit
ing in that form the whole condition of the insli
tuition for each and every year. And, then, tina
which is difficult OF comprehension would be east
ly understood, and the actual results would be an
nually ascerlained
The next change would recommend, is in the
mode of purchasing supplies for The institution
Let them be purchased by the Superintendent, az
the law now permits, but require him 10 buy
Them IN large quantities, in the cheapest conve
nienI markets, upon cash terms, by sight drafts
npon The Sorekeeper. The capital is ample TO
l.: IL liz 10 ,rJ -, -
riously the best one fur the interest OF The nsltu
ton.
In these suggestions, mean no reflection upor
the Storekeeper, or any officer OF The institution
My purpose is 10 increase The responsibility O
each, by separating distinctly their particular du
ties, and TO iniuse more vigor and activity into
its operations.
The Penilentiary is system which coniem
plates The reformation Of offenders. This Should
no, be forgotten in our legislation. II not unfre
quen,ly happens that a man OF exceen, charac
Ter, in moment OF excitement, commits crime
for which he is made 10 suffer The penalty Of The
law. Boys, TOO, with characters Uniformed, be.
come inmates OF This institution; and such are
thrown in daily and close association with negro
convicts and The vilest and most degraded male
factors subjected in all respects To the same treat
ment and discipline. The consequences are OBJ
vious. Many of the better are degraded 10 the
level of the worse class Of convicts, and only a
few. OF firmer and higher style Of character, es-
cape the demoraizng influences OF the practical
working of The system. The first step would
advi,e in The reformation Of This distressing evil,
IS !" remove The negro convict, thoroughly de-
graded in his social and political position. The
Peni;en,iary is 10 him no punishment. Album
dainty fed, comtorlly clad, nursed in sickness, in
health worked moderately, and for the first lime,
in all respects, the equal ci The white man, many,
have no doubt, regard their condition as de-
cidedly improved. The white man, freed from
his negro associate, would not feel so hopelesslv
his moral degradation. Less restless in conse-
quence, he would more cheerfully obey The laws
of the institution. With increasing selt-respect
and revivng hope, he would with more alacTily
perform his duties, and thus the discipline OF the
institution would be more easily maintained, and
lis productive industry, doubt not, materially
enlarged. The will Of God has declared The Sc
psrston OF the negro and The white man; and our
laws and our feelings approve it. Vel, most re-
lnarkable this fundamental difference is entirely
disregarded in our punishments, and black and
white are thrown into our Penilentiary, in all
respects upon terms Of the most entire equality.
earnestly recommend this reformation of our
criminal code in relation TO free negroes and mu.
lattoeS.
On The Both of September last, we had in our
Pentenlary 226 convicts 81 Of whom we're free
negroes and mulaltoes, lot white convicts born
within Virginia, aud 36 born beyond our limits.
By the census of 1910 we had in our Stale 49, 642
tree negroes and mulatloes, and 740,968 whites.
Yet the free negroes and mulauoes, constituting
abou, one sixteenth OF our free population (exclu.
ding foreigners, contribute largely over lwo-ffhs
of the convcls OF our PenlentiaIy. BY the same
census, we had 448,987 slaves; of This number
fourteen only were transported Tor offences COM
milled within The past year. The free negroes
constitute only about one tenth OF our negro race,
and vel they perpelrale about six-sevenlhs OF the
crimes committed by it. Our criminal statistics
develope these results, which | am satisfied are
substantially correct. They demonstrate the mo-
raj degradation of The free negro, the hopeessness
OF his REFORM the mischievons influences Of his
association and The necessity Of his REMOVAL
Occupying here that space which separates the
white man from the slave, he corrupls portions OF
both races. That he is moral leper is Demon
s,raed That he will prove the ready instrument
of those, TO be iourd in certain sections OF our
Union, who would kindIe into flame our social
ediice. cannot be doubted. And thus il is due To
our own quiet and repose 10 the preservation of
our dearest aad most sacred interests, that re
should be removed. The right 10 do so cannot be
questioned The great and eternal law oil sell
protection puts il beyond cavil or discussion.
In certain sections of our Union The flee regrc
is regarded as an American citizen, and enlitled
TO ali the rights and privileges of that proud and
lofty station. We can send him 10 those place Q.
Indeed, lam assured that he will be received with
pleasure. Removed by communities, his domestic
and social lies would be preserved; and emisrated
10 such communities, while we would be re-
ieved from most inlolerable evil he would
have his prospect OF be,lering his condition great
ly improved.
regard our free negro population as one OF
our greatest evils, and 10 gel rid Of 10 as one Of
our highest dnties. Great as may be The appa.
rent difficulty Of accomplishing Ibis desirable
measure, it would dwnde into inslgnifcan nee,
under bold and decided treatment But all i
now propose is the passage of law providing
that each county, al our next annual election,
shall have the right TO vote upon the question Of
removing the free negroes within their respective
limits beyond the Commonweallh-lhat al coun-
ties voting affrmaGveIy shall communicate The
fact 10 The Executive, who shall be required TO re-
move the free negroes within such counties after
six or twelve months notice; and that such popu-
aiion shall not thereafter be permitted 10 reside
therein. Such law. Gependent upon the vote o