The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1846-03-18
FRn he Ral-ish Rssiasr.
THE PENTTENTIARY QuRSTIo,

HE fEsIIEATlAhf QlEsflON.
This subject. we are glad 10 find. il II,
tracing general attention ihrnnghoul the
State. The freemen Of Sonh Carolina,
Al our Election in August. will hare %
vote les or No. on the question Of adopt.
ing TIE system, and il i right. lhrIelore,
that BY free discussion. they should BE-
enabled 10 form an intelligent opinion As
10 The expediency or inexPediency Of Ihe
change. which The establishment Of Peni.
tertiary would have upon our while bady
Of Criminal Law. Let every wise riii.
zen endeayor 10 keep this question from
being mixed up with the polite, Of the
day, and LEI il be derided on lie own me-
rils, so that there may be no doubt that
the decision Of the People. whatever il
may be, is unbiased and free from al ex-
irsneous influences. And We would here
remark with pleasure. that we have seen
no attempt. on either side, 10 connect this
important question with political designs.
The Presses and writer's Of bolh parties
are arguing the question pro and con. and
with equal ability.
All history will. we btIiere. fsfly a.
test The fact. that wherever the Penilen-
iiary System 10 steadily pursued, sssuTd.
ing TO the principles which experience
has shown 10 be correct, there can Be Inlie
or no doubt offs success. BY success.
we do not mean that all crimes will be
prevented, nor all Prisoners reformed;
but that enough will be effected to justify
the labour expended. The indulgence OF
exirayagant expectations on this point,
has been productive Of much dissppoint-
men,; and what is worse, has rendered
men skeptical as to the real advantages of
the plan. and relaxed their efforts for It's
adoption. In is not commended that il Is
perfecI. but tina, il 10 much superior 10 the
old mode Of punishment. and affords the
best means a, present in our power for the !
prevention crime. To effect this object, !
the old system relied simply on The
n lsrgr lhis Rafssa add hs is,
same means which are used to restore
him To virtue, are made instrumental in de-
terring others from offending. Confine.
ment and hard labor are substituted in The
room Of death, lin almost all casesl, scoure.
ing. branding mulilalion. And il can
hardly be doubted, that The change is for
the better, even though we look no farther
Than to the relative influence Of the two
modes Of punishment. in lettering from
crime. As TO the punishment, of death.
u il so abhorrent TO the feelings of our
community, and consequently the chance
Of escape, from scrupulosily Of Courts.
JurIes, and witnesses is so great, tina, we
canno, believe the fear OF il opcra,es 80
as the certainty of tedious
on reasonable proof Of guilt. =,
And as 10 the other painful and ignomini.
Gus punishments which we have mentions
ed, We would remark, the criminal is
generally man of unbritiIed passions. ,
and little sense Of character. Pain and ,
shame are less dreadful to him than re. /,
'iraInt. His reckless habits generate {
brutal hardihod. which bids Defiance TO !
corporal punishment and drpriying him |,
y character. render him insensible 10 /
hame. But restraint he most cordially =
'ales and breads. The want of self con.
rol impels him To the commission Of
rlme. And this impulse will be mos,
tiectually checked by the prospect Of con- ,
lnemcnt aud strict discipline. -
But greater efficacy in the prevention of .
rime is by no means the only advantage :
the Peni,entiary system. /. a..
prevents the growth Of that savage callous- :,
ess, which springs from the frequent :
light Of public executions and corporal "
BY combining the offender. I,
relieves society from the fear of his :
Expectations aud the pollution Of his ex. =
mple; while the old system would have :,
nrned him loose. rendered doubly f.ro. y u
lons by the smart Of bodily pain. Il !.
ompels him to labor for his own summers, u
instead Of preying upon the spoils OF hi. !. :
GLOW men. and offers him the means of
eforma,ion. which, il properly applied. y =
an hardly fail in majority Of cases. Of !,
ismissing him better man, than when u u
e entered the Prison. :,
More anon. .