The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-12-18

'sic sest'enieuts " s'Io qooS-
tons Of boundary, and also Of the use,
navigation, and jurisdiction Of, and over
the Ohio river, by The passage {. joint
resolutions corresponding with ours
In pursuance Of these resolutions, the
Governor of Virginia has appointed
William G. Rives, William Green, and
G. W. Thompson, commissions on
the part Of Virginia, who are to meet
Thomas Ewing, Alfred KelIey,and John
Brough, commissioners by me named
on the part of Ohio, at Washington CT
ty, Oh the FIRST Monday OF January
next. 1t is to be hoped that the Leg
islature Of Kentucky may, at an early
period Of its present session, act on the
subject, so that commissioners on be-
half of that State and oil this may meet
at the same time and place.
In organizing the three Regiments of
Volunteers for the Mexican War last
year, the State incurred a liability Of
more than thirty thousand dollars, u
considerable portion Of which remains
as yet unpaid by the United States
Government, as will more fully appear
by the report of the Quartermaster
General. The other Regiments, being
the fourth and fifth Of Infantry, and one
company Of Cavalry, have this year
volunteered, and are now in Mexico.
In the organization Of these latter troops,
| did not consider myself either au
thorized or called upon to expend large
sums Of money; first, because Con-
gress had made liberal appropriations
for the support Of the army, which
were under the control Of the President.
and the Legislature of ohio had not, for
that purpose, placed funds at my dlspo-
sal; and, secondly, because the requi-
sition itself contained the following
clause: "The proper officers Of the Staff
Departments will BE- Immediately sent
to the place of rendezvous, with funds
to defray the necessary expenses, which
may be incurred according to law"
The Asylums for lunatics, for the
blind, and for the deaf and dumb, have
all been managed, by their respective
superintendent and officers, with dis
tinguished ability and success, every
way worthy of the high character
which they have attained. and of the
lustre which they have shed on the
good name of the State. | cheerfully
commend them to your continued pat.
ronage.
The mild yet firm discipline admins
tered by the Warden and officers Of the
Penitentiary, and the moral and religi-
Gus instrumentalities brought into requi-
including the largely increased
for the use Of The convicts, col.
|ected by the Rev. Mr.. Finley, are ex.
ercising, | trust, a wholesome influence
upon their character. No duty intrusted
TO government is more difficult of exe-
cution than that of the punishment Of
crime. The great object to be kept in
view is, the protection Of society, by
the confinement and especially by the
reformation of the criminals, in such
manner as shall at once defray all ex.
penses and train the convicts to habits
of industry; no: forgetting, though fall
len, that they are yet men, with minds
TO be enlightened and hearts to be ami.
mated by the lessons Of morality and re.
ligion. Is it not true that we have d.
rected our attention too much to the f.
nancial view alone of this great govern
mental obligation! Having succeeded
in making the Penilentiary defray its
own expenses, aid in erecting other in
situations, and pay a balance into the
treasury, have we moi overlooked the
nature Of the contracts by which the
.convicts have been hired out and trans.
ferred from hand 10 hand; and have we
not, in some respects forgotten what is
due to their minds and bodies? May
it not well be questioned whether IN.
renting and unrequited toll from early
dawn till night, under the eye Of an in
terested task-master, without an hour
to read by day or light to read at night,
constitutes the great road to moral re-
formation? Is it right 10 continue in
the hands of one individual q monopoly,
OF between two and three hundred la
boring men, at only thirty-three cents
per day, boarding, lodging, and work
shops found? Is it just TO keep up that
monopoly at that price in competition
with the honest mechanics OF the State?
Is it to be tolerated that such a con-
tract is claimed to be perpetual? !
submit to your deliberate judgment
whether the Warden Of the Peitenliary
had power, either by virtue ofhis Office,
or by any legal enactment, to limit or
control legislation, by any such perpet-
ual contract, and whether the General
Assembly has not undoub!ed right, in
the exercise Of its discretion, to abolish
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