The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-09-05
A STATE PENITENTIARY.

We sec no good reason why should nnt have
Penitontiary in South Carolina bnt the contrary,
believe there is great necessity with us for one Outs
is the age of improvement. We may very reasonably
expect SOM to sec Rail Roads connecting every City,
Town and Viagc through the whole country-thc
time cannot he very FAR distant when The Iron Horse
shall slakc his thirst from the mighty b som OF the
Atlantic" and dashng over valley and lake, through
hills and mountains, force his way oAer The rocky
bnics Gf the West, and "bahc Ills burning hoois IN
the waters of the Pacific Ocean" The time is notc
n, hard that "thc lightning has bccn made post boy
Of" These thongh fgurn,vey presented 10 view, arc
facfs That there exists necessity Tor PencnlIary
in South Carolina, is settled question.
Asa matter of economy 10 the State, VIC urge the
clairns of this system 1t is possible that it may moi
prove source Of profit, hut that il will save the
State many thousands of dollars per nnnum, cannot
be reasonably dnubed Our State is yearly harrasscd
by an immense amount Of debt incurred by The i'm
prisonnent of class Of wrc!chcd creatures that nicst
our JaiIs and arc fed at thirty cents per diem, al tlr
cost of the public 7casnry- that is from the taxes the
hard earnings Of honest industrious Citizens. n man
convicted Of Larceny lrrgc SCALE Is sentenced to
a long imprisonment, and is otherwise corporca'y pun
ised-by the time he has been imprisoned twelve or
fourteen months. and has fully paid the demands OF
Justice hc will have cost the Stale about ono hundred
and fifty dulnrs. 10 say nothing oi incidental expenses
in the way Of sickness, should he happen 10 lie SICK
and require medical aid. II will be remembered that
during this confinement, which according TO ac'
INT presenO musl be in narrow CELL from six 10 eight
fee, square, the pri, is obliged to drag ont mscra-
bic existence Gagged wild beast all the while, only
as the humanity of the keeper may chance to lei nm
walk the narrow passage. from which he may behold
the sunlight Of heaven and gaze If but TOR moment
n, The beauties of nature around him. We must also
remember that nine times o Of ten, persons OF this
class have large and helpless families. which arc 10 hr
supported some how. ut all events. We cannot allow
them TO die in snch country as ours is-'hn ihprs
onncnl Of the man p-ccudcs MI possibility nt aid from
that unarlcr-hr is living ui The public eSprnse, aud
daily becoming less disposed tc work, even IT he conld
do so. Our present system will not allow criminal
To have single instrument for any snt OF work. and
this is right under present circumstances We io'ow
tho liberated outlaw, and him turned o"se upon
the Siato degraded wretch, ready for the commission
Of crimes of tic deepest dye. Commonly his career Is
finished on the uaows. The policy OF Law Is 10
punish to correct, and reclaim those that Voiale' MS
we'll as 10 prevent The commission oi CRIME Whatever
system Of laws can effect this The most surely ought
to he employed If man guilty Of theft can DO re.
camcd and induced to lead an honest and useful liic
VIC say by all means let it be donc II is difficult 10
chanrc ths conrse Of dcpravcd inclination, which
exhibits itself in acts of tho most Lgrani kind, get
mav be dane The Pcncntiary cln accomplish thiS
ii Pcnieniiary may do in South Garolina' what "
has done N other States and il is in vain TO say That
tho system is not good ono, bccan'o II has 'Aed h
C.y ins,anccs The hes, code system OF laws mat
The world ever knew would fail if they bc n"l properly
executed: because some Rail Roads do not pay large
profits ON the capil,l invested. il ii reason against
Rail-, Roads in general 7 Must the word stand s'''
unit; every thing gets right to scil every body Nay
verify: We must have Rail Roads, Tcesraphs' s'cam'
ships, Plank Roads and Pcnilcnliar'cs'
We think the operation Of The PcnllcntIary system
would tend TO equalizc The law. Inc peha'''eS a''
Tackled to some Of the Laws arc very justly ''"s"' W
rpany of our most ointment men to be 100 Sef'e' '' i
s,melimcs happcrs that v'ol'torE ot The '"" eS'"'
entirely or with very light punishment because TIC
casc or crmo is not we'll provided for. Capital pun
is,mcnl sc think ought only to be inflicted IN cases
of murder arsor or tic like, whore human l'c Is at
stake. We follow the spirit Of tho Bible IN saying
life for life" Whose shcddclh mans hooa, ny man
shall his blood be shed" We can never agfco 10 TIC
Justice of that law which inicts death MS the punish
mcmt Of any other crimes than these We may Te'oI
to this subject ngan-ior the present VIC tarbcar s'y
ing moro.