Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-07
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
MORNING. JANUARY I, 1881
ARMORY SCHOOL.


the final of this important measure Inc Dill was
laid on the table on Saturday. with view 10 consider some
suggestions for amendment. 1t suggested ia' the
18th section might be stricken ont which PROVIDES pe
guard for the Penitentiary. We were not apprseu Jew
DAYS ago when noticing this subject, that any a'e'io"
had been made from provision In the Dill oil as'
The provision the bill Of this year se,s apart sA
dollars of the appropriation for The purpose OF sup
ronv strong guard al the Pcnitcntary and authorizes
the Superintendent and Directors to stlpuae lot tue III
s,ruction of persons composing such guard III military
literature or the mechanic arts while not performing
snard du,y and that such instruction. support, &C., may DC
received by them compensation in whole or III part o
their service thus making the whole sum now eApehaeu 10
the public guard subseyient TO The purposes OF eu
cation; and subJectns the school at TIE Amoy 10 e
objection of requiring the Cadets guard the Peniten'ay
The object of the change appears very proper.
The provision the bill of last year, for guarding The Pc
nitentiay authorized the appointment by The euperheha
en of 10 men, at compensation exceeding that allow
ed soldiers in the Public Guard some $3.50 per annun and
these IL required perform the duties usually imposed
anon from 26 to 80 soldiers Al present. Is soldiers are sent
daily 10 the Penenary guard it. BY the routine soldier
can only stand guard day in two al most but generally
thew stand one three In The latter case 81 woud oe -
CURED and the former &c TO keep up the rotation Us we
understand OF the Is duty daily, one is non-comms-
stoned officer The IL pvaes divided into three rees
of four men EACH These rees on duty TWO hours ana
"a s,r md so alternate durna 81 nours The exterior
sail. "A h,dnoe prison are quadangular ana one
soldier is posted on each of the four sides l. will be
that they thus posted and post two hours and OIL
1wo will require nine daily; and if on duty one Gay IN
Two the whole number would be Isl or if duty one day
in three 81 would be required The number of Is would
give no allowance for disease and consequently the guard
were limited that number in tine nature OF things the
prison would very frequently be nadsqualey protected
The prisoners usually number some TWO hundred; ana
are conrregaed in large shops within the buildings, where
various branches mechanical employment are carried on
Large amounts of lumber besides tools and instruments,
are abundant and convenient from shoeknic and hache
20 sledce- and crowbar always at hand, which
might be used with success upon sudden surprise and re-
belon The officers who dec; the mechanical operations
of the institution are within the buildings and at all times
subject to power of the prisoners They could all be
assassnated in FIVE minutes and prison consigned
10 flames but for the certainty of sufficient armed guard
outside, TO prevent general escape. An open rebellion
any ago did and the prisoners gained domin
ION over all within the wallis but they kept in BY the
guard outside unit, the whole force was brought from the
Arnory The first Governor Tyler and delivered an
address them They finally capituated without the she'd
ding of blood side But in 1923 by design, they
burnt the prison. under the general expectation that the
svstsn would be abandoned and most OF Them liberated
We understand from the Superintendent that several at
tempts have been made In the ast twelve years 10 IRE
the prson formidable consplraces 10 rebel murder the
officers and then destroy the prison by fire. have also
been detected and One officer has been assass
mated and other attempts made 10 commit the like offence
But within the last three he has introduced some new
principles in the discipline which have 80 lar proved highly
satisfactory and which are calculated greatly 10 relax
former severity and maintain proper subordination
But it is predica,ed upon the undoubed strength OF the
Ito 20 NJ that the the
last years BILL limiting the guard AT The Penentary to
twelve and such could be employed the present
comnensa,ion of the soldiers would be entirely INSULT
cent-and that a sudden jininution OF strength in the
guard to that extent would inevitably revive the spirit OF
rebellion among those who were ioed IN the TWO as al
tempts-the ring being Yet ii prison. under long SEN
.ences They would have but little doubt of success az not
detected before the oubreak against guard teeey con-
suted Worn down by constant fatigue and The number
nearly aways diminished by absence account OF Sickness
from such fa,gua but little confidence could be placed in
she capacity of such guard 10 protect the prison. he
therefore thinks the provision made in the nth section
is preferable any yet proposes and that It might De re-
lied on for safety
If this provision be retained sha have the Peniten-
tary safely guarded and have TO be applied Annually
10 the Armory School, being onethd more than the amount
appropriated the Military School at Lexing'on which
mas done much In the cause of Education and Justly be-
come ayorite Institution of the State There be no
desire any where put peril the lives Of the officers of
the Penitenia hazard the safety Of the prison. or to
make necessary increase the severity OF discipline
among the prisoners /; is absolutely certain therefore,
shat the School shall succeed WE'LL will not be from
want of means.
IN regard to the suggestion that The boys ito the School
might guard the Penenary and that special guard aged
be provided for that Institution It is perhaps sufficient TO
know that the objection which has existed for in every
part of the State this feature has been the NEST proml-
neut in defea ling the institution of the schoo Mhe we
are no, Satisfied that the objection should DO con-
elusive against establishment Of the school, yet we can
see on further reelection that there strong reasons which
ought TO be well conslercd before duty Objectionable to
the Cadets and much importance and responsibility as
guarding Peniteniiay should be imposed upon then-
These bows will generally young; an9 the duty inso
un,ary one of responsibility which they canno, ~e aPpre
ciac and failure perform faithfully might lead 10 con
sequences dreamed Of II this service should be made
the primary obec, OF the school, then would be necessary
10 make the test Of admission full qualification 10 perform
the duties of soldier which might not only exclude many
of the most deserving objects of the Commemorative eoun
~ but exclude all in their orer teens ct the time OF life
when instruction should be given This would greatly Inn
pair the usefulness the school And why should this be
dome II il ca be avoided But what widowed mother unde
the reflection that her of tender years and little experience
yas weekly dragged and exposed the pengs OF Inc
ptiess storms without and the dangers of the blood-ain
cd mudeers within could eposs quietly upon her lonely Pill
ow7 thousand ugly figures would hann The imagination
and torture and afct the afeconae mother eut TN truth
the responsibility and discretion necessary to The faith
full and ecien, performance of this duty should be conhded
10 persons of more maured minds 10 persons capable
of undertaking voluntarily for themselves and Judging
well the consequences Of such undertaking The antes
should conded persons, appointed by and respons
sbe TO- the Drestors and Managers Of the Penlentla-
ry and whose qualifications and fidelity 10 tho safety OF the
Institution would be The primary object for making the APP
poptmens If obedience could not be enforced by the au
thorcs Of the Pcnenary subordnation TO and respect
for those authorities could be anned, unless under
the stricest discipline and best unders andng between the
authorities of the school and prison. The and care
of the pentc Hilary could have the first place liz The
attention of he Visitors Professors and Cadets. On the
contrary that institution could only be known them as
burden evil hanging upon their sksts as real or
imaginary draw back their prosperity and indeed this
would not be entirely without Just foundation Nothing
could be certain than tina, failure in the of
the school would be attributed its connection with the
Penitentlary Every o! disease would be attributed to