Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-12-20

IhS INSTITUTION has, so lar, failed IN all the lead
ing Objects Of creation Tie confinement of
persons within the prison-house or l-ison walls of
apenitentiary, with the view of reforming them in
their moral character, has been proven by all ex-
perience TO be great error and it is not now con-
tended for reforming institution by any one
who has become at all familiar with the subject
There is not one in every thousand convicts whose
moral condition is improved by such imprisonment;
but, on the contrary, most OF them if not all, are
made worse than they were before, and become
more confirmed in crime.
Upon the subject of convcts becoming reformed
by penitentiary imprisonment and association. DR..
John Young, former Secretary of State, in an able
and elaborate report made on the 18th Of Septem-
ber lS45. to the Commissioners of Public Build
ing and by them submitted to the Legislature used
the following language: a am entirely skeptical on
the subject of reforming convcts by teaching them
mechanical trades; little or no good results from it,
When the coarict leaves the prison, he lays down
his cap, and with it his trade He looks back upon
both as the badges Of his disgrace, and the COM
panions of his Imprisonment; he aims to something
else which be considers better than his trade or re-
turns TO the re-commrssion Of crime The trade. in
most instances believe, serves to better qualify
the UillidR without reforming the man. Those who
would attempt the moral reformation of the telon
must employ other means. They must bear in
mind, that three fourths Of those who are stained
with crime can neither read nor write The mind
must be cultivated in order to produce those genial
influences which are calculated to remove vicious
nclinaons and base propensities, and give place to
proper sensibilties andcorreced feelings from which
altered intentions and vrtuous actions must spring
The trial, conviction and sentence by the court of
persons to the penitentary for violation of the laws
has had no restraining influence whatever on i'm
morality, and rres little or no terror to the mind
OF the evil doer. The announcement in the court
house yard that such person has been sentenced
for so many years Imprisonment is received with
no alarm but, the contrary, with great indiffer-
ence and it is the frequent remark that it is better
for the individual who has Just been sentenced TO so
many years eonhnement-it will be far better for
him. He will, while there, be enable to learn a
good trade, and viii live better there than he ever
did before. The sheriff then prepares with his
guard and starts with the convict for the peniten-
tlary, making rather the impression, as he leaves,
upon the mind OF many spectators that the prisoner
has done well IN obtaining travelling trip of pleasure
and money-making business for the sheriff and his
escort and he in the end to be made one of the
MECHANICS of the country. In fine, on these two
points, 1t will be readily perceived, the pententarv
reforms no one after he is confined within its walls
and the sentence Of the court and confinement to-
gether, deers no one from violation of the laws Of
the land is'"r- t.H H|t
In the next place. the system has fallen far below
the expenses incurred in the erection of the esab-
lshment, and the annual cost of CARRYING it on up
to the present time. Upon close examination Of
all the items properly chargeabe to the institution
after giving full credit for all that it is entitled to-
there will still be found a deficit of not less than
one hundred thousand dollars-probably much
more have obtained sufficient data from Mr..
Love the principal book-keeper, who has appeared
very accommodating and much disposed to afford
every facility in his power to remove all difficulty
IN getting at the true financial condition Of the in
together with a report recently made bv
the comptroller OF the Senate, showing how much
has been paid out Of the treasury for the convey
ance OF convcts to the penitentiary to satisfy my
mind that the State has incurred heavy loss by
the penltentiary. 1t viii take but little investga-
ton OF this subject to satisfy any discerning mind
that the penitentiary system exerts no beneficial
moral influence society," in or ont of the Peniten-
tiary, and that it is now and has BEEN an incubus
on the treasury, and will most likely continue so,
unless the whole establishment undergoes thorough
change
While the institution has failed in all the leading
objects Of its creation, the manner in which it has
been conducted has been made to operate injurious
y upon the mechanical interest of the country 1t
las been made practically State Mechanic institute
ostered and sustained by the treasury of the State
md brought into direct competition with the me
'peration. The conditions upon which persons are
omitted into this State mechanic institute are vrey
discriminating and lnviduous in their character
}eiore the candidate can obtain admission to the
ugh privileges Of being employed in this institution
t any one Of the branches of business carried on
here, he must first commit the horrid crime of muir
er, arson, larceny, rape or some other one of the
fences rioiatlve OF law. He must then stand
rial IN some Of courts of Justice and then re-
n A. Al
lcts are all true, and in addition to this, he must
e accompanied by the high sheriff of the county
nd his retlnue TO the State liecEanic Institute
aylng arrived, his credentials are presented, and
lch other evidence as may be required that he is
tit and worthy candidate having passed through
he order necessary and proper TO his qualification
r admission He isthen received by the proprie-
n OF the institute and safely conducted TO the stone
ason $, sculptors, or some other department, and
ere begins his new avOcation of reducing the
ugh and unpublished marble to shape and fashion
ne hands that are yet crimson with the blood of
e unotending, are made to ply the mallet and
sel as did Socrates, the Grecian philosor her and
Neutrality-suspicious., toe in the course of his servi-
de, with the same guilty hand, to engrave upon
e tomb OF the departed and illustrious dead the
es winch are intended to indicate to the inouiring
ing Their many virtues and exalted worth And |
also, with all the other departments that are car
Va
lstratlons made in reference to tailors shoema- a
rs, hatters, blacksmiths, wagon makers &c, &c. j
The State, by the establishment of this institution
d the passage of laws to sustain it. gathers from "
cry county in the State all the incorrigible of
deTs who are known to the law, and after col o
ting them within the walls Of the penitentiary IL
banks IN all the branches of mechanism, and al
enly enters the field of competition with the me-
lcS OF the country. The mechanics outside of Il
penltentiary required, by all the obligations CT
good citizens, in peace as well as in war; to sub u
to taxation to sustain the government under at
ich they live, and at the same time compete with el
State in their own branches of business This lie
ICY OF the State, in carrying the branches of IN
chanlsm, and the employment Of all the elons of Of
country at them, has direct tendency to de OF
de the mechanics Of the country as a body an
on and mechanic; crime and mechanism from Sc
r close association, become corresponding terms
he public mind. The feons after having served m'
their time, turned loose upon the country. to pie
with the mechanics as best they may and per- to
nee TO become inmates of their families, and col
panous in their shops Is it right that this
,ripuon Of our population should be thrown up
and associated with the honest and industrious tio
hanics Of the State either in person or profess an
There is an instructive repugnance in the no,
m OF all honorable men, and it is reduced to ro
tee by nearly all those who have charge of our no.
eteries, by excluding the feon from being asso- ~
d with us even in the grave. If it is degrad- nb1
10 be associated with felon after we are dead. -, ~
lst be much more dedegradng to be associated ~ ~,
him while we are living. In In
conclusion, upon this subject, must be per- Nv Nv
ed to make one earnest appeal and that is for r.