New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-11-21
CRITEL RE.NEYOLE.NCE

There is nothing good which may not be made
To answer all the ends of wickedness. Had
Peace Societies their way, the remedies OF
yalor for wrong would be bsnished, bravery be
extinguished, and fraud sit srbitress of all ma
tional injuries. Few things have set men
by the ears in bloodier quarrels than the
mildest of Religions. Philanthropy, at the
touching voice of the good Las Casas, first in
PRODUCED on this continent African slavery and
would now, through the same humanity, cut all
our throats for having negro bondsmen. In the
name of Liberty, the French Revolutonists
committed every possible crime. And the mod
ern spirit of sentimental pity towards criminals
every day forgets all feeling for the victim, in
its sympathy for the rutiian. The abolition Of
the death punishment (the very name of
the idea-a fantastic germanized compound
shows its exatc, its Benthamite, its IN English
origin) has grown into wide debate among us,
SO as to make it quite likely that shortly our
benevolent laws will permit nobody but the in
nocent to be put to death. Indeed, the humane
notion has already passed into the legislation of
several of our States-particularly Michigan.
Finally, here is the Penitentiary system, which
has everywhere gone into use, as an admirable
improvement; yet has been driven, by the at
tendant ills which it exhibits, into thousand
experimental changes and must now be adj
United to be of most doubtful efficacy, as prac-
teal corrective of crime.
The last public movement in regard to it that
has met our eye, is the following, in the legis-
1ature of Tennessee. The Nashville Union gives
the subjoined account of it,
THE STATE PESuEsnARv-Dr. Robertson introduced
in the Senate yesterday bill to better regulate
Pententiary The bill proposes farm the Peniten-
tary to some responsible and prohibits the prose-
cution after the proper arrangements can be made Of
the following trades Ssddling carpentering cabinet
making blsc ksmithiDg tailoring chair making wagon
carriage making timing, hating Except wool
heavy boots The bill read the first time and passed
The provisions of the bill, believe, in conformity
with the views of large portion of the citizens of
State, especially of artizans and mechanics united
and concerted effort of the mechanics of the State will
be made during the present session to procure the pas
sage OF bill with similar provisions with the above
Here, then, after all the labored and pompous
enquiries and the ingenious refnements, that
have been given to this matter, by States, by
monsrchs and by philosophers, is one of the en-
lghtened Republics of America, and one of the
@'model Governments" which ENORMOUSLY gives
the thing up. For, taking these steps-espec-
ally the frst-is, in effect, giving up the whole
Penitentiary theory. If these joint creations of
Justice and humanity are now to be let out to
the highest bidder, and thus to be transferred to
spectators venal enough to take up the trade of
turnkey for profit, tits clear that they can no
longer be looked on as humane institutions
still less as places where the criminals moral
reform is to be attempted Indeed, we believe
the measures now proposed in Tennessee, have
been already adopted in several of the States
Not quite so decisive as the first step, the Sec
ond is yet signal avowal that, as industrial
establishments, Penitentiaries must be given up
And, indeed, when competition in an honest
handicraft is come to such point that it will
barely afford bread, it is hard that prices should
be brought still lower, by the rivalry of great |
public workshops, provided with every advan-
tage of capital and machinery, whose rogue
workmen are fed, lodged and clothed at the pub
lie expense, have no families, nor old age, nor
sickness to provide for, and are entirely unaf
fected by any Of the distresses which constantly |
beset the honest workman It's crying sin
Nor do we see how the restrictions now proposed
are to remove it. For to limit Penitentiaries in
their employments is, in great degree, to
abandon them as economic and self sustaining
establishments. And if they are still to en-
ploy their inmates in the coarser trades why, it
is precisely in these, conducted as they are by
the most numerous and poorest class of work
men, that their competition produces the most
suffering.
We ourselves have always doubted the bene-
hts Of the Penitentiary system. Our impression
Is, that 1t will finally be abanoned for what
substitute, we cannot pretend to say.