The Placer herald., 1856-07-05
The State Prison

The State Prison.
This institution, which in all reason. should be
a terror to the evil doers has been and bids fair
to continue to be, the most odious eye-sore to
every good citizen of the State. Instead of a
place of punishment, it is made retreat for quiet
Punishment, where the rowdy and villain may
pass away the period of the notorety of his crime,
and return upon society without having tasted
the truth of the adage, the way of the transgres-
sor is hard
The present lessee receives $4,000 per month
for furnishing, working and keeping the convicts.
In the discharge Of his part of the compact, he
makes the prisoners do duty as book keepers turn
keys, and perhaps guards. Backus the papers
say, is the book keeper No doubt he is capable
of the duty, but that is not what ne is sent there
for-but for punishment. The jury who found
Gallagher guilty of mansaug ghtcf and the Judge
who passed sentence upon him. supposed he would
receive some punishment in the way Of hard labor
in the penitentiary but we are credibly informed
he has been exalted to the office of turnkey of the
prison. In this way Genl Estel will probably
"turn an honest penny" before the expiration of
his contract
Then we have three Directors at a salary of
$500 each per annum, whose duty it is, to give
their daiiy attention to the enforcement of the
rules and regulations of the prison. These gen
tlemen have probably quarreled, and we are told
never go near the prison. One of them has been
good enough to inform the public that his two
colleagues are bigger rogues than he is, and that
if he hadn't overdrawn his salary he'd resign
Another such an institution. would punish the
people right smartly and enable the hardened
criminals to live in great comfort
ANDREW JACKSON DoNALDsoN-nephew
by marriage, to the hero and sage of the
Hermitage, now the X. n. nominee of GER
tain wing of that party, has written a letter
to "a highly respected, influential and well
we find published in the 4naerican Of that
city. 1t is an acknowledgment Of the receipt
Of the endorsement of the American Conven-
ton of this State. 1t is rather remarkable
that a correspondence should be carried on
between such "highly respectable" persons,
but probably it was necessary that Major
Donaldson should be informed through such
a channel in order to convince him that it
was not SELL The most serious objection
one can urge to this verbose effuson from
Tulip Grove in the endeavor made by the
greasy Tennessean" to make General Jack
son responsible for the narrow prejudices
and unstatesmanlike doctrines upon which
his American party is built. The reputation
of the ilustrious man belongs to the people
of the United States, and they will prove to
this degenerate protege, that he cannot tor
ture that reputation into an Endorsement of
his incongruous crudities. In speaking Of his
own nomination he says:
The only matter of regret to me, sir, is
that the friends of these necessary reforms
did not bring forward in connection with
the name of Mr. Fillmore, some individual
for the Vice Presidency, around whom could
be rallied stronger guarantees for their sue
cess than belong to my humble character
and services
1t is probable he does not alone weep at this
fact; many of his party bear him company,
but they may give themselves as little unneces
sary trouble as possible, for the democracy
will save them any responsibility in the
government of the American States.