The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-03-05
Interesting Letter From Our Rep
resentatiVe.
OOSh VI lehfhEohNi hS'
Columbus, Feb. 28.

OoLVMBUS, rep. Up. -
DEAR Sra Saturday has made its ap-
pearance again, and according to promise ]
suppose you will expect TO hear from me-
What shall write about ? Your readers
will care but little if such and such bills have
passed, and will come to the conclusion that
your Columbus correspo ident is getting stale.
In the public institutions of the State, the
people have common interest, and hope it
will not be out of place to speak of the Ohio
Penitentiary. The building is pleasantly To-
Gated on the Scioto river, about one mile from
the State House. At little distance, you
would suppose it was some literary institution,
and not prison containing some six hun
dred convicts. Almost every county is rep
resented in that institution, but unlike the
members of the General Assembly, who are
elected, they are selected. The one does but
little work and gets well paid the other
works hard without pay. The one pays but
little attention either to morals or dress while
the others is compelled to be moral and dress
in stripes. A marked difference, you will
perceive in the institutions. Still l would not
advise any man to aspire to situation ineither.
A vast deal of lobor is performed in the pris-
on, and one would suppose that enough farm
ing utensils were manufactured there to sup
ply the world. Other branches Of business are
carried on extensively. Blacksmithing, Coop
ering, Shoemaking, Tailoring, Sadlery, and
Harness trimmings, Turning, cutting Type,
DC, &c. The convicts are hired out at from
forty to forty. five cents per day, and each man
has his task assigned him. All work done
over that is his own, and he receives pay
therefor. Many of them earn quite sum,
which is kept for them, or sent to their fami
lies il they wish. The Warden told me a few
days since, he had received something like
six Thousand dollars for over work since he
had been in the prison. in less than year.
They quit work between FIVE and six, and
form in the yard in companies of from forty
to fifty to each guard, and are marched in
to supper, each man placing his right hand
on thu shoulder of the one before him. The
supper contained no extras, tin cup full Of
water or coffee and square peice Of corn
bread made up the bill of fare. No knives,
forks or plates adorned the table, but every
man commenced eating at the third stroke Of
the bell no grumbling, but every man mind
ing his own business, neither noticing nor
slandering his neighbor. From Supper they
are marched to their cells and locked up for
the night, the long, long night, to awake in
the morning to the same routine of labor and
| toll u lau of 1ost ruip of th.a
convcts, as many as can be Accommodated, are
permitted to attend an evening school in the
chapel. A Sabbath school is also held on
Sunday morning before service, and quite a
number of our Represent atives have classes
there, which they say are quite interesting.
Public service commences at half past ten,
and all the prisoners who are able are obliged
TO attend. Think of a congregation of six
hundred, all dressed alike, listening attentive
ly to the preaching of the gospel, and nearly
all singing some good Methodist hymn, and
before you are aware of it, the tears will be
coursing down your cheeks. Wood county
has no representatives noticed in the printed
list, though one sent from Lucas county for
life, well known to all of you, is still in prison.
His time, to all appearance, is nearly out
Yet he often sends for me, and begs that l
will intercede in his behalf. His only anxiety
seems to be to receive pardon. God grant
he may, if not here, 10 the world to which he
is Fastening. He has been sick long time
with disease of the knee joint. He had his
leg amputated two or three weeks since, and
is doing as well as could be expected. He is
evidently failing, and from his appearance
think will never recover.
Business in the House has gone along
smoothly during the week. Mr.. Hosea, the
new member from Hamilton county took his
seat on Monday, Mr.. Slough enclosing his
certificate to the speaker with very hand
some letter, and request that it be read to
the House, and placed upon the journals.
Quite numberof bills have passed, but it
would be useless to enumerate them as you
will have them in your papers long bofore
you will receive this. l think of only one bill
that will interest our people. 1 fear it will
interfere with the Hoop Pole trade. The Bill
provides that any person who shall unlaw-
fully cut down or carry away any timber or
trees, Of whatever size, or any Poles, COM
monty known aa Hoop Poles, or shall pluck
OH and carry away any fruit grown or attach
ed to the lands OF another, with an intent to
defraud the owner of the value thereof, &C.,
shall be guilty Of Larceny, and on convic-
ton shall be punished by Imprisonment in the
county Jail and be fined in any sum not ex-
ceeding two hundred dollars.
The bill to amend the School Law, has
been engrossed with the same provisions men.
toned in my last. A strong effort was made
TO strike out the 38th section, containing the
library provision, but it failed by one VOTE
1t will be read the thi ID time Tuesday.
The contract question is still undecided, but
has been ably discussed in the Senate and will
probably come to vote this week.
1 did not intend to draw out my letter to
such a length, but could find no place to
wind up until compelled to by want of paper;
SO must close. Yours truly,
EFT pENH