Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1858-12-22
Willard's Observation-Disclosures OF
Crime-the Penitentiary-the Pres
emit Legislature.

/, =. Ia the State Of Indiana. .here can be but
little doubt. The prisons Of the Stale. filed
TO overfoxing with erimiaals. i conclusive
on this point Perhaps no greater misfortune
can befall pc pie. than tohave vicious exam
pies set by men high in power. Men are prone
10 evil rather than good. and il they can hhd
m nIustrious example, they Will Immediately
seix- hold on Il. as an excuse for tksir cHn
bad actions.
Since ths election Of Ashbsl p. Willard as
Governor of Indiana. there has been retro
grade movement IN that high moral sense
which distinguished the prominent men of the
State. some years ago Recommended his al
misistratioa with a faisebood in his mouth.
and he has been false 10 the position he oecu
pies ever since. lie pledged himself to sb.
stain from the use Of intoxicating drinks be.
49,. -. se esss. ......-s~--
ted from that time. until nov. The FRS, posi-
live position taken by his administration. was
in opposition 10 Prohlbitory Liquor Law.
and the next. against the Common School
Law. The first. he. aud his Supreme Court.
entirely destroyed. and the other they 20 Grip
porart measures for the improvement Of the
moral aud intellectual natures a the people.
were the very first 10 be destroyed under the
administration Of A. y. willard. Being thus
destroyed. aud bshclding. from every portion
Of the State, the dissipation Of our chief men
At the Capital. in every city, town and village.
there sprung up hundreds, and tens Of hun
dred. Of rum holes. Receiving the smiles.
and being paironired by Tie Chief Executive
Of the State. they f,urished aud did lucra
tive business. Almost in The same ratio these
went Up. schools ven; down. The better por.
ton Of the people throughout The State. look
ed on this wreck and tuin Of our school sys I
tenn, with utter dismay. But no effort on part
OF the masses could change the current Of AZ /
fairs. We've and are. cursed with drunk
en- Executive aud bipartisan Supreme Court.
aud the people will have to bide their time. IN
oil they can divest themselves Of both.
Butihe effects Of wiliard's admit 'atior.
and his example are beginning 10 manifest
themselves. The State Penitentiary is
ming over With eonviets. and SO full Is it. that
about trso hundred cannot perform M nsal la
Dor. there not being room in The prison for
them to work Almost double the number
that were ever in the Penitentiary at any one
time heretofore, are confined there now.
Under those circumstances. the Governor
calls together the Legislature. And hat does
he recommends Law to suppress drunken
ness and crlmei No. A Law to improve the in
,elleetuai condition of the people No. But Z
he reeomm<nds fhe Peaasnfisry BE- ealarSsd. or a {
nse one be erected. lie does not propose To i
fight this hydra headed monster by marching 1
like brave man and sttack ing il in front. bat I
y --5. sd retTIy a.
God speed. he proposes TO build new prisons
N order that he may :nearcerafe within its !;
*slls, the victims his example has made 4
throughout the State. ,
Shut mp the doggeries in which the yourg ,
zen Of the State are educated far crime. and q
i've proper encouragement to schools. and n
hen the Penitentiary at Jacksonville will be n
'rse enough to hold all the criminals. Ba: le
1 the present policy Of our State government a
e continued. and it will be necessary to have Il
new States Prison in every Congressional Il
istrict throughout The State. in
But not only are the policy and example Of
sr Gvernor 10 b~ seriously regretted. bat his N
Ieeative ability Is deficient in every respect y,
axe. for example. the call of the present ses- in
on OF the Legislature. II was known, or
ight TO have been known more thaa t. year -
20. that there would not be in the Treasury. III
cans sufficient 70 meet the semi annual in q
rest on the public debt. and that. to do this.
revenue bill would have TO be passed and m
a increased taxation placed upon the dsp'i- r.
lles. A loan vas Effected to meet the July
.terest. aud had the Legislature been called
,cether then. there would have been tire TO
ave matused revenue bill. aud under its
peration. the different Auditors of the State :,
Guild hare made out their duplicates. asd
essse'sas amount Of money would have found :.
. way into the State Treasury. to have met :. :.
'e January interest," Bot the Legislature =. !"
Of called together until The 10Th day Of No. 2
smber. about forty days before the interest has :,
} Be paid. II would require the most u The n
sssion. under favorable circumstances to ma
IRE aud pass revenue bill II is always an
'Po'An' msasu's---a rndsrgoes much dis =
assion. II
Bot IN the mean time. the different Aud;. as
re throughout the State had finished their '"
'spcctive tar duplicates. and the County -
reasarers were busy collecting the taxes "a
ad the Legislature then. during this session.
assed srevenue bill. it would have been i'm
'ssible to have collected The taxes under II
time 70 meet the January interest o.. ~
sblie debt Why va. not the IL ''a'ars
llsd together sin months ago ne "eees' -,
y was just as grea, thea. -" cay "a
10 'v'."os' 'A''. y A loan ssr,a h., gsret
can = '"s''se' a to me-, this isa.,a-ai. In Fl
80 80 ssr fession Of the Le,; .a,s the m,
=, a' have provided for refura'nge. form
ne Legislature. however con hi. veil r
;: has perhaps wisely seen re 81 = rsre.
BE ms''er, and refused TO sa...a. r.. -.
bill a. the Governor re~s.,,.s -
re expense then = A. an. ua., - i :.
a have been avssd> .'' ,ss mos. '"Pof' IN is
- sss called. il has fail. aso~t
-. ''' "h,. ere Is the misfortune of 6lled
there j. ne steady hand a. aud =
sts-uo wsschfui eye-uo clear rine II
''A -.gh sense Of efseial rosi,ioa gent /,
: -sentsve having IN interest in the gen Henry
selfsrs. bet political wirs puller aud FERNS
Gevernor. ioar &C
---->'s's------- ~ VII