The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-01-13

Colleges. ! trust you will lend your
influence to secure its passage through
the other branch Of Congress at its
present session. In a few years, when
the Agricultural Farm is brought un-
der cultivation and Improvement, it is
believed that it will be nearly or quite
self-sustaining, but at present it will
need your support.
The number Of children taught in
our common schools the last year, was
one hundred and seventy-three thou-
sand fve hundred and fifty-nine two
thousand three hundred and twenty
three male teachers are employed, and
four thousand eight hundred and nine
ty.three females-and the total amount
of teachers wages was S443,lls II;
the amount of public money disbursed
was $l07, 1916 IL; the whole amount
raised by tax upon property in the dis
tricts was $316,55s %; the number of
volumes in the township Libraries was
one hundred and sixty-eight thousand
nine hundred and seventy-seven.
These figures are the evidence of great
public spirit in the right direction, in a
good cause. 1900.
Irefer you to the report of the Com
missioner of the Land Office, for de-
tailed account of the business of his
The number of acres of
swamp lands sold the past year, has
been ninety-seven thousand six hum
dred and twenty, and brought sl22,-
2s7-of which s67,511 73 have been
received in cash. The preference CIV
en- to the actual settler has worked ad-
vantageously and satisfactorily, and
new settlers are constantly seeking
ing homes upon these lands, many of
which are valuable.
The reports of the State Prison In
spectors of the last, as well as the pres
ent year, contain many valuable sug-
gestions, to which l invite your exam
nation. As the State grows older
with the steady increase of population,
the administration of justice has be-
come much more perfect, and the pun
ishment Of crime much more certain
than formerly. The increase of con-
victs has created demand for in
creased appropriations and expendi-
lures to provide them with cells and
shop room for their labor.
The appropriations for that purpose
for the last two years, were 49,, 900,
which has been faithfully and judici-
ously expended.
1t will be perceived that the whole
number of convicts, on the 30th of No
vember last, was. 47s, and that the in
crease during the last year has been
50. The whole number confined since
the establishment of the prison, is l.
521, of which 567, or more than one
third of the whole, were from the
county of Wayne.
The Jail of Detroit is the common
receptacle of those that are convicted
of petty offenses, those that are charged
with crime as we'll as the more hard
ened criminal. Not unfrequently, sew
enty or eighty, of all ages and condi-
tions, and degrees of moral turpitude,
are huddled together, and it is thus
made the preparatory school for the
State Prison.
Society is much better employed in
preventing crime, than in furnishing it
and respectfully suggest that the es-
tablishment of penitentiary, or work
house in Detroit, where its inmates
would find employment, and be pre-
served from contamination, would do
much to prevent the rapid increase OF
the inmates of the State Prison, and
save us the necessity Of building a new
one in a few years.
The general depression in business
has lessened to a considerable extent
the earnings Of the convicts, quite a
number having been out of employ
but the price obtained for the labor OF
those contracted, has been considera-
bly, enhanced within the last four
years, and the discipline of the prison
perceptibly improved. When the bull
dings are complete, with proper man
agement and economy, / think it should
cease to be burden to the treasury.
Accompanying this message, in a
separate document, is list of the par.
dons / have granted for the past year,
with the reason therefor annexed. As
the number of prisoners increases, the
applications for Executive clemency
become more frequent, and considers
BILE portion of the time of. the Cover
nor is now required in the investigation
of these appeals for mercy.
have endeavored to give them all q
patient and candid hearing, and al
though 1 have deemed it my duty tc
reject large portion of the applica
tions, yet you will perceive that the
number of pardons granted is much
larger than in any former year.
In most cases the pardon has beer
recommended by the Judge and The
prosecuting officer who convicted them
In all cases / have required a certificate
of good conduct in prison, and where
any habits of intemperance had beer
acquired previous to conviction, / have
made it condition of the pardon tha
the recipient shall totally abstain frou
the use of intoxicating drinks.
From information which has reached
me, have reason to believe that tn,
most of those in whose behalf l hay,
tinterfered, are engaged in an earnes
endeavor to prove themselves worth,
of the clemency they have received.
The Legislature of 1855 provided