Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-10-06

the state, 50 as 70 TX e reasonable limit, Fegond
which the Legislature shall net 20, in creating
debt OF liability of the State, without rst submit
ting the question directly 10 the people, except 10
eases Of invasion, insurrectioB, or rebellion. Such
an amendment is certainly wise aud proper in it 4
SELF securing TO the people the right TO be consult
ed, and TO determine for themselves, by popular |
vote. whether they win take upon themselves tie
liability proposed not especially in view of the
fact that our legislative elections are generally
made TO turn much more upon party considers
tions and federal politics than upon local or
State policy, and most Of The questions, out Of
which have sprung these heavy liabilities, have
been very little discussed, if, indeed, they have
been discussed at ALL before the people, previous to
their enactment.
Another salulary effect following such an amend
ment is. that it would inspire confidence in such
securities as the State has Issued, or may here
after issue, throughout the money markets Of the
world; and 10 the extent that you convince
capitalists that We have NOT issued, and viii not
issue bonds beyond our ability to pay do yeu re-
store and appreciate the credit of the State"
THE PsuTENrIARr.
It win be seen from the Report Of The Inspectors
and Agent Of the Peniieuiary, that there has been
gradual ana constant increase in the number OF
convcs rscevda the Prison for the last two years
The number, however is constantly aaetuating By
the receipt Of new eOnyiets and the discharge OF
about four hundred.
The institution is lsboring under some serious
disadvantages which the best interests Of the State
as well the laws Of Humanity, require should be
speedily remedied.
lis impossible TO employ the labor Of the sver-
age number of conviets probably within the area
OF the present prison walls. In my opinion it Is
absolutely necessary that the walls be extended
north to the northern boundary OF the property
owned by the State, IS to include the entire pro-
perty. There is not within the present inclosure
sufficient shop room for the hands, shelter room for
the necessary stock Of material, or ware room for
the articles manufactured. II you would employ
the labor ofthe conTcts probably additional shops
must. be built every shop in the prison enlarged
In addition to which ware and sale room in front
Of the prison, where every article shall be deposited
80 soon Is completed, and where all sales shall be
made by salesman, is indispensable to the sue
cess Of the institution in pecuniary point Of veE
| The last Legislature appropriated the sum of ten
Thousand dollars $50 00O) for the purpose Of build
ing additional cells; and under the supervision Of
the present very efficient Board Of Inspectors and
! Agent, q new wing, containing one hundred and
| twenty cells has been constructed which am sat
isied viii, in point of security, nestness, convea
fence, and comfort, compare favOrably With auy
prison in the Uaited States. But the old building
had only two huddred and thirty-tWo cells and TIE
! new wing has one hundred and twenty, which m skes
| the whole number only three hundred and fly
/
! considerably exceed the number OF cells. More
cells are indispensable to the health and comfort of
the convicts, and Should by ell means be provided
for without delay.
There il ct present no place Of deposit for The
excrement from the prison. The practice hereto
fore has been to haul it out and deposit it the
walls upon adjacent lots owned by individuals, but
the country around the prison is being rapidly set
tied up and becoming densely populated, aad the
community will not aud should net be expected 10
submit the erosion Of nuisance of this charae-
ter in their midst. The only remedy for this evil
will be found in the nstruction of subterrsnean
sewer, which will carry of all Of this excrenent
without injury OF offence to any one
1t is believed that much the greater portion, il
not all the work in the construction of the improve
ments necessary, can be done by the eonvicis, il
the Legislature should proper to employ theiE
labor. In that eFeut, however, appropriations from
the Treasury will be necessary, for the purchase
material and the support of the institution whilS
their labor is thus employed.
For full and accurate Information to the bust
ness and condition OF the PenItenliary, you re-
ferred the report Of the Inspectors and A gent.
FrOuivhich it will be that the available assets
for the last tive years are abCu. equal TO the abii
tie1 incurred for The period, and the labor Of
the couvicts in the construction of the new gicg
estimaed at about S(27 ,000) twenty-sevsn thou
sand dollars and the cut for the capitol Is
timaed at about (Sl7 ,G00) seventeen thousand dol
lars more than they receive for it, which makes
total of S44 000) f0rtyfour thousand dollars abo
which amount, is believed by the Agent. would
have been realized from the prison, if the entire
labor of the conVcts had been employed in ms1Gfac-
ture instead of Improvement.
The general msnag cement Of the prison, as regards
discipline, subOrdination cleanliness, and tbs OBJ
servance Of all rules necessary to the preservation
and promotion Of health and comfort, viii compare,
most favorsbly with any prison in the Uoied States
Governments, however, are never good fnsncier:
never manage pscuniary interests successfully OF
| wel-snd ours forms no exception to the general
rule in this respect,
In view of which fact, do not doubt that the
best interests Of the State would be promoted by
leasing out the entire lebor of the prison annually
The State, through her agents, feeding clothing 2,
and controlling the conyicts, at present, except
! as to the character Of work within the various
| snops which would be determined and CONTROLLED
by tho lessee The Legislature prescribing, with
precision the rules which are 10 regulate the leas-
ing Of the various shops, aud the government Of
the convets to secure to them the best treat
ment, and the highest degree Of comfort consistent
with their position.
There can be no doubt that in pecunary point
Of view, the State would be greatly profied by thu
adoption of this policy, In the States where it has
been tried, it is said to have worked remarkably
| well, and cannot doubt it would do so here
THE STATE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
The report of the State Agricultural Bureau
which will be laid before you by the Secretary on
the first OF December, will inform you of the pro
gress mode since the last report, in the formation
Of County Agricultural Society, and Of the results
accomplished By these Societies in agricultural i'm.
provements. There have been chartered in The
State forty-tWo County Societies. Most of these
are in operation acting under the general law and
reporting annually to the Stste Bureau. DIvisioI
Fairs held each year, at Knoxville and jackson
I p Il O.
ard in the Middle division with some one Of the
County Societies Of that division. County Fairs
are, also, annually held by nearly all the County
Societies, at which very commendable emulation
in excellence Of stock, agricultural products anC
mechanical skill is excited. A noticeable advance
in improved methods Of farming, es well as in the
products Of the farm and the implements Of cult
walton, has been made within the last few years
The products of the soil have been increased, anC
the soil itself protected against exhaustion by more
intelligent and scientific culture; while the nyen-
ton aud gradual introduction of improved machine.
for the cultivation and husbandry of crops and The
yearly increased facilities for transporting thosC
crops TO the best markets, by making production
cheaper and enhancing value, IS rapidly advancing
the wealth of IRE State aud Of Der citizens. The
Leading business Of the people Of Tennessee is az
rculture and its attendant nterest-the production
| Of domestic animals 1t has been policy adopted
by your predecessors in legislating for the State
with great unsDimity, to encourage and foster thi.
interest. Many of you hkve been Witnesses of thu
effect Of this legislation in your own counties snC
districts, and bring to your duties as Legislators
personal experience of The benefits of past legsls
tion in stimulating the industry and developing iht
resources Of the State. Acontiuuance Of the policy
which has proved Of much benefit will, therefore
| sm cOnfieat, accord with your own judgment, al
well as with the expectations and wishes CT YOU
constituents.
The fraEers of the act establishing State Ag
ricuitural Bureau, evidently intended aud expected
that its provisions would apply equally to the sg
ricutursl and mechanical in eress of the State anu
il has been the earnest desire of the Bureau so tC
execute their duties to secure such result. In
1866 an act passed providing for apprO-
priaiion Of 1000 each TO East, Middle, and West
Tennessee, 10 purchase and fit up Fair grounds, in
the event that The delegates TO the Division Fairs
Of those divisions should think it expedient TO To-
cate the Division Fairs Under this act, the divs-
ion Fair for East Tennessee was located at Knox
vile, and that for West Tennessee st Jackson and
the appropriation Of $4,000 for each Fair was
drawn from the Treasury. The Middle Division
Fair was not located: the delegates deciding that
they preferred the plan Of holding the Fair Cor that
division. as originally provided alternately in the
different counties Application was therefore made
| hu ba Mechanical