Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-06

or the present very efflcient I
Board of Inspectors and Agent, q new wing, |
one hundred and twenty. cells, |
has been CONSTRUCTED, which am Satisfied, |
will, in point of security. neatness, convent |
ence and comfort. compare favorabiy with |
any prison in the United States. But the |
old building bad only two Hundred and
thirty two cells and tie new wing has one
hundred and twenty, which makes The whole
number only three hundred and ffiy-two,
while the number OF convicts almnst constant
~ CONSIDERABLY EXCEED the number of cells.
More cells are indispensable to the health
and comfort of the convicts, and should by
all means be provided for without delay
There is at present no place of deposit for
the excrement from the prison. The prac-
tice heretofore has been TO haul it ont and
deposit it near the walls upon adjacent lots
owned by individuals, but the country around
the prison is being rapidly settled up and
becoming densely populated. and the COM
munity will not. and should not be expected
to submit to the creation OF nuisance of
this character in their midst. The only
remedy for this evil will be the construction
of a subterranean sewer. which will carry off
all of this excrement, without injury or of
tense TO any one. 4aA
1t is believed that much the greater por-
tion. if not all the work in the construction
of the improvements necessary, can be done
proper SO to employ their labor. In that
event. however, appropriations from the
Treasury will be necessary. for the purchase
of material and the support of the instiIu-
tion while their labor is thus employed.
For full and accurate information as to
the business and condition of the Penitentia-
ry. you are referred 10 the report of the In
spectors and Agent. From which it will he
seen that the available assets f'r the last TWO
60 ha Eabt
red for the same period. and the labor of the
convicts in the construction of the new
wing, is estimated Mt about 1927 .000l TWEEN
ty-seyen thousand dollars. and the stone cut
for the Capitol is estimated at about (Sl7,-
OOO) seventeen thousand dollars more than
they receive for il. which makes a total of
(S44.O 00) forty-four thousand dollars about
whit amount. it is believed by the Agent
would have been realized from the prison. if
the entire labor Of the conyicls had been
employed in manufacture instead OF improve
| ment. .-.--4- ..t. .....a-.tr
The general management of the prison. as
regards discipline, subnrdination, cleanliness
and the observance of all rules nee, ssary to
the preservation and promotion of health and
comfort, will compare most favorably with
any prison in the Union.
Governments. however. are never good f.
nanciers-never manage pecuniary Interests
successfully or well-and ours forms no ex-
ception TO The general rule in this respect
In view of which fact, do not doubt that
the best interests of the State would b. pro-
NOTED by leasing out the entire labor of the
prison annually. The State, through her
agent, feeding, clothing, and controlling the
cOnvicts, as at present. except to the char
acter of work within the various shops, which
would be determined and controlled by the
lessee. The Legislature prescribing, with
precision. the rules which are to regulate the
leasing of the various shnpS, and the govern
ment of the convicts, so as to secure To them
the best treatment, and the highest degree of
comfort consistent with their position.
There can be no doubt that. in pecuniary
point of view, the State would be greatly
prOfitted by the adoption of this policy. In
the States where il has been tried it is said
to have worked remarkably we'll, and l can
not doubt it would do SO here.
THE STATE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
The report of the State Agricultural Bu-
reau, which will be laid before you 10y the
| Secretary, on the first of December, will in-
| form you OF the progress made since the last
r,port, in the formation of County Agricul-
| tural Societies, aud of the results accom-
| pl shed 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 III.
| ee Ieral law, and re, oFting annually to the
| State Bureau. Division Fairs are held each
year. at Knoxville and Jackson for The East
| ern and Western divisions of the State aud
| 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 com
| mendlble emulation in excellence of stick
agricultural products and mechanical skill il
excited. A noticeable advance in impruv, d
methods of farming, as well as in the pro-
ducts of the farm and the implements of cul-
tivation, has been made within the last few
| years The products Of the soil have been
increased, and the soil itself protected against
exhaustion. by more Intelligent aud scientif
| ic culture while the Invention ard gradual
| introduction of improved machines for the
| cultivation and husbandry of crops, and tn,
| yearly increased facilities Tor transporting
those crops to the best markets, by making
production cheaper and enhancing value, j,
rapidly advancing the wealth of the State
and of BIER citizens. The leading business o.
the people of Tennessee is agriculture and
its attendant interest-tbe production Of do
l nestle animals. 1t has been a policy adopt
| ed by your predec' ssors in lrgislating for the
State with great unanimity, TO encourage
and foster this interest. Many of YOU have
been witnesses of the effect of this Legislation
in your own counties aud districts. and bring
10 your duties as Legislators, pcr-o nal exp
rience of the benefits of past legislation ia
stimulating the industry aud developing the
resources of the State. A continuance o
the policy which has proved OF so much ben
eft will therefore, 1 am confident accord
with you own judgment, as we'll as with the
expectations and wishes of your constituents
The trainers of the act establishing Stat,
Agricultural Bureau, evidently intended and
expected that IFS provisions would apply
equally to the agricultural and n" chanica
! interests of the State, and il has been the
earnest desire of the Bureau so To execute
| th..ir duties as to secure such result. In
1855 g an act was passed providing for an
appropriation OF $4,000 each tn East, Mid
die. and West Tennessee. TO purchase and q
up Fair grounds, in the event that the del
| gates to the Division Fairs Of those divisiO ns
should think IL exptdient 10 locate the Divi.
sion Fairs. Uuder this act. the Division Fair
for East Tennessee was located al Knoxville
and that for West Tennessee at Jackson, and
the appropriation of $4,000 for each fair wa
| drawn from the Treasury. The Mddl" Divi-
| sion Fair was not located the delegates de
Gliding that they PREFER the plan Of holding
| the fair for that division, as originally pro
vided. alternately in the different counties
! Application was therefore made by the Ne
cnanical Association al Nashville. for II trans
| fer to their Association Of the 1000 dollar
which had been thus cantingenily appropria-
ted and not used, 10 aid them in building a
hall for their purposes in Nashville. The
Legislature. Mt its last session. passed an act
cuusenting to the transfer, provided the con-
sent of thu delegate members IN the Bureau
| from Middle Tennessee shoald first be oh
| tanned. The members in question have taken
no final action in the matter. Irefer the sub
| jet to Won tor further action. IL Won dem
such action necessary and proper. adopting
for myself the Language of my imm -diaie
! predecessor, speaking Of the subject 10 his
! last message 10 the Legislature.
| The Mechanics Institute Of Tennesse said
| Gov. johnson. has done much il is believed,
| bv its annual fairs, Ia stimulate the mechani-
cal and manufacturing interests OF the State.
and TO develop much talent peeuIiar TO thr