Arkansas true Democrat., 1860-11-10

vahcchcnt of educau6h
 to without failure.
 For all the information on fhS 5o0,l which the secretary of state, as superinl tendent of common schools, has been able to obtain, you are respectfully referred td his report, dated 30th October, 1860.
 Your attention is respectfully invited to tho reports of the keepers of tho penitentiary. It appears that 121 convicts and 3 runaway slaves remained in the penitentiary on the list day of October, 1860 That 1O7 of the convicts were sent to the penitentiary by our state courts. and IA by the United States courts. The three runaway slaves are detained at the penitentiary, subject to be retrieved by their owners.
 From my message, dated 3d November. 1858, tho following quotation is made. to- wit: " It is recommended that provision bs made for building house for the warden or keeper. at the penitentiary, that suitable arrangements be made for imprisoning female convicts, and that cistern to sup~ ply sufficient water for the use of the insti- tuition be constructed"
 " It seems to the executive that it would be good policy to provide for manufactur- ing coarse cotton cloths, by the labor of tho penitentiary convicts."
 " Your early attention and action arc soiicited to the subjects connected with the penitentiary, for the important reason that the existing contract for the keeping, cloth- ing and subsistence of the convicts will ex- pire on the 25th day of January next.'' (1s59.)
 The General Assembly passed San act to provide for the management and control of the penitentiary," approved 17th Febru- ary, 1859. Whilst this bill was pending, 1 and before it was passed, tho Governor sent special message to the General Assembly, dated 10th February, 1859, in which he stated, as follows, to-wit: "I transmit . communication from Alexander George and | John Robins, late contractors for keeping the Arkansas penitentiary, asking to be rs- lievcd from the responsibility and expenss of keeping the convicts as early as practi- cable, consistent with the interests of tho state; that provision be made to pay them for all convicts sent by the state courts to the penitentiary, at the rate of thirty-fivs cents per day, for each convict, from the 25th January. 1859, when their contract expired, until new contract shall be made | TUT hcolpiAS tHc COuNlCls. ALSO, 6t0Ll0B that they will continue to take care of tho convicts upon those terms, and will also take care of the convicts sent to the peni- tentiary by the United States courts, for the compensation allowed by the United States therefor, which is fifty cents per day for each convict, which is paid by tho United States" "George and Robins, since the expiration of their contract, by my request, have continued to take care oi tiTu couvi i0ts, hoPins- thxe sonrc lxw w7uiisl be passed, by which they would soon be relieved" "The system about to be ad- opted by the General Assembly, it is sup. posed. will require some considerable delay, and perhaps naoy faitto work; and there is nc law 10 proride tor such contingency ."- "George and Robins, although they would prefer being relieved from the certain ex, pense to them for an uncertain length of time, if compensated at the rate stated, will continue to attend to the penitentiary, al heretofore, until some other arrangement shall be made, but otherwise, wish to Sur render up the penitentiary at once." x : ' "hn Me event of q failurs in the new sysfen 10 ~ork, some authority should be vssted i, some o9fcer of the stofe, and means apprt puii oted to prooide for the emergency; for Il aresc many convicts that some diseTstionl