Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-07


The State Prison at Charlesown. and other correction
al establishments in good conditions. The prisoners
have been kindly treated comfortably clothed aud led
This department exhibits the average condition to
bodily health, and than ordinary spirit of deeorum
is greatly improved. Hitherto for years past
appropriation, ranging from to twenty thousand dol
expected that the unexpended balance of appropriation
O 25l remaining from last year. will pay the expenses
OF the coming without further provision. No appro
praton will be required after the present year. and is
believed from the experience OF the past year. that the
prison. after paving the ordinary expenses of its support
WIZ leave hereafter surplus OF five perhaps ten thou
sand dollars annually BIS paid into the treasury of the
The foundations of wall enlarging the limits of
the prison. made .eeessay from the increased number
OF congicts have been laid and the will he
completed early in the present year Additional light
by opening fourteen large windows in the northern wing
OF the building. The supplies for their daily support
nave been increased in quantity and improved in qnality
Inc change made bv permission of the last Legislature
benefit and it believed that will essentially contrib
ute to the discipline of the prison and the personal
present to the Legislature a statement of parions
granted during the year lhe number is greatly reduced
70 believe that great public wrong is occasoned by the
be general belief the part conyIcts that proba-
PIE eanee OF pardon will exist upon the expiration of
Jurors confess in the executive chamber presenting
applications for pardon that convictions have been made
Wthout positive evidence anG sometimes without a
serious conviction the guilt of parties. There have
1ee prosecutions unduly pressed upon the assurance
anat WRONG occurred pardon would present remedy
anu sentence Is imposed, sometimes with the belief that
| IL Muulu NOT ne tlllF executed.
rms general expectation Of pardon the part Of
many parties relieves the different parts OF the criminal
tribunals of that responsibility which ought exist and
promotes crimes by making punishment uncertain or
sentences umduy severe II would well if Legis-
annual report upon the exercise Of this power.
me department of Alien Commissioners has been Wig
oouY administered and the results Of the will be
seen IN part in the great reduction OF the number OF pau
The State Reform school at westborough still suffers
h0r Ie disasters of the last season portion q the
repairs nave III the building,
and provision has been made for the ruc0n she
that originally adopted Vessels have been purch lsed
Ior a. nautical branch of the school, and will soon be
Inc finances of the state in prosperous condition.
re permanent oan to railway corporations is S50y935
Tue permanent state loan, 1910
Total permanent loan s64l3,355
Full payment is provided for: of this sum sl75OOO be-
from the Debt Extngushment Fund The scrip issued
on aeconnt Of the consolidation of the statutes must be
s264647.
The ordinary revenue for the present year esii
Ordinary. expenditures, s96G,4O
For public buildings, $500
Total, -sl0l9,lOO
Leaving deficit of s26775O to be supplied by, state
tan Ihs is less than any state tax since 1852.
that of SO, to s359,9SS; that 1855 to sS99,973.
1t Is probable that reduction may be made in the
expenditures Of the year The amount OF expenditures
OF last year for extraordinary purposes was s2O2s35
VI ls sum Sl0UUUU Is provided for by the issue of scrip
Ihere Is estimated for public buildings this year, $4,000,
Il would appear that larger proportion Of this sum is
charged 70 TIE present year than is equitable.
About $4,000 have been saved in the management of
the state alnhouses and aasford Island Hospital, COM
pared with 1858,
The great continuing of public money is to be
found in the arrangement of criminal costs, which the
eosStwohlrds OF which are paid from the state gcasn-
rylncreased from S9oOO in ISL to S233OOO in 1858,
me tranfer OF these the counties and towns,
wona at once reduce them nearly to the amount paid in
1t is not transfer OF from the couu
yDut IL VIII be an actual reduction The counties and
towns being responsible the payment, will examine
into the administration of criminal law. No inconve
mence Will arise from this have returns from
nearly twenty states in every one OF which criminal
costs are paid by counties by parties New York re-
cures the county when ASKS requsoh upon aho1ler
state 10 pay al expenses IL Is just resuatlnl me
change in this state will relieve US Of great part of the
general tax, without Imposing ii upon counties
There is another consideration which makes the change
important. entirely satisfied that crime does
hib this result, and it is confirmed by those best acquan
ed with the criminal calendar This is crafty ing result
foreign pQpulaon aed the fact that OF 1870 persons COLI
ned in the various correctional establishments last
6l Of parents of foreign BIRTH appears from tab
les returned to the secretary OF the Board of Educaton
But while convictions for weighter criminal charges are
actually diminished. the criminal costs show
rshtlul increase of crime For the five years ending
le5 the convictions 1885, for the years ending
1851 the convictions ISL reduction OF 1877 annually
The criminal costs had increased from 600 in the rst
period OIL nve years to Sl26lOQO IN the second period 1t
is apparent that should either admit great increase
OF crime or re-orsanze our system OF criminal costs The
difference in expense is materia compared with the ill
jury inflicted upon the name of the These
are regarded evidence U1 the
failure OF our system OF civilization The remedy, both
Tor the moral and financial evil, is to place the RESPONSE
0ty where the crime is found, whether actual or ac
lous: 1gnorance promotes crime ana when towns and
counties find themselves charged with its consequences
friendly advice, retounaory associations and pulpit in
sruction will be resortcd TO for the removal Of an evil
which is too lightly regarded where communities do
feel they responsible for it, This subject OF
Importance and commend TO the serious consideration
FEDERAL RELATIONS.
Recent call attention the measures ten
denotes principles which control the NatlOI
al Government Great changes have occurred during
the last five years. in the opinions of the people, but
greater in the policy Of the government.
There has not been i'll this commonwealth, any time
opinion or less agitation of political topics than during
the interval between the election of 1852 and the opening
OF the thirtyhird Congress, somewhat cOmpul-
sory but general acquiescenee in the compromise mea-
This harmony feeling upon the subject of slavery
was not disturbed in this commonwealth BY pilmhro-
psts aSltators DISCLAIMERS or theorists The public rec
ords Of the time will show this. Ideas very powerful,
but revolutions in opinion government rarely
er occur unaccompaned by events commensurate win
them and their results. There is grea error than
that which attributes the disturbed condition OF
nunciatOns of enthusiasts 1t is attributable to historic
al events; ever memorable events; events CONNECTED
control OF agiatoIs phanthropsts, aboiltionsts, and
| even of the people themselves.
1t is worth while to consider of these national
occurrences; such as the repeal OF the Missouri Com
promise, conspraon against the people of the south
as well the north; the invasion Kansas by bands
of men, armed with the plumber of public arsenas,
United states with Tie consent of the Sen, te, and to
subyert the government of the people by iorce the 81
ganc frauds committed in the elections of that territory,
which We're denounced by the government officers by
the people; the sacIng of towns and the murder Of
their inhabitants the rejection by Congress of const
tuition framed by the people, and the effort to force upon
them against their WILL and against all precedent anoth'
framed by Congress- the Illegal and defiant renewal
OF the foreign slave trade the attempt force
der OF the political rights OF the states and the people, by
referring political Questions to judicial decisions the
deadly assault upon senator OF this commonwealth
while in the constitutional performance Of his duty in the
senate chamber; the sacrifice OF Senator the Pacific
| OF at pVprt-
interest OF labor and Of commerce. by government and
the prostitution OF all its TO the spirit of slavery
prOpagandism; the invasion OF the mails and the threats
Of disunion and revolution whenever check by
tutiOna change of national policy is suggested these
among the events that have contributed the pres
ent state OF public opinion 1t required incidents Of
suspended and every lip sealed With the silence death,
they would still nec every manly heart to indignant,
| though trIltleSs resistance.
But it is not merely that which is past that dist1rbs
the couny it is the fear of that which The
repeal of the Missouri Compromise was the most stupen-
dous public committed IN this coantry orthat
will ever live to commit; not because Gifts efleot
Kansas but that 1t initiated policy Of violence c0!sis-
tent with liberty or jlst government freedom OF opinion
the interests OF labor the observance OF constitutional
limitations the perpetuatUn Of Tree institutions A
violent policy must be sustained by violent measures.
History proves it, and our experience, that OF Othern
1t is idle to charge upon the body of the supporters of
the national administration any deliberate Intention TO
establish nmca to the public eresis they
PROBABLY have no such purpose aud NAV Justly discla
it; bat is neveat elcs that the who direct
that policy will allow, and can allow, peace. They
must submit themselves to the law Of necessity which
governs them. The administrations of 1852 1856 were
in direct and absolute contravetiOn of dcca
of purpose, personal and official The part lead
ers; and it is not difficult 10 rat similar results
will again occur if power is continued IN similar haus
We may further, and name the time when such inva-
slons of the settled policy of the country Will
The intervals between Presidential contests, when ecc
tions are unimp0rtant and decide nothing are convcn
lent periods for the consulnmltion of revolutionary
measures; and the return of the grand pn-
cal poweris equally ausplcious Tor threatened dissou
ton and appeals to the fears Of classes the
magnanmity OF Others for acqaisccnce in conceded
wrong upon the petcnce that II silence dissensiun
! and terminate all controversy.
| : nj 10
| posed-infeNbly and almost uuanmOus y-alkc such
principles and such policy Her principles those Of