The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-12

PenitentidL.-From the annual report of the
Board of Directors of the Penitentiary Insti-
tuition tor the year ending September 30th,
1860, we learn that the balance in favor of
manufacturing is S2,0Il75; which, being de
Gucted from the amount of the Agents COM
missions and the reductions and discounts au-
thorized by the Board OF Directors, leaves n
balance against the institution of 50 559 TO-
showing gain over the operations of the las
year of SO SO %.
The goods manufac tured and delivered to
the General Agent during the year, exceeded
III value the amount of the deliveries of the
preceding year by $40, 92s 05, and the amount
of manufactured articles on hand is 81 452 3S
more than the previous year, showing an in
crease of III $50. i3 i'll the anufactures of the
last over the previous year.
OF the 3o9 free persons and GS slaves in the
Penlten tlary at the time above mentioned 8
free negroes and Is slaves Were in the custody
of Rosser & Launis; 3S free negroes and 3}
slaves were i'll the possession of X. T. d ID.
G Bibb ~ free negroes and slaves We're in
the Gus stody of the James River and Kama W ha
Company, and 20 free negroes and slaves re-
manned in the Pententiary on the lst day OF
October, 1850
OF the l49 persons received, so per cent
more of the number We're committed for acts
OF violence TO the person than for the previous
year. Seyenty-four of the number were re-
ceiyed for less than three years Nearly rs
per cent. We're sentenced for year Col.
Pendleton, in his communication 20 the Legis-
lature says
lin my last annual report urged the necessity
Of adopting som5 measure for the enlargement Of
the Penitentary, as to place it in proper con
dltlon to meet the Increasing demands upon il -
The results of the last year show that that recon
mendatiOn was not premature. Two years aud a
half ago the crowded condition of the prison was
very much relieved Icy the employ nient OF one
| Then there were only 200 prisoners remaining IN
the Peuitentiary. On the Ist day Of October last
| there 32t and now Dec 24th) the number
has increased to 36i Thus it will be seen that in
prison containing 0Dly los cells, all except tive
OF which were orig inally designed for the con
1heht 0i single prisoner, there are now confined
over two prisoners Tor every cell. in many of tn
| largest and best ventilated cells, there are now
| confined three, and in some instances a. many as
| four prisoners. The increase in the number oi
prisoners within the last fifteen months has been
80 ann within the last thirty months, I07 aud il
| the rate of increase continues | have every
| reason to believe will be the case, for the next
six months, il will be utterly impossible to con
hAe them IN the present cells Of the prison. But
! II should be mistaken Ia the supposltion thai
the number of prisoners W i'll continue to increase
as mas heretofore beeh the case mere ana IN every
other State Prison IN the United states, with The
| present number, crowded in the cells so utterly
inadequate TO the necessities of those confined II
| theln the return OF summer caQu0t fail TO bring
with 1t disease and suffering amongst the con.
vets, that would paraly1e the business operations
| OF the institution.
/ longer "a question of pere policy, but Is
| subject OF paramount necessity and unless The
the State To change the mode of punish ment FOL
minor felonies or those sentenced for short term
| OF Imprisonment, even the most active measure,
| that can be adopted Will scarcely relieve tn,
pressing necessities of the prison during the ap
| preaching sumner.
''of the $50 eonvicts remaining CD the lst day o
October last l9s were sentenced Tor terms OF fivi
| years aad upwards, and for the last three Year
hearty 3.A per cent. OF the number received wer,
! sentenced toF the like terms. These long sen
tenees produce an accumui iaiiou of conyicis in th
prison, " hieh IL the course OF i've OF six years
| would alone amount to The number now in th,
| prison Bur the rate Of Increase during the las
! three years has beea at the rate Of - per annum
| while that Of the last hIteeu months has been a
! the rate OF y per anRum-so that under the pre-
sent sysleu IL may be safely estimated that in De
eember, lseS, there will be NO less than $50 con
viets IN this prison"