The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-01-15

The appeal to the hopes of the prisoner
has been entirely successful. His love
of liberty is stronger than his fear of
the lash. After all, he is still man,
aud every amelioration of the hard
ships of his condition meets a response
from his better nature. The act au.
thorizing the Board of Inspectors, il,
their discretion, to release life convicls
from their solitary cells, and allow them
to live like other convicts, has proved
perfectly safe rs well as humane,- for
the same reasons. The exercise of the.
pardoning power | have found the
most difficult and trying of all my hu
ties. SO, to temper justice with mercy
as to protect society, and yet, to some
extent, spare the criminal and restore
him to the path of virtue and to his
friends, is problem which it is not al
ways possible to solve. A detailed ac
count of my doings in this respect will
be submitted as a supplement to this
message. | am not aware that any
legislation is now necessary for the
benefit of the State Prison.
The number of boys VOW confined in
The Retnrm School is 1S3. The num-
Der received during the year has been
72; while the number discharged is "a,
being an increase of 3s The school
has now become one of the permanent
and cherished institutions of the State.
and deserves the watchiul care of the
Legislature. / am surprised at the ex.
traordinary increase of the number of
boys the past year. The Board of
Control call for more room, and if this
rate ofincrease goes on, they must have
II, unless some other disposition can be
made for the future increase. 1t H.
worth while to consider if the present
laws are not putting too many boys in
this school. The great body of them
are sentenced by Justices of the peace.
Is this judiciously done Is not the
road made too easy, so that some boys
come here because their parents and
friends wish only to get rid of them :?
The institution is very burdensome L"
the treasury, costing some ZOO a
year. The Board recommend an ap
preparation Of Sl4, 900, to build wing
extending east from the north end of
the present building. Whether, all
things considered, this is best, must
leave 10 the better Judgment Of tn,
Legislature. My own opinion is tina,
it will not be wise 20 increase the mum.
hers in this school, or to make prnvi
sion for placing the older and more
hardened offenders elsewhere. In an,
ease, think the family system, with
farm labor, is to be preferred.
BY section II of an act approved
March Is, 1861, tlp Board of Insrec-
tors of the State Prison were antho-
,ized tn contract with the Detroit House
nf Correction To take charge OF all per-
>onS convicted of any ofruse punish
able by imprisonment in tie STATE
Prison, provided that the compensation
to be paid shuuld not exceed one dol
lar per week. and that ;hc persons :"
contracted for should be male cnnvicts
between the AGES of l6 and % years,
and all females. The city of Detroit
has been anxious to make this contract.
l,nt the Inspectors have refused, tii,
reasons stated by them in their report,
at page IL. | have been furnished by
the Superintendent with the printed
copy of an act, which it is proposed tu
ask the Legislature To adopt, settling
this disagreement, The first section
constitutes the House of Correction, a
Z" State Penitentiary," and the second
places it under the control of Board
of Inspectors, to he appointed by Tho
Common Council Of the city of Detroit
To this State Pententiary it is lrropo-
sed to allow all the Courts of the State
in their discretion, to sentence any mai,
convict between the ages of 16 and 2I
years, and all females. The law OF
1861 was recommended in my inaugn
raj message vi that year, for the pur.
pose of giving to the inspectors of tho
State Prison the power to relieve the
prison of the burden of excessive mum
bers, if it should become necessary
and suppose, was adopted by the Leg
islature for the same reason. The rapit
reduction of the number of convict.
sentenced to that prison, which wa,
then unlocked for, has entirely disposed
of that objection.
One entire wing Of the State Prison
is now untenanied. and it is difficult t,
perceive any good reason for erecting
a new State Peniientiary at this time
and certainly | could never recon
mend it upon any other principle thar
that the State should purchase the in
siitution and assume the entire contro
of it.
commend to the fostering care o
the Legislature, the Asylums for tn
Deaf, Dumb and the Blind, and fo
the Insane. They are both well con
ducted, l believe, and are realizing a
far as possible, the benevolent object
sought in their creation. The build
ings of both of these institutions ar
still, to great extent. unfinished, and
no doubt, sound policy requires tha
f they should be completed, as soon as th
finances will admit of it. Still, | ca
not advise the taxation necessary TO
the entire completion of the building
now, but perhaps, the appropriation {
some moderate amount at this tim
? might bring into use portion of th
buildings TO their great benefit.
e For detailed>information on this sui
, ject, / must refer you to the reports
the several Boards of Trustees, whel
E the objects and wants of the Asylum