Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-01-14

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high values Of real estate render the pres.
ent 90 unpropitious time TO purchase and
our Increasing burthens counsel to all prop.
er economy in appropriations. But II The
present will not admit Of this enlargement.
. it should be regarded as an early necessity,
aud messuses be adopted to accomplish IL.
l am satisfied the School Is performing a
, good work 10 the reformation Of youth
that II 10 well and economically managed
/. aud merits encouragement.
: 1o gn' OHIO PENITENTIARY. 80 s3 n
The report Of the Directors and Warden Of
this Institution will be found appended -
The Prison has been generally well man.
aged, and presents more favorable financial
results than have anticipated; the expend.
itures being $lT,684,2l in excess Of the
receipts. Il The Warden gives the causes
that have produced this result, 10 the dimi-
mutton of the quantity and quality Of labor,
without corresponding reelection of expens.
es; the existence Of contracts at Low figures,
and the large advance 10 the prses OF sup
plies. While it Is desirable. that receipts
should at least equal expenditures, the &.
nancal 10 not the most useful characters
tics of the Institution. The reformation
of the criminal islas important an elemen.
to the State as his punishment; and severi
4 ty Of discipline or OF labor aie not essential
TO either Of these objects. 1t is mistake
that kind aud hunaue treatment robs the
prison Of any OF its terr0rs TO evil doers -
Whatever softens the severity OF punish.
ment, appeals to The Judgment and inyokes
the gratitude of those who are not holly
depraved Whatever avoids cruelty aud
degrsdstion has o tendency to revive hope,
aud kindie ambition, among the erripg and
unfortunate. These lead TO repentance, and,
in many instances, to restoration 10 useful
ness again. i, s-- ,a..si-,,a -.-....t.. =, :,
The records of The Prison continue to
show decrease in the violations oil its rules
and consequent improvement in the con.
I duct of its inmates. This is due 10 part to
. the provisions for reduction of time Of ser.
+; vice for good behavior, and in part to the
fact that this is made one of the conditions
J of pardon; yet am satisfied that it can bt
I even more promoted by system of liberia
and reformaiory treatment that is rather 10
I; aid of, then inconsistent with frmness and
good government In view of this l am
inclined TO believe that still more favorable
results would be attained, il these prisoners
could have access during two or three
4 hours of the twen,y.four TO books, papers
= aud periodicals, in apartments with sufff
!. sient light aud ventilation TO enable them
: to read with comfort, instead OF spending
: it in cells where, though they have light
s and permission Of books, they cannot ex
). pcrience the comfort or derive the sdvan
+ tsges hey would uuder other circumstances
{ II i, would only incur additional labor ant
u expense, would not regard that as goot
4 objection. 1t may be that in the presen
.r BILE to introduce sucha an improvement.
o so, il is worthy Of consideration whethe
"a that difficulty should not, at ~ early day
D, be obviated.. / commend it to your con
u sideration. The more reflection that i
o given 10 it, the stronger will become th
J. conviction that there is great good to b
: accomplished by it; not only in the retro
e nation Of men, but in tho discipline on
II government of the institution.
]. The Warden desires me to enforce BIZ
" suggestion 10 relation to the act providin
< Tor the recept of United States prisoner
.. II is construed as embracing only thos
'e convicted by the civil courts. while clas
3, Of prisoners is now being presented uude
70 sent enee from military tribunals. The di
.e Junction strikes me as being merely techu
le cal; but to avoid any doubt or misconst:u o
he tion on the part Of The officers, it would
Id well to amend the law 50 as TO meet Il
ly objection.
10 PARDoNs.
!. / present the statement required by la
!. |. showing the namber of pardons grant,
'e during the fiscal year. They number fort
>" four; of which twenty six were granted 3
% nv predecessor between the 18th Of N
Us vember and the lst of January, and eigl
eu teen by myself during the remainder OF II
" year. Burning that time have examine
10 ffty cases, Of which seventeen have bee
q refused and fifteen continued for furth
DO evidence and examination. About for,
" cases are on hand not completed, under Il
" provisions Of the Statute.
q Iu the performance of this branch ct n
"a, public du les, sm unplesantly impresse
40 with the conviction that tho existence
~ the pardouing powers in the Executive Il
y" frequently enters iuio the consideration
py coutts and juries 10 the conviction and Sc
Gu ,euce Of Offenders. Whether this is really q
re- case, or the frequent Recommendations
are courts aud jurors are yielded TO p essil
i opportunities and local influences. l am n
our able TO determine In many eases the
em papers are got up Immediately upon I
10 conviction and they naturally cfet
- the impression in the mind. OF /
ore Governor. that the parties are not sal
ion fed with their own judgment in the case
of indeed they have not compromised vi
ex their conscieuce by awarding punishme
ele' 10 be Immediately followed by an import
our nity for pardon There are cases whe
lily the conviction is merely technical; and oil
,nd ers in which there are mitigating circu
no stances that render the miumam senien
!. il Of the law TOO great for the offence. The
OF facts may well be presented. aud in JUST
lse- this should be done. Beyond these ma
@ 3 fest DBL gallons Of duty whatever increa'
re. the facilities Of pardon. or the pressure
of grahtipg il, obviously impeaches the jast
! l Of conviction; and. What is more materi
his impairs the certainty Of punishment, so q
ras essary 10 the prevention Of crime. .y,.
ses The pardoning power has o two-iold