The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-30

permanently tight, which would be eminently
disgraceful. So absurd conclusion indicates
something wrong in the premises, and we
have not far to seek for it. Suppose the 1884,
100000 in currency now in the United STATES
Treasury were paid out tomorrow and
brought into circulation. There would be
more money offering for goods, and prices
would rise. There would be no increase, of
coh;taj in the loan markets, and the rate
of interest would be unaffected. The phe-
nomena of loans and currency though in
tinately blended are distinct, and to be render
ed ineligible must be carefully Disseminated.
49A7 -aELL0n 4Ml r. W.
Pictures for the County Jail.
"Blessed are ye that soa0 beside all ,vaters."-
To the Editor Of the Press. sssi9 ,-s'lpinlh''
He or she who plueks up weed and plants
a flower in its place, does something towards
Identifying the face of nature. Andhe who
prevents ar evil thought in the darkest intel
lect, by suggesting agood one, does something
to improve the race Mr.. Editor; am told
there are at present about 10 persons Of both
sexes and various ages, in our county jail
On passing through that building recently flor
the first time) in company with the courteous
jaiior, 1 was forcbly impressed with the youth
might be re garded as in fthe morning Of life"
But what a morning And what of the day,
which such a morning betokens?
don't know the facts, but suppose most, if
not all Of these persons will in a few years at
most, beat large again, on expiration Of term.
To say nothing of obligation to benefit, if pos
sible this class of persons, fer their own sake,
it is certainly question of no trifing import
ance to the community, whether they shall
leave that institution better or worse than they
enteredit. ,s5AA aGtn$oiA
1t is quite easy to conceive, or at least to
conjecture what the main drift of their
thoughts, and the generalcharacter and work
ings of their morbid simaginations must be
during those long solitary hours, with little or
no counterac!ing, influence to- divert their
thoughts into more healthy channels. And
few, trust, are sufficiently hopeful to antici-
pate any marked improvement in such char
acters by occasional appeals to the moral fac
ulties directly. For such fare, they have no
appetite. .s,..<..,.,
Can, then, such minds be reached and di-
verified from their tarbid channels by any hu-
man agency?e I. think they can. There is
not, either in civilized or savage life, mind
so depraved, that gay flowers and pictures viii
not attract these and please the taste and
imprint on the tablet of the soul a lasting i'm
preston. The occurrence may be soon forgot
ten; butlthe impression, like every act and
thought of the individual, becomes constitu-
emf. element of his character. )Ifthis is so I'M
der ordinary circumstances, how much more
effective must be the constant Influence of
these silent preachers, when The ten thousand
competing sights and sounds of the outer
world are excluded, and both eye and mind
are shut up to the single alternative between
these ever attractive objects and the repulsive
sameness of naked wallse In other words
when the mind is starving for change, for va
riety. Then why not cover these walls with
cheap pictures, adapted to their condition, such
as viii revive predictions of childhood. limo
cence, rural scenery &C., &C., and with maps
too, which they will con over and over as re-
lief from ennui. l .age s.ilh ira,uls-l has @l
Such have long been my own convictions on
the subject and DESIRING to consult the per-
sons in charge, whose opinions, based upon
daily observation, must he more reliable than
my own purchased, several weeks ago,
few cheap colored prints and carried them
down; but not knowing the regulations as to
hours of Ambulance, was too late in the day,
the turnkey being absent. therefore left the
pictures with the family, with brief explana-
ton very much encouraged by a hearty ap-
prevail of the plan on their part and assurance
OF ready cooperation. .,sI rl ldia,.3gse s.i-s.i
Calling again after the lapse of several
weeks, Twas exceedingly gratified with the
testimony of the gentleman in charge in ref
ence to the interest manifested by the prison.
ers, not only in the pictures had previously
left, but in what. he had previously done in
furnishing them with pictorial papers &C., for
which L think he deserves much credit.
Now, Mr.. Editor, after INJECTING upon you
longer string eff preliminaries than intend
ed, L wish TO lay before your readers a sugges-
ation in as few words as possible. There are
probably hundreds of houses in the city more
or less encountered with old pictures and
maps, no longer objects of interest or use
where they are, that might DO removed, with
the hearty concurrence of all concerned to
give place to new and better ones. And what
better disposition can be made of such arti-
cles than to donate them, ("send them to
jail'') where, IL they are not reformed" they
will be objects of interest and use. Is there
not an opportunity in this way to do little
good at least, with ve,y little outlay?
Should any be disposed to favour. the exper-
iment by contributing articles new or old Tor
this purpose, the better way no doubt would
be to present them in person; but where this
Is not convenient or not preferred, articles left
at the Daily Press Office Shall be promptly for
warded, or they will be called for at any, other
place or places, the donors may be pleased to
indicate. hHa hsaiaegss ,t.es lss.5af.a f..
PORTLAND, Nov 1866. 81
.RhH-4- ------
Important Question. 80 .i,5aIi,
y The Democrats have insisted that before the