Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-31

But besides this the records of our courts come far short
showing the whole number of those who demand the patrn
Of the State
Although to use the language of Hon. Mr. Weston Of Bur-
ngo 1853 they show that the greater number Of those se
fenced to the ais and penitentary youths ve&
young persons How often have appeals been made to
in behalf of young offenders the ground Of their youth
fact has been urged that they are orphans or the chdre
parents whose influence upon them has predspoed aud prepare
them for crime, and farther appeal them from the a
State Prison. where they would be confined with old offender
whose influence upon them would only be to complete their w
ing in vice. and place them beyond all hope relormaton
have not these appeals resulted frequently the discharge
offender upon his own his friends recognzance to ke
peace or appear and future term of the cou
in the incton of small fine thus sending him back to the
temptations and evil influences that surrounded him
Often, too these reasons for not sending child to jail or
Prison. have operated to prevent any prosecution whatever
minor ofense But the descent into crime rapid, and
minor ofense unpunhed leads to still greater one
young offender who might have been saved had reforma
school place him in becomes hardened in crime and finds
home at last in the State Prison
There is doubt therefore, that if had House Of Ref
for these early prcents crme the number of prosecute
and sentences would be greatly increased and there
no longer remain doubt whether they we're numer
enough warrant institution for their reception and efor
ton.
An institution that was sure Of receiving everyyear an acce
sion Of more than hundred its various classes could NOT
to become very large one and under proper and man
agement second to in the State point OF Importance
and beneGcence No interest the State deserves tho
States care would better warrant and repay any outlay Of
that might be demanded for it, than that which con-
cerned institution such this report proposes and
Under the mide construction and the most humane 1dnis
traton hitherto realized the State Prison horrible pace II
not for the adult criminal yet certainly for the yciou youth
other receptacle and treatment ought to be provided
Let any man. with spark the parental instinct in ms heart
make the his Who would not rather thousand times
lay his boy in the grave nay die himself thousand deaths than
him mmured within those prison wasbured alive in that
living sepulchre that epuchre Of souls Let not the soul
such burial until the evidence is ndisputabo 6t il
dead BE it that the youth guilty and corrupted aud even
dangerous the community treat him not wild beast until
you are sure that humanity dead in him, and brutality and
maignity alone survive, 2
IT, as we believe all this and than this true Of the
State Prison, is if possible emphaticaly true Of
county as when very many instances young conyics are
ncarcerad and exposed all the evil influences of unresaned
intercourse with old and hardened offenders without any Of the
redeemng effects of the rigid government of the State
Prison
1t notorious that not seldom the Judges have of my
and pity for the juvenile offender inflicted the extreme penat1ot
the law and sent him to State Prison to incur the neceae
stigma always attached thereto rather than expose him he
terrible doom Of the county jail Directly in point here
the following extract from the Burlington Free Press of
tober 24 1865 Having spoken of certain abuses and defects
in the jail at Burlington the writer goes on to say -
But there other defects in Jail which not eas
reached Especially and above all the need Of better
ngemnts for the separation of young offenders OF both sex
from the older and hardened criminals strike every who
examines the matter As matter of dollars and cents We
afford have county Jail school of contamination
from which lads and girls confined perhaps for petty larceny
graduate instructed in burglary and every crime Whep
the moral considerations taken into account questions Of e
pense consequence The people of this county have
riqht to maintain a school of crime. y
The bearing of this argument the intense
dread and shrinking heextzsp,A ppsV sgq 0hof
ror and ignominy, the moral dsath'es the State the
Jail, the more faithful unsparinga6 ana rigid shl ks1 The
courts be- in checking the begnib crime the
discipline Prosecution viii be instituted trial had
and sentence given.
In conclusion the Committee present for the consideration of
the House, the accompanying bill.
A. G. PEASE, for Committee.