The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-01-10

forever deDarred from testifying in !
courts, or voting. at elections, simply
because of the artlessness and playful
ness OF their natures. And when it Is
that the existence of this
law misleads the public upon this sub
jeet, that it has become so common as
to be all almost universal condition
made by judges, prosecuting attorneys
and others, to their recommendations
for pardon, to add: provided his con-
duct in prison has been good" it is
clear that the deliberate villains in the
penitentiarY, as a Glass, have too high
reward for tbeirsspecial talents in hy-
pocrlsy, self-possession, Sc, and that
the Others are unduly detained in i'm
prisonment, and unequalIy if not un-
Justly punished afterward. beg leave
here to say that this sort Of good con-
duct Ought. not to have much influence
in procuring pardens, and not at all IN
cases where the crimes OF the applicant
indicated such sort of disposition and
habits. l cannot believe that a pick.
pocket (who will succeed in getting
your money with your eyes fixed on
his) ought to be SO highly rewarded for
his knack of keeping his countenance.
The case is not of easy solution, | ad-
nit; but there seems to be a positive
evil in this state of the law, as to each
of these classes Of offenders. AS tho
law now stands a prisoner who has
! passed the whole time OF his sentence
without any intraotions vi discipline re-
corded against him, is restored to ci;i-
nship, Notwithstanding it may have
been hisseoopd, third, or as is sometimes
the case, bis fifth or sixth term; and
this, too, when his sprevious prison his
tory may not have entitled him to
restoration certificate. Surely this
needs amendment.
In Canada, as Fam advised by very
high authority In such mattors, there is
a Board Of Inspectors, whose duty it is
to inspect and ceuaure all the prisons
and prison disciplines Of the Govern
Faent down TO the3county and city jails;
and it is, moreover, asserted that the
influence of this institution has been
found, in the praclice, most beneficial
30 all the parties ihterested-the pris-
oners, keepers, and the state. w hen
we consider the$sespecial liability to
abuse in all systefss Of imprisonment;
how necessarily cemplete the power OF
the keepers must bi; how silent AMI un-
complaining the wretohed and despised
prisoners usually arp; bow soon they
are forgotten and torsaken by friends,
and how strong the tendency Of th.s,
abuses is, therefore, to become chronic,
it would really seeEa asst an active pow
er of visitation and ssiReioraton should
be constantly kept alive, in order tn
represent the mercy Of the government,
as well as the strong walls aud hard
: bars to represent its justice. AS it IS,
the whole official mercy OF the State is
in the par,loning power Of the Govern
, o.. But that divine attribute ought
more to he exercised in those lesser
kindnesses during the Imprisonment
: 1t is but few who can be pArdoned.-
: How terribly must the many suffer i'll
, matters not intended by the law tor
punishment The Governor may set
The prisoner free, but he cosld not
clear the filth and lice from all the prs
oners while confined.
, Doubtless, too, this Board would in
l many ways become an agent Of eGono-
/ my TO the State, as well AS Of kindness
: and justice to the prisoners. Aud not
the least of its utilities would be, the
light 1t would afford the Governor III
) his function OF pardoning.
| The laws IN force for the government
of the Penitentiary itself, seem to me
8 to be so generally iudicious and com
E plete, as & system, that it may be safer
: not to interfere with them by many
5 changes. In some doubt, however,
beg leave to suggest another small mat
t ter for amendment.
4 The statute now permits new bid
der tor labor to come into competition
/ with a contractor who is in operation
in the prison, at any particular business.
z Comp tition, as a general rule, is heal.
thy aud safe proceeding tor the State.
And consistently with justice to inii.
3 yiduals (who, by the way, generally
take care of fthemsolyes) The interest OF
9 the State is our sole business in these
9 cases. But if it shall turn out that any
insecurity in this investment Of tho con,
t tractor shall directly tend to diminish
the sum he will pay the State tor Its
" convict labor, il is plain enough that
the State may thereby lrso more from
this consideration going or gone into
the contract, than it would gain by the
competition. Whether the law shall
, be SO changed as to give the old CON-
J. tractor the right 70 surrender his estab-
: lishment to the new, at :air valuation
s of disinterested parties (the latter, it BE-.
: ing remembered, having free choice
to choose this or any other business, )or
: else to prohibit his competition with
the vested right; or whether other OF
: any change ought to be adopted-with
0 these merest suggestions, | submit tc
: the deliberate consideration OF the Gen.
: eral Assembly. | only think, as al
!, present advised, that it ought to be
3 looked into and thought over.
Without any reference to the present
. iucumbents OF those offices, towarG
e whom my impressions are very tavora
t bic, | also venture to suggest that the
It Steward should not be the supervisor
: of the purchases of the Warden, frou
J, whom he receives his appointment -
n This law Gf, indeed, such be its true in
a depreciation, OF which | entertain
: doubts,) should be changed one wa,
q or the other. Either some other au
y thority should appoint the Steward, O
: some other officer should inspect til,
8 purchases of the Warden.
: The absence of the new machines TO-
: washing, ironing, cooking, ETC., is