The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-01-11

bic ignorance Of this constitutional
disqualification. There is no adverse
claimant to the salary, and it oughttc
be paid.
/ do not call in question the decis.
ions Of such courts as may have Civ.
en- the Interpretation to that section oI
tho Constitution. but venture to say
that it is great error and misfortune
that any such prohibition or doubt in
favor Of il should exist in that instru.
ment with regard to this class of Gof-
fcers.'
| In an institution of benevolcncc or
of science, the nation, the world, the
universe (if wo could reach it) should
De open 10 us for cur own bcnoft and
advancement. Some of our own insti-
tutions have supplied State after State
with the superintendent of like in,
stitutions. And, since these benefits
we impart, we ought surely, in turn,
be willing TO receive them.
These remarks, ofcourse, have not
the remotest reference to the character
either Of this gentleman or his succes
sor ID. Byron Stanton. Ofthe former
know nothing whatever; and, from
my inquiries and observations in re-
gard to the latter, / am encouraged
with the highest opinion Of his fitness,
and correspondent hopes of his sue.
cess. They are intended simply as a
complaint against the injurious mar.
rowness of such restrictions, and a eau.
tion consequently, against too sud,
den adopting Of such q construction ol
that section Of our Constitution.
The report of the Directors and
Warden of the Ohio Penitcntiary
seems to be satisfactory. In addition
to suggestions Of improvements, and
OF amendments to the law therein
contained, (Which seems TO me prop
er,l ! beg leave to add others.
The law now grants citizenship mp
on a certificate Of good conduct in Tho
prison merely. / doubt the wisdom
Of this enfranchisement. Good con
duct in their position is, of course
most desirable, and rewards, even t
convicts, is better system of govern
ment than punishments. But r.ay
not too high price be paid for tha
sort of good conduct? AS the law now
stands, the most cool and cruel, tht
most crafty and irrecIaimabTc thief
burglar, counterfeiter, perjurer oil
murderer, becomes a citizen by simply
observing such little. but necessary
rules ofprison discipline, as not throw
ling bread crumbs, speaking, laughing
&c. These are. forbearances which
men Of those kinds Of Temperament
can the most readily practice. And
for that alone, after the most infamou;
crimes, and without the least proof o.
repentance or reformation, they arc
made fnll citizens. While honest.
minded and impulsive natures, whose
crimes, perhaps, arose from angry pas
sion alone, and who have have had nc
stain upon their truth or honor, arc
forever debarred from testifying in
courts, or voting at elections. simply
because Of the artlessness and playful.
ness oftheir natures. And when il il
remembered that the existen ce of this
law misleads the public upon this sub.
ject, that it has become so common as
to be an 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
peniteDtiary, as class, have too high
u reward for their special talents in
Hypocrisy, self.possession, &C., and
that the others are unduly detained il
imprisonment, and ucqualIy ifnot un
Justly punished afterward. | beg
leave here to say that this sort of gooC
conduct ought not to have much inhn
ence in procuring pardons, and not a
all in cases where the crimes of The
applicant indicated such sort of dispo
sition and habits. l cannot believe
that a pickpocket (who will succeed in
getting your money with your eyes
fixed on his) ought to be so highly re-
wardcd for his kuack of keeping his
countenance. The case is not Of easy
solution, l admit; but there seems TO
be a positive evil in this state of the
law, as TO each of these classes Of Of
tenders. AS the law now stands the
prisoner who has passed the whole
time of his sentence without any in
fractions of discipline recorded against
him, is restored TO citizenship, notwith
standing it may have been his second,
third, or MS is sometimes tho case, his
fifth or sixth term; and this, too, when
his previous prison history may net
have entitled him to restoration Ger
tificate. Surely this needs amend
ment. gH~, . .l. f.t A
In Canada, as 1 am advised by very
high authority IN such matters, thcre
is a Board Of Inspectors, whose duty
| it is to inspect and, ccnsurc all the
prisons and prison discipIines Of the
Government down to the county and
city jails; and it is, moreover, asserted
that the influence of this institution
has been found, in the practice, most
beneficial to all the parties interested
the prisoners, keepers, and the state,
When we consider the special liability
10 abuse in all systems Of 7imprison-
ment; how necessarily complete the
power of the keepers must be; how ST.
lent and uncomplaining the wrctched
and dcspised prisoners usually are:
how soon they are forgotten and for
saken by friends, and how strong