Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-06-14

tasteful-our hearts have mourned with
shame and modification at the humiliation
which relentless and proscriptive parti-
zan Congress has brought upon our noble
State-and we should be the last persons
in the world, for the sake of a trifing ex-
pense. as poor as our people are, to invite
further and deeper humiliation at the hands
of our District Commander.
| We are glad that our respected cotempo-
rary, the Raleigh Sentinel, has changed its
mind upon this question, and is now as
anxious to have the Legislature convene in
| August or even at an earlier date, as it was
previously DESTROYS of having the members
petition General SICKLEs to dissolve it
/ The very great and increasing Importance
of Penitentiary is giving sufficient
reason Tor the reassembling of the Legis-
lature, and other important matters also re-
quire an early session of that body. The
alterations in the code for the punishment of
crime in this State have been so rapid and
so frequent that the need of a Penitentiary
has suddenly become crying necessity
The safe and economical confinement of
the hundreds of criminals who now crowd
the State dockets, and whose punishment
has been limited by military orders, almost
exclusively to imprisonment and hard Ia
Dor, demands the building of Penitentiary
without any delay. The ordinary jails of
the various counties are insufficient and in
secure, and the imprisonment too expen-
sive to meet the requirements of the pres
ent criminal code. The buildings at pres
ent in use were not designed to hold pris-
oncrs for long term of years, and no ade
qrlate force or means exist to provide for a
useful and economical employment of the
time of prisoners at hard labor.
The Sentinel learns that General SICKLEs
is fully impressed with the necessity of a
Penitentiary, and thinks it highly desirable
purpose of adopting the system, if for
nothing else Be this rs it may, we take it
for granted that the Legislature will meet
according to It's adjournment in August,
unless sooner convened by the Governor,
and at present VIC can see no purpose for
such course, and We do not believe that
General SIcKL.Es will interfere in any way
with its meeting, whatever may be his in
dividual opinion of the necessity of the
session. He can certainly have no desire
to interfere with the ordinary civil admin
istration of the State, unless it interferes
with the purposes for the consummation
of which he has been placed in military
command over the Carolinas. Reconstruc-
ton cannot be impeded by the meeting of
the Legislature, and may be very much
promoted by the assembling together of the
representatives of the people at this time.
In regard to the question of Il Peniten-
tiary, VIC shall have more to say in the
future. In a report made by Governor
WORTH to the Legislature last winter, The
advantages of the Chatham Coalfelds was
alluded to as a desirable location, should
State prison be built. We desired to re-
fer to this matter to-day, but are unable to
lay our hands upon this report. We hope
to be able to find it soon.
Among other subjects that should conf
mand the attention of the Legislature, is
the resumption OF the payment of the in
terest on the State bonds. If North Caro-
lima ever intends to pay her honest debts,
it is high time she should give other evil
denee than promissory ordinances and pa
triotic resolutions. If the present Legis-
lation is to end our political troubles and the
Union to be restored, at q less cost than
the entire destruction of our State Govern
ment, North Carolina cannot hope to enter
the list as an equal aspirant for wealth and
population with the heavy and damaging
load now resting on her credit. To COM
pete successfully in the race, she must grid
up her garment about her loins and not
permit them to drag in the filth and mire
of Reputation. This is subject of vast
Importance, and in view of the early meet
ing of the General Assembly, we shall re-
fer to it again and endeavor to impress its
necessity upon our people.