The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1867-02-14

Gay night:
It is the birthright of American citizens
to give free expression to their opinions mp
on all matters of public policy; to petition
for redress of grievances, and TO demand
such changes in the laws as will promote
the welfare and advance the prosperity of
the State. For these purposes the citizens,
of jackson have assembled tonight
At the last session of the Legislature On
act was passed, authorizing lease of the
Penitentiary to private individuals and EN-
towering them to use, for term of years the
labor of the convicts. Under this act,
company has entered into o contract with
the State, and, as lessees, have the manage
ment of the Penitentiary and the control
and direction of the labor of the convicts
now there and such others as, during their
lease, may be committed to it.
1t is the first duty of every Government
to encourage honest industry, to promote the
mechanical pursuits of the people, and, by
adding dignity to labor, to induce every
man to give his whole energies to the pros
perity Of the State.
Acting on this principle the Congress of
the United States has laid high tariff duties
upon the importation of foreign goods, in
order to protect the American mechanic
from competition with the pauper labor of
Europe. But the policy inaugurated by the
lease of the Penitentiary is directly to the
reverse of this. 1t has tendency to estab-
lish large monopoly in the midst of our
people, and at the Capital of the State, in
which wealthy capitalists have combined
| together, have labor furnished them by the
| State, without any cost save that of bare
maintenance; and this labor is brought into
| direct competition with the mechanics of
our city and State, who less favored in these
particulars, are compelled to give way be-
fore a monopoly thus fOstered and encour-
aged by the State.
But this is not ALL The labor with which
they are thus brought into competition is
that of felons and convicts-men who have
outraged the laws of society, and who should
be compelled to expiate their crimes in Sc
cluded cells, within the walls of the Peniten-
tiary, instead of being permitted, as is now
the case, to labor at large in our in the per-
Torrance of work, which should properly be
done by the honest and industrious mechan-
les who have settled among us.
The casualties of war nearly Frustrated the
mechanical and other pursuits of the South,
and dealt more hardly upon the mechanics
and other citizens of this place than upon
any other portion of the country. Here
their houses were burnt, their property of
every kind destroyed, and for years without
employment, except in the workshops of the
Government, the peace found them entirely
destitute OF means, with their families to
feed and clothe, their children to educate,
and, in many instances, without shelter
over their heads, dependant alone upon their
personal exertions, through life of toll, for
the means of subsistence, as well as the ed
ucation of their children. We feel that they
should be fostered and encouraged. and not
be compelled to compete with the convict
labor of the State, furnished without cost to
wealthy capitalists, by which means the rich
are enabled to grow richer, while the poor
man sees the bread taken from the mouths
of his children, his means Of educating
them destroyed and his vocation rendered
less honored and respected. We therefore
earnestly urge change in the policy of the
law authorizing the lease OF the Penitentia-
~, a RECESSION of the contract, made in refer
ence thereto, and such notifications of the
Penitentiary code as will require that the
convict shall be kept at hard labor within
the walks Of the Penitentiary, and in such
pursuits as do not come in direct conflict
with the mechanical industry of our people,
and with the honest and Woodworking la
borer, whose daily toll has to provide the
daily bread of his wife and children. And
as expressive of The sentiments of this meet
ing and the citizens generally, it is
Resolved, That in the law providing for q
lease of the Penitentiary, to private Judi
viduals, with authority on their part to di-
rect and control the labor of the convicts, a
severe blow has been struch at the domestic
industry OF our State a great wrong has
been done to the honest and industrious la
borer and the dignity of labor itself has
been seriously threatened, by the erection of
huge monopoly, in the hands of wealthy |
capitalists, who, with convict labor, fur |
nished to them without cost, can drive from |
the field the industrious mechanic who has |
no means but his daily, unaided toll, with |
which to educate his children, to provide
the house that shelters them. and to some, |
the food and raiment necessary to their COM |
fort.
Resolved further, That we apprehend, |
from the lease of the Penitentiary, great |
danger to the moral and pecuniary interests |
of our people. We believe that it will drive |
the honest mechanic from amongst us, be-
cause he will find himself unable to com.
pete with huge State monopoly, to whom
labor is furnished without cost; where the |
laborer is convict felon, without family
to maintain, children to educate or character
to support, and because he will be unwilling
to rear his family in a community where
honest labor meets with no protection from
the law
Resolved, further. That we urge a repeaI
of the law authorizing the lease of the PEN
itentiary, and ask RECESSION of the contract
in reference thereto, or if that cannot now
be had, that a law be passed, requiring the
l0SSo0S W WOTh bH0 cOQV1cGS INSIDE OF the
Penitentiary walls, in such employment as
will not come in conflict with the business
of our local mechanics, and their labor be
directed to the manufacture of such arti-
cles only as we are compelled to purchase
abroad, and then the good citizen may be en-
abled to pursue his avocation without being
blasted by the evershadowing power of a
huge State monopoly.
Resolved, further, That the contract
which requires the State to bring to the
Penitentiary, the convicts, and deliver them
20 the lessees, free of cost, burdens the State
With an oppressive tax of $4,000 to $50 900
year, which they must pay to support a
dangerous to the well being of {
he State-injuriouss to the industrious and ]
lonest mechanic-and calculated to drive
hem from amongst as. It should be repu- I
lated if it can lawfully be done. ~
Resolved, further, That a copy Of this
,reamble and Resolutions, expressive of the )
news of our people, be presented by our
to the Legislature, and that
hat body be urged to take such action as !
will remedy the evil complained of, and re- !
Iress the grievances imposed upon us by the !.
aw referred to. sfss
The Memphis Appeal has passed in
L. ~. ~ II