Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-01-11

own state has not neglected this humane and
necessary care. Aud il may be found that IN
our future provisions the erection of farm cot
| ,ages in the vicinity of the Institution aud und-
or the same supervision will bc Il better plan
than the creation of another distinct and cN-
peusiye establishment.
! STATE PRISON.
! The affairs OF our State Prison have for sever
/ al wears been u subject Of eongraiuaion. The
Prison has become Il source of profit instead Of
| a burden To the State. II appears from the Re-
| port of the Warden and Inspectors that the
| management o. that Institution for the past
wear has been even more successful than before.
| The earnings Of the prisoners besides paying
| the current expenses for the year past leave n
| balance to the credit Of the Institution Of S2SS
81. While according to the Warden fun praise
for tn result ofhis administrations il Is obvious
that fhe task OF making the prison sclf-sustain-
ing l. by no means difficult rs il is in the
case OF the Reform school. 1t may be unusual
| but it certainly is not surprising that upwards
| of n hundred convicts, mostly ablc-boded men
| some of them skilled workmcn, should be rblc
under anything like judico,s manag 1ment. TO
make their earnings yield an income equal tn
| the expenses ofthe Institution. With the pres
ent number Of inmates the average earnings of
$50 would more than meet the estimated cN-
pcnscs of the prison for the coming year. We
| may reasonably expect therefore that the fin
nancial prosperity Of the State Pason will not
| only continue. but increase.
| There are other interests of the Institution
which deserve attention. You will observe
| the emphasis with which the Inspectors recon-
mend the appointment Of permanent chap
lain. Another important topic Of their Report
| I. the urgent need of extensive improvements
in the prison buildings. The enlargement Of
| the prison and the workshops is now an imper-
alive necessity. The prison Is already crowd
cd with con,icts. and many are Of necessity
maintained in county iails where their labor can
bc Of no profit. aud their sanitary and moral
condition cannot lie properly cared for. and ut
an annual expense to the state Of $1,000. Up
on an increase Of conyicts. which /. not inn
probable, the incony enicnce an,l burden to the
State will become very great. 1t is thu rcforc a
matter Of economy and necessity Of the pub
lie welfare 10 mike u liberal appropriation for
the enlargement of the State Prison.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT,
In this connection am constrained TO n top
ic which however painful 10 our sensibiliiir.
duty requires Us to consider. The law Is il
now stands evidently contcmpla,es the rycc,-
ton of capital punishment. The Governor is
required 10 fix day and issue warrant for
the same. with the rroviso that the punishment
Of death shall not be- inflicted wiihid a year az
ter sentance. The spirit Of the law and the
sentence OF the court on the one hand, and the
habit of neglecting Ia execute either on the
other constitute practical discrepancy already
well known. No Executive wishes Ia resume
the stern duty so nearly obsolete even though
the law plainly requires ii. and the neglect in
itself may be weak and injurious. Were il not
that the Statute OF capital punishment has been
kept alive by one solitary endorsement within
thirty years it might be looked upon as outlaw
ed. Meantime murder goes on. Death SEN
fences are passed. and the prison is crowded
with Inmate, for life.
II is not my purpose To argue in any manner
the general question. But | wish simply to
suggest whether it would not ba we'll. il We
cannot make our practice conform 10 our law
tu make our law agree with our practice
Either abolish capital punishment altogether,or
iix upon day amer the year OF grace on which
the sentence shall IN executed The practice
having he, u 50 long what it Is. it is but just il
the warrant l. to b. issued al all, 10 lay il upon
the Executive n duty, rat her than 10 leave l.
To him n a discretion.
With regard To the operations Of other public
officers or Institutions beg leave To refer YOU
to the reports of the several officers i'll charge
For our contribution io the public institutions
out If the STATE IN which We are interested the
usual appropriations arc u matter Of course.
The severe losses of SOM Of our towns by
fire should call forth every generous impulse to
aid them in recovering their position. Fort
land is energetic in her efforts, and will - on
with scarcely check IN her proud carer. In
Wisca>Sct thr mean and the stimulus are not
." er.a;. hut IL j. Ia be hol-.l that 10y suinf ol
the improN cment, NOW proposed The may Vel
recover her former prosperity.
INTERNAL. IMPROVEMENTS.
The high price Of brcad>tuf> in our markets
j. matter which interest. every houschald.-
II i well known that IN" ehitf reason OF this
l. tif innieh-e c">i 81 transportation from The
Eiais h'fi, oil the Me>i l" tit Atlantic shore,
w I'm view 10 id'il1a', 'hl, transportation 81
iorts are now n'''iS hlhi' !" "l"'n l"firci Wa
ter communication between the Mississippi aud
the Great Lakes. The Fox and WISCONSIN riy
crs winch ioW III "li'">''" aircrlion, nave Their
sources WITHIN ihih ana q Naii "i caeh Other
ami are connected by n canal. At certain
Stages "i water p'I- q! nSat urat. nave run
through from Lax NhrniSad to thr Ai,-i~iHli
but III "r'ilhaT! 'hH.> ihi> tihl"i De h'Ni'. II
l. now pF"l",'fu !" iuil'f"Nc I'M h'N.Sl''"h 81
Tue " i,t"hsih river - a, 10 mar" '!lS COM
mlhfatl"h pfh'iltan" ana perfect. lhl> M
pihtcmcht VIII f''irc 'i c"-t 81 gram hltt'h
cents hn>hci' ann j, Ia - t>lihi'H'h 'hli hni
les than iOo'ob'"i hu'hei. oil gram VIII >eek
lhis outlet toward, AN eastern iharht', Inc 81
i''' on lh' lr"c- r'i ID. rra.hi! h'r''e'h' IL
l. mailer "i great prnrucai Importance 10 u;
- wen ~ bchrht 10 'l' Whoic IoWltry' anu
wouhd respectfully r'r"ihhnhu 'ilai YOU JON
Win me legislatures "i "thrr S'airN III me-
ni"rialiAinS tnnSfrs. on tiic >uncct 81 ihtl'roI-
my the navigation oi the fhN ana W isc"t-in
rivers. nave rr,'hen itt''f from 'i'' gov,
" Ill 81 ,i,'.,,,s II, ~, -
Won.
survey Of the Kenucbcc and Penohscot
river, With , view 10 their navigation ha, inst
Icon cn,nnIcted hy the Engineer Department of
The United states. The results Of the survey
emhracc matter, OF Importance Ia the state, e..
neci,lly with reference tn the distractions now
f,rn,iu., in tho uarro,ys of the Ptnot>rnt which
may r.1,,irr your attention The official r,uort
~ The survey viii he procured for YOUR cNapl-
;n,,iou M the earliest moment.
| I hes, IraX, in thi. connection 10 add another
suar, ,fion in regard tn bringing th, ,xtrnor,ii
nary resource, of hi, State Ia tl,. knowledge