The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-01-17

tinct form, the doctrines of our Repub-
lie, and "rcsult in rich return to the
United States for the outlay, and high
er appreciation, among the people of
Europe, of the statutes and Institutions
of this land Of freedom and equality"
POLICE FOR THE MINING DISTRICTS.
In conformity to AN act of Assembly
"for the better protection of person,
property, and life in the mining regions
of this Commonwealth" approved
April IL, 1867, and on the earnest APP
peal of many citizens, | appointed, inn
mediately after that date, "a marshal OF
police and n number of subordinates, TO
give protection to the Inhabitants oil
Schuylkill and Northumberland coun-
ties. In these counties, for II long time
previous, crimes of heinous character
were of frequent occurrence. Combina-
tions of desperate men were formed to
overawe the proprietors and superinten-
dents of the mines, and to control their
management. Citizens were murdered
in their dwellings and on the roads
others, intimidated by threats, were
driven from the counties; and feeling
of insecurity and terror very generally
prevailed. The administrators of the
law seemed powerless to suppress these
outrages, or bring the guilty to punish
ment. Since the appointment of the
new police force remarkable change
tions have been dispersed, the persons
composing them having chiefly fled;
not single murder or atrocious crime
is known to nave been committed an
immense amount of capital that had
been withdrawn has returned and the
people enjoy the assurance of safety and
protection. A similar state of affairs to
that which existed in the counties
named is said to prevail in some parts
of the oil regions and applications have
been made for the benefit of the above
named act 1t is, therefore, recoInmen-
ded that its provisions be extended to
those, or to any other counties, upon
the petition of n sufficient number OF
citizens, who shall furnish good reasons
for desiring their benefits.
WEIGHTS, MEASURES, sc.
You will find among the papers / send
YOU, a uniform decimal system of mea-
sures, weights, and currencies, includ-
ing new method of reckoning circles,
time and longitude, together with the |
action of the Legislature of Maine in
reference thereto. As the subject is one |
of general importance and interest, it is
presented for your consideration.
FISH.
Herewith will be found the report of
Col. james Worrell, commissioner APP
pointed under the act of March 80, 1866 !
relative to the passage of fish in the
Susquehanna river and its tributaries.
PENITENTIARIEs.
From reports of the inspectors and di-
rectors, it will be seen that, in order to
carry out the State Prison system, ad-
a Al 10 shn ha
vided, either by erecting extensions to
the present buildings, or an additional
penitentiary. The appropriation made
at the last session for the erection of u
hospital in connection with the Western
Penitentiary has not been expended,
the board of inspectors being unwilling
TO select site until it is determined by
the Legislature whether or not addi-
tional wings or cells will be constructed.
COUNTY PRISONS.
Unfavorable reports are made respec-
ting many of the county prisons. Some
of them are alleged to be insecure and
otherwise unfit for the purposes intend
ed !; others are of insufficient capacity
and so ovcr-crowded as to endanger the
health of the inmates while the man
agement and discipline OF nearly all
might, doubtless, be materially i'm
proved. The policy is not sound one
that crowds together, ndiscriminately,
children and others convicted of their
first and trifling offences, with men and
women whose whole lives have been
blackened with crime.
PRISON COMMISSIONERS.
In accordance with an act of Assem-
bly,, approved on the 18th Of April last,
Messrs. VIM. II. Armstrong of Lycom-
ing county, Theo. III. Nevin, of Allie
gheny, VIM. NJ. Watts of Cumberland,
and Alex. Henry and N. B. Brown of
Philadelphia, were appointed as COM
missioners "to inquire into the various
systems of prison discipline as practiced
in other States and countries" These
gentlemen entered upon their duties
and have visited various prisons, one of
their number having gone to Europe
for that purpose. The act, however,
requiring them to report this session OF
the Legislature does not allow them
sufficient time to do justice to the sub
ject, and they ask an amendment eX-
tending the time for their report until
the session Of 1869.
Among the accompanying papers
will be found a report of Mr.. MahlOn
III. Dickinson, who was appointed in
conformity with an act of the last Leg
isature, "to visit, for philanthropic
purposes, the prisons and alms-houses
In the various counties of the Common
wealth." The report will be found in
teresting in all its details, and the
writer's suggestions deserving of eSpec-
ial attention,
PARDoNs.
a report is herewith submitted of the
pardons, remissions of fines, forfeited /
and death warrants. issued
by me during the past year, with a tab
ular statement of those issued from 1891 Z
to the present time. This report is I
made in accordance with sense ofduty I
to the Legislature and the public who {
have right TO be informed in what g
manner and to what extent the EXecu- I
tive clemency has been employed to- I
ward convicted criminals. 1t is also Il
due to the Executive himself that his t
action in this regard should be under 5
stood. ON no subject has there been /
greater misrepresentation than on that s
which relates to the exercise OF tho Z
power. Accusations have
repeatedly been published of its abuse, (
and cases have been cited in proof there. /
OF, which were never presented to my c
notice. Criminals were liberated from A
prison after sentence, and clamOrs I
raised III relauon 10 their pardon, in ,
cases in which no appeal for clemency
had ever been made. Upon investiga-
ton, 1t has been ascertained that a Gus r
tom prevails In the court ofquarter ses- a
siOns of Philadelphia, to reconsider, re- t
NIT and change sentences, weeks and @
months after their delivery, and in this, I
much of the misrepresentation has orig {
mated. During the last year, as many i
were thus liberated from the G
Jail as were pardoned by !
me from all the prisons in the Common d
wealth. Besides which number more /
have had their terms of sentence re-
duced. How, or when, or under what ,
authority, this custom originated, it Is q
to learn but that IL Is liable !
to abuse, and is without the sanction of q