The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-01-15
). Nav Treatment for Criminals

A New IFea1nenO lol oi-ll',.''N''
- the New York Tribune: In the
! :, MINES we find an account OF a treat
lpD sd of criminals so new So sur dpanaos
400 SUN About twelve years ago the Gov,
no'lco sat secured the title to ITO acres OF
eFn1ls ~ Tnsk. fourteen miles north OF the
lad' =. DnIIin, overlooking Dublin Bay,
ely ely = = beautifully wooded country, r line
ina s ! was to make an experiment WIN !
oCJsGir criminals in redeemlns land and
eoas. s,siag on farm. This was to be by
IN ca'i : termed the intermediate system"
NOa' Inv 10 years the land had been com
fo' m" nsrty was swampy, much of the sur
10ui Id been removed by ueighboTing far
i1 49,, an and it was of little value A gang
Hlet'' a was brought on, and, under Ju
o. coa COW managers, the land was drained,
dlc'o D'bsoil brought to the surface, manure
the 'uD sl;ed and also lime to correct the
was :,; app house, barns, and outbulldngs
acla'g s,,sctea, and, finally, the tract has
Wsle hrouoht to high state OF fertility.
Deen are. are about sixty acres in grain, forty
ils shoice meadow, eight in root crops, four
10 s .naO;tobles, and the remainder in pastur-
ID % good is the farming that this year
as S:,. IRONS through 9ut Great Britain are
,lI0,y an average the crops ofthe convicts
psv .hoye The productions consists OF fat
afs e.ls hoos grain and considerable milk
cs a1 hniteT, and as they have surplus, 1t IS
'0is 6yst il was proposed to have police
,,aots around The farm, to prevent escapes
us s9to nunish violations of orders: but this
a ana NJ moi been done, and, instead, few war
las I have been employed. whe act more as
u .Sarsaers and managers than as sentlnels
1 gna order of the day is as follows: Five
ainlock 4. NJ, bell ringing, when tue bed:
o made; five thirty; officers parade; six
thirty parade; seven to twelve WORK ta ee !,
tG one to FIVE, work; six, supper, fol
I Iawed BY lectures, prayer, lookup and bed
s,the lectures the criminals receive in
.truetion in elementary studies, aud on so
Sia and moral subjects, and, in partlcula
y u The natural results which flow
fam labor and from vice. On Sunda..
,Sov are allowed to attend meetings in tn
ne;shboring towns. What are called prs
an earnings are allowed them, chat, aite
their term expires they may emlgrate, o
have means TO start again in life wher
thew are not known. Tn the vicinity, sue
il their reputation as faithful la5orers, tina
81 nresent the demand for the discharge
eonvicts from the farmers exceeds the sur
NV. Thus the indolent, the stubborn, an
Reckless criminal is trained to q life
honest toll, more through encouragement
and hope than through coercion and threat
He appreciates his comparative freedom
and enjoys the, pure air and rural occup'
ton. There can be no doubt that III
success of the system lies in the active cal
inc of agriculture, which is the fop6datio
If whatever health and innocence the III
man race possess. ;,
We submit that this is most remark
BE account. 1t is obviously the duty
our legislators to reflect upon it, to g
further details, and to consider what obst
clps prevent the system from being carrl
out in our own country. If any exist. al
ifthey can be removed, it will be Chr
tain, even acommop, duty to remove tie
We have millioss of acres of land viii
need to be redeemed; when brought in
cultivation they will be the most fruit
and unduring Of any in our whole donna
Wide districts of marsby and overflow
land on our sea coast. and along our w
tern rivers breed miasma pestilence a
death, and SO long as they remain 10 tn
present condition; the air ofthe adlolnl
districts now under cultivation will be q
tarninated. If our criminals were set
the task OF bringing such land-or' ind
any other land into cultivation, our 8
plies of food would increase, and a des
Bile end would be gained, inasmuch as 81
would cease to be competitors with
mechanics and artisans. In addition, mi
who we're led into temptation aud
crime, because they had no employn'
or who did not know what work means
who did not even know how 10 seek W
where it was to be foufd, will acquire
dustrious habits and taste for rural
4 by which, after time, in some remote
4 cality, they win be proud to live.