The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1869-12-01
THE PRNrTENTrARr.

1 iH0 IcpoIs Va TUG SOmmlS6l0Ii-
ers of the Penitentiary and the ac.
companying report Of the Super.
intendent Of the institution will be
found full and highly satisfactory.
The Superintendent states that on
taking charge of the institution on
the 22d of January last he receipt
ed for 201 prisoners. There have
been received since, 301 ; recaptnr.
ed 4; making an aggregate Of SOC.
There have. been discharged l.;
expiration of sentence 81; died
from disease z; died from injuries
received in attempting to escape
1; pardoned 1856; escaped 16.
Total Gil. Leaving in confine
ment 295. A great number of
those pardoned were nearly nc the
expiration of h ir several SEN
tences, and the superintendent is
Of the opinion that this policy has
greatly aided in enforcing discip.
line and diminishing the number
of punishable offences.
During the year tn Q total
amounts expended was fifiy.one
thousand five hundred and twenty.
two dollars and fifty cents, and the
amount of work executed, as esti.
mated at contract price, and Of ma
terials and stores on hand, amount
ed to ninety-three thousand six
hundred and scvonty.five dollars
and sixty-nine cents, leaving bal
ance to the credit of the institution
of thirty-two thousand one hundred
and fifty-t,ree dollars and nineteen
cents. The Superintendent recon.
mends, and tn Q Commissioners
warmly concur in the recommend.
alton, that ere shonld be q guard
of enlisted men for the Penitentia.
ry, that small farm of one hun
dred acres or more should be at
tached to the institution for the en-
ployment in agriculture of convicts
sentenced to short terms of i'm
prisonment, that permanent work
shops should be constructed, and
in consideration Of the increased
duties devolvcd upon the Super.
intendent by abolishing the office
of draughtsman, his salary be in.
creased from two to three thousand
dollars, and that he have power
given him of shortening the term
of imprisonment of convicts who
have uniformly conducted them,
selves properly, say one-twelfth,
which recommendations arc res
pectfully submitted for your con
sideration and decision.
HOMESTEAD RELIEF.
The law securing q homestead
worth one thousand dollars, with
the products thereof, and five hun.
dred dollars worth of other person.
nj property to each head OF fam.
lily whose property may be levied
upon for debt, continues to fulfil
its benefcent design, but there is
no sufficient reasons why its bcne-
fits should be restricted to the land.
holder. The professional man, the
mechanic, the farmer, and the Ia.
borcr, are equally entitled to its
advantages. At present the pro.
prietor of the homestead may rent
ont portions Of it to the farmer, the
{ mechanic, and the laborer and il
by sickness or misfortune t h O y
should get behind hand, their lit.
tie property is liable to seizure
Even the food provided for his
family may bo taken from them,
and they expelled from their hmm
BILE shelter and exposed to the sew.
critics of winter, and all this while
their landlord is enjoying in com.
tort the munificent bounty of the
State. This is neither right nor
just, nor in accordance with sound
public policy. The poor, the un-
fortunate and the helpless, should
ever be tho special objects of pub.
lie regard. / therefore recommend
to your favorable consideration the
propriety Of SO amending h Q
Homestead law, that it's principles
should be applied to the laboring
classes, and that tho personal prop
: erty of the professional man, the
farmer, the mechanic, and labor.
ing man, including their books,
tools, implements, cattle, clothing,
furniture, and provisions, stall be
exempt from seizure aaid sale for
debt to the amount OF five hundred
'ollars. This will only be carry.
ing ont in good faith the principles
established by the Homestead, and
extending to all, the benefits and
exemptions now confined to com
paratively few.
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