Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-24
CRIME,
The BesI system OF Punishment
Suggestions for the Legislature.

From the GAINESVILLE Tobacco Leaf, Oct. 81.
Crime and the perpetrators of crime are,
under all circumstances, and with the best
disposition that can be made of the ccimi-
mails, a grievous burden to society with
the best system that can be devised it costs
an immense sum of money yearly to keep
in such check and control, that the State
may be habitable the evil disposed mem
bers of society. Our present system
neither answers the purpose for which 1t
was designed-the reform Of offenders and
the prevention of crime-nor does 1t relieve
us in any measure from the pecunlary bur
dens incident to crime, and natural con
sequence Of it, whether punished or not.
1t is necessary, then, that we should have
some speedy and effective punishment for
every species of crime, and at the same
time will not impose on US burdens so ex-
cessive We are being rapidly lmpoyer-
ished by the heavy expenses incident to
keeping up a frst-class corps of efficient
criminals of various kinds. Our peniten-
tiary is full to overlooking; our county
jails are crowded by a class who care
nothing for that kind of punishment. Our
courts are so far apart that prosecutors lose
their interest, which they would manifest
in bringing to light crimes freshly COM
mitted, witnesses fail to attend, testimony
is lost by removal and otherwise, and hence
convictions are few, while delays, through
the refnements and nice distinctions OF
law. are the rule in all cases of doubt or
magnitude The State and county are at
great expense, as well before as after con-
viction. All this must be remedied. Trials
for criminal offenses should be speedily
had, and punishment should rapidly follow
upon the heels of conviction.
An effort should be made to make our
county jails self supporting, and to reduce
the numbers sent to the penitentiary, I'M
less that institution can be made benefit
instead of burden to the State. A system
of warehouses; and chaingangs TO work on
county improvements, roads, bridges, etc,
would greatly lessen the burdens now I'M
posed on us by our costly criminal system
1t may be urged that chaingangs are bar
barous; but if men will indulge in the luxu-
nv of crime they should be made to pay for
it. Good citizens have to pay for their
misdeeds and often to suffer severely for
their crimes. They have in their civil
suits to wait on the courts, in weary
attendance from month to month, and
wear TO wear. all because the law, in
its benignity and loving kindness for its
citizens, places in the front rank precious
set of rascals, who are to have precedence
of the law abiding and the peaceful. With
such a system, and the criminals carefully
secured, but few guards would be needed,
and our public, improvements might be rap
idly advanced, new roads might be built,
and the class, which are now burden,
might be made subservient to the general
interests of society. If we are to progress
as we have for the past few years we had
better tear down our jails and penitentiaries
and pay black mail to part of the rogues to
keep the other part in check, after the style
| practiced in the Arabian desert