The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-09-22
Dailp ARGUS.
wednesday Evening, September ~, 1853.
ABUSES o? THE PEYIrRNTIARY SYSTEM

+, some If ths states it is the custom TO
laase the state prison 10 the highest bidder,
and hire out the convicts. The labor OF the
oonv;cts thus becomes the subject of private
srocplstion, and the lessee has every in
docement and temptation to over'work and
N treat them. The abuses arising from
this system in Kentucky has led to dis
opssion of needed reforms, 10 which Hon.
Humphrey Marshall has contributed pow
erful letter.
There is probably nothing in which gov
eminent is more crminslly derelict than in
the matter Of the proper treatment OF Its
imprisoned criminals The highest officers
Of the government are too apt to delegate
the responsibility Of the proper care and
treatment of this miserable class OF beings
70 ignorant, brutal and selfish keepers or
superintendents, forgetting that no human
being ever forfeits his claims to humanity
at the hands of his fellows, and particularly
his government. In this respect, at least,
whatever may be said Of his admi nstraton
in q political sense, Horatio Seymour as
governor of New York, certainly endeared
himself to enlightened and christian PEG.
pie throughout the country. His heart was
not only full Of humanity for the hundreds
of men incarcerated for crimes in that state,
bu, he felt for them large measure Of
charity and forbearance. While surround
ed by the ease and elegance of wealth and
official station, he did not forget, or seek to
be oblivious of, the condition of that cass
who wear away life in dark and hopeless
prison cells
sometimes place of right,
Sometimes place Of wrongi
somtimes place of rogucs and thieves
Aud honest men among"
In his consideration Of their miserable
condition he even looked back of thell
crime and sentence, and in many cases
charged the greater responsibility to society
and to unwise legislation, rather than to q
evil disposed mind in the convict.
Mr.. Marshall concludes his letter, i
which he speaks particularly Of he defect
of the prison system of his own state, viii
the subjoined commendable suggestion
general application;
Suppose that to each criminal an q
count were opened, and he given to unde
stand that his earnings should be placed
his credit; that after his board and clot
ing, according to the rate of expense estal
Ished, we're paid for, and his contribute
TO pay the expenses of the establishment
for keepers, guards, &c, the rest was sub
iect TO Lis order for the use of his family
or at the period Of his release to enable hin
to start once more as an honest man, wha
q stimulaut would it afford TO employ biz
time proftably and industriously? The
very fact that his earnings supported hi
wife and kept his children at school, instead
Of being turned into the world as yagrant
or sent to the House of Refuge, would in
cline the prisoner to think of the uses O
his adversely, and would have a tendency &c
make him feel the lapse from honesty that
produced his fall. The consciousness OF
error is the first step to repentance and re
torn. The prisoner, instead of being hu.
inflated by public exposure and hardened
into obdurate infamy by being made a spec.
tacle Of, ought to be encouraged in every
way TO associations that are elevating. Let
those who are in the prison resist tempta
ton there form new and limited societies
there, associate labor and organize there for
profit and advantage, and let these be su.
perinended by men of high moral culture
who are phIanthropic enough to spend their
time in such christian benevolence, and q
pententiary system might be Of incalcula
Bile advantage to the unfortunate members
Of society, who from one reason and
another stand condemned before the law.
The character Of association in prison life
should be guarded and graduated by the
moral condition of the parties and by their
capacity to make money for their keeper
and the state. Obi it is monstrous as it
now exists but as it is mine from which
men can extract wealth, it is q heavy Job
for any man or set Of men to undertake to
reform.