, 1870-08-05

maintaining tho tnsttution, amid ali the trou-
'les and petplexities OF inaug,ratlug a new
ND hitherto uuttied experiment, VIA less
Ian q, 900 for period Of eighteen months.
Change has taken place In the pulley pursued
md the result Of prison management. Tho
eost Of running the institution for tho last
eighteen months his been over S50o, 900. The
y eesphne has rclaxed. Escapes have been
counts due the institution have not been col
lected and immense debta have baen contsac-
Ted. The last appropriation Of $3.50 600 has
been drawn from the State Treasury aad e1-
pended. Tho preseslt debt is ei00, 900. E1-
no better very fast We subjoin comparative
financial statements OF 1865 and 1868, taken
from tho official reports, and approximate
statement 10 August l, 1870, Is follows;
.- u s5AI1A1N nEcxxnta I. 1s6a
Amount OF Stale property. July 1851. s 81 ,5eae3
Aao1ns e. y a. drawn fFom state Treasury,
QUIT 'iue illinois Manufacturing ca, '0'
Rills due sud payable Observation-Disclosures. so.V;G0o |
Excess Of assets over liabilities. 45sA1s
sss7,llass
cAEDIIs-
Dec. !, lses. Ssatc " property IN hand. H.
Dec. J, 1858, outstanding acconnta. 5z,as3,s
Dcc. |, 1865, losscs by nFe. ............. 7,93a11
.-. ss7.1ioss
STATEMENT, pEcgl1ER J., 1863.
Amount STATE psops5sy: Dec 1, 1854. .A2s, 1M5s
au,.iIt a..t tamn J1,s iFom stste TteasUrf 4ssSs1
.Iru1Lt liabilities. Dec. !. 1s59 1s5s9l4s
saa3,ote6l
An,ontt Stete PROPERTY. ne,: 1862 ....*5;o slas9
Ann ul-' interest paid llanots n nufsc~
Anu unl outstanding aysets. ..........-.. 1qi;slio
PrI1nsIenr Improvements, 1es3. 3....... 403s4.49
Permanent impiovemeaIs. 1860. 3l,6os.a3
uiscuut.ls aud interest,". ............-... 6,a+A9l
s7Os,07Lsa
Cost OF Institution for 1867. .$ss7,Q9A79
The following statement il taken from All
examination OF the books OF the institution 1t
the present time, and may be relied upon ~
substantially correct IN the grand aggregate Of
facts aud figures.
Approximate Ct tatemsnt OF the eutire cost of
the State reritentiary from July !. 1867 to
August !, 1870.
Legislative appropriation, 1871. .---s 300.Man,
legislative uEpr Ftiatton. ls6a...-.-.. 3ao.aaJri
r.esynt les Indebtedness, due August l. Isia. 4ooo.oo
Total........,...;;; s;; -.... s','os.'sas'
Stock and State property on hand
August l. 1sso, nut exceeding. 6oo0o
Permanent yt1nrnss.......-...:.. loo,ooA0
Cnsh yaIue Ut fl1u,0UU, assets and L.Ila,
receivable, nne-ha1f uncollectahle. 100,000o0
balance In Stale Treasury. .........-....
To,as............ ss7e, ,oeavo
1tnu three years and one month. .:sas&.as5 p
--or over $500, 600 in the last 18months- -ucariy
S1,0tu per day. This is an appalling state
tnent, &rulg, and couG1nslve, 60 far AZ tho b.
nauces Of ihe institution are concerned, tia: it
has been grossly rnsmanaged. Tho natural
tesult Of this mismsnAgement will he that the
! next aession Of the Legislature will look into
| the matter, and re-leasa the penitent'arE TO
rome Of the numerous cl1uos that wait for it,
| sud pay to them large bonus 10 t1ke the
| rrison on it's hands. 4na 70 wilt 10 enled the
first attempt in this State TO conduct prison
discipline aud prison 1,bor upon just and
humanitarian 6asis- The great want OF the
present management LAS been energy, exectl-
tive ability, and fusncial talent. Il las been
run too much upon tho Sunday schooE syssen1,
the convic.s allowed to dc
entirely as they pleased, and work
Al little as they pleased, 40 that at the present
ttli1d ~ much as when the State tirst tool
possession. This system may do Tor boys
but Is not adapted to hardened criminals, whc
regatd the present punishment as very llsat
atd rot to be greatly feared. Tie number Of
conyicts during three years has inereasee
leen returned; and that, too, in years o
lesce following the two years iransetliatcl!
eucceelipE clyil war, when crime usually III
crc,ses most Eapljls. Tllis iu1icates that tAe
,reacnt puui- -lment is no terror to cti.ninalt
The true theory Of punishment is enun
ubIished by tho w,iter fiye years ngo. adv'
eating at that time the taking possession Q
the Institution hv tue state and tie inangufA
ton Of tho present tystem.
t.AN puniehments for crime should reform
the criminal. Feelings Of self-respect shoua'
/. ,,3rto Io$xs rf rsnSJ J.,
contract il not conducive to TIL. cud. 10 re
fo,matory resolutions or emotions of graft
tnle are cherished for such nercitcss dispos
; tion of their lnbor." Why shoull the cor
| tractor be specially interested to teach thei
relations 10 tllelr fellow-rncn or dutiea to boc
ely: His pecunia1y fntefests do not asman
!, "1he penitensiary onght neyer to be
source OF profit either 10 coutractors or IL
State but the labor OF lt4 ihu,atcs should |
devoted first, 10 defzaying tho expenses nece
: cary to its maintenance. Secondly, to payin
E the full amounts of the penalties attached |
= the Law 70 the crimes for which il.ey ors con
: mittcd. and the surplus, sftsr full resti:utio
and e1piation. ehou1l be safely deposited
J, trust for the convict At The expiration Of h
t term Of imprisonment. Thus, in possession
c funds honestly acquired. lie couiI start ane
u IN lifcs journey with all the hopes aud asplf
q ! tions common to the human raca.'
) This is compensatory punishment; jussic
: then mercy. firss, the Mosaic dispensasio
!. then Christianity, ID tho plan Of nature Al
Il ! the Bible, aA,d any attempt to avold It y
:, Provo 4 failure. The old system Of leasis
y tic Fenitentiary to the highest bidder, reeat
lets OF the welfare Of the consicts, has bot
abandoned, but its management IL no~ push'
TO tile opposite extreme, and, Instead OF bei:
, place Of punishment. it II q vast play-llou
= If criminals, burIening the people md =
State with large and increasing debt, and
f~If s.% fx 81
Let the people arouse and place servants
e charge Of the institution who possess Il
u requisite ability to manage it and ma
+ It self-ellstaining, and carry ont t
true theory. Do not condemn the q!
T. TEN Lccause Of the incon,petcncy :.
L. atew ficia1s-incompetensy aeknoWiedged
thenselyee-but strive in the coming consc
+ ,ion to nominate able and efficient Officer
H. WHO will be +incer+ly interested in the trim
y. Of the p1eeant system. oh. for the power
Dismark to cut down worthless parasites
f., the public treasury. aud 10 dig UP. root a
~ !, branch, the d,ivelIiag politicians who a
~ ~ bound by tine-wosn pr: ce1ent to waste t
T. energies Of tho people. Yet, nou, ths peo,
themselves hare the power 10 set this thu
ariglt, If they will only wake up to the ext
'c ciee Of it. Tao Commissioners Of the Pei
H. teutiAry arc to be clcc,ed, and, il the ris
II. stitution il possit le.
In Men Of Illinois this Is the mott impo1la
State question that will enter into the comi
y. political canvass, and It behooves the lseput
or eau party Of this State to select such can
as dates as shall command the confidence Of I
y. people in performing the intricate and mul
W. piled duties Of this position. Do not besst
~ 1t as the reward Of political services mere
ne tT 10 wipe out ubltga'ions to tho party. t
'es solely 90 account Of the fitness Of the cat.
:ss office shall not he more vacant alter the cl
ass tipn than before ii was filed ut al.