Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-12-16

contingencies, l would respectfully recon-
mend that the joint resolution be so amend
cd as to authorize the appointment OF other
commissioners to adjust the North Carolina |
and Tennessee line, and that the number OF
commissioners be increased to three. 1t |
would also appear to me advisable that the |
compensation of the commissioners should |
be determined, and that suitable provisions I
be made for defraying the other expenses
will be necessarily incurred in the prosccu
ton and settlement of these important cues
tons
PENITENTIARY.
The report of the board of directors of the
penltentiary exhibits in detail the workings
OF that institution since the present energet
&c superintendent assumed control Of it
While there has been slight increase in
the number Of prisoners, the very great i'm
provement in its financial condition may
well be the subject Of congratulation. [
nave no doubt that, in the language Of the
president Of the board of directors, we may
indulge the hope that the penitentiary will
Soon not only cease to be an expense, but will
"SSNAAS % oouioN VI lCfCuuC W GllG OtsteO.
L respectfully call your attention to my
views and recommendations upon this sub
Ject, as expressed in my message of the 9Th
OF February last. In response thereto the
Legislature passed ''an act to authorize the
Governor to appoint commission in rela-
ton to the sale and removal of the peniten-
tiary,' which was approved April 23d last.
Commissioners were appointed under this
act, who, after thorough examination Of
the whole subject, made their report, which
was submitted for your consideration at your
adjourned session in October last. [ fully
concur in the conclusions expressed in this
report. 1t is imperativey demanded that
the present penitentiary shall be either re-
modelled, improved and enlarged, as urged
by the board of directors and superintend-
ent or that it shall be sold and new one
built of a capacity and fitness commensurate
with our present and prospective wants. The
outlay, in either case, need not be heavy,
and in no sense comparable to the benefits
it would confer.
Under an act approved April 23rd, 1870,
entitled "an act to authorize the Governor
to hire out the convicts in the penitentary
for work in stone quarries, OF for other suit.
able labor" over three hundred prisoners
have been contracted to labor upon the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad at twenty five
cents per day, net; that is, the contractor
boards, clothes, guards and cares for the
prisoners at his own expense, and repays the
State any expense incurred in the capture
and return of any escaped convicts, not ex-
cceding one hundred dollars in any one
case, and pays the State twenty FIVE cents
per dav for each convict while in his custo-
dy. The amount heretofore received for
the hire of convicts, under contracts made
by me, / have directed to be paid directly
into the treasury Of the State, but there are
many good reasons why it should be paid
over to the general agent and credited to
the penitentiary; and, unless some different
rule shall be prescribed by the General AS
ssmbly, I shall, on and after the LIST of
January next, so direct The amount re-
ceived to date, since the passage of the law
above mentioned, should be credited to the
penitentiary in balancing its accounts for
chat period and there should be charged
to it the expenses Of the temporary guard u
for the same period, which amounts to
twelve thousand, forty three dollars and
twenty five cents, and which has been paid
out of the contingent fansd.
The system of employing conyicts labor
outside the walls of the penitentiary is open
to many grave objections. The people il
the localities where they are employed pro
test against it. The effect upon the young
Of daily contact with the prisoners is mos
deleterous 1t familiarizss them with the
idea of crime. and has tendency to soften
and destroy the terrors and shame of con.
vict life. The most serious objection, how
ever, to this system is its effect upon the
convict himself Prisons and penitentiarics
are maintained chiefly for the purpose OF
punishment; but how much punishment is
it to many of our prisoners to be we'll fed
clothed and cared for, and only compelled
to perform about sufficient labor to keep
them in good health doubt not that
many of them would prefer it to life of
selfdepcndcnce and care, and, in many ca
ses, of want and hardship. I have yielded
reluctant consent to this system under the
pressing necessities of our situation. 1t
would be almost impossible to keep all our
convicts within our present penitentiary ;
while the expense Of maintaining so large
u number in idleness would be enormous
and the effect upon the prisoners most inju-
rious. If: however, our present buildings
we're enlarged saAickntly, or new, COM
modious and we'll arranged prison were built,
all our prisoners could be employed within
the peuitentiary to much greater advan-
tage to the State, the people, and the con-
victs themselves. than by the present con-
tract system. The prison could thus be
made self sustaining and complete reaIiza-
ton of the idea Of penitentiary- place
where offenders are confined for punishment
and reformation, and compelled to labor"
Another change is required in our prison
system Now the youth of twelve or fifteen
years, sent to the penitentiary for a year
perhaps, for larceny, may be incarcerated in
a cell with a wretch hardened by twenty
years of crime. At the end of twelve
mouths the youth graduates from prison
perfect master of all the arts and appliances
of an accomplished thief and burglar, ready
and eager, perhaps, to put in practice the
knowledge acquired during years associ.
alton with the depraved companion of his
cell This may be an extreme case, but
not at all an improbable one. There are
many cases now in our penitentiary differ
ing from this only in degree. Now, pris
ons should be reformatory as we'll as punt
tive. While the criminal is punished for a
violation of the law and for its vindication
as wei! as for an example to others, no eff
forts should be spared to reform and elevate
his moral nature. Particularly should all