Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-12-07

! y 'SNmO6T 1OW III COuttuS1llcugj Wv"
Whereof 3Ol are males, and females. Two
of the latterhaveeac achild, one Of which
was born short time after the mothers
arrival. The evils adverted to in the su-
perintendent's last report, Of imprisonlng
Women in a penal institution unprovided
with flcilties and conveniences necessary
for AN absolute separation Of the sexes,
are still upabated, andit is earnestly hoped
that they may be provided for in some ap-
propriate asylum.
The estimates accompanying the super
intendents report, whici. he claims will
admit of no abatement, for salaries, mate
rials, clothing, d., aggregates in the neigh
borhood of $4,000. In addition to which
there is an actual deficiency of Sl7 ,457,
the items and the necessity for the expen-
diture of which are explained Tho erec
tion of permanent workshops is Of impera-
tive necessity for the welfare and true
prosperity OF the institution. The time Is
rapidly approaching when the unskllleu
labor, now utilized. must be dispensed
with, and the force now 80 employed VIII
have to be otherwise occupied, by gradu
ally instructing them in the mechanic arts
appropriate to an institution of this kind
and, II provision is not made in time for
teaching the inmates these industries.
much loss will be incurred by the State,
and demoralizatlon result 10 the convicts.
1t will be seen from the above tabic
that one hundredand fifty three (l53) con-
victs have been pardoned during the past
year. Of these eighty-fve were pardon
ed on the recommendations Of presiding
Judges and the petitions of numerous good
citizens of the counties i'll which they
were convicted, and sixty eight, when
within a few days of the uAp.fAiiom ri
their sentences, lor good conduct.
Very harsh criticism has been lniul lycd
regarding an alleged excessive use Of the
pardoning power. This criticism is un-
warranted, and leaves out of view the
causes that nave invited Ind justified the
exercise Of the Executive cleInency. In
many cases ummpcachable testimony,
now OF rccordain the Executive depart
ment, has c:ear'y shown that their convlc-
ION was contrary to the evidence aud due
to political prejadice; and, in Others, that
| the witnesses were in conspiracy to elect
the conviction Of the accused viii e q
sill larger number we're convicted OF such
minor offences as did not appear 10 me Il.
warrant their Imprisonment in the Penn
tertiary for any leghlh OF time. As IN ill.,
stance Of the lasi-nsmed class, ! cite thu
case of e convict who was sentenced to Il
term Of eighteen .ilS) months imprison
ment in the Penitentlary lol stealing few
ears Of corn, amounting to less than a
! peck, from the feed-box IF his employers
horses. The current statement, that par.
.dons have been granted 10y me in spirit
of. partisanship,' discriminating in favor OF
colored convicts, is not true. have grant
ed as many pardons to white as have tt
colored convicts: in proportion to their re-
spective numbers. During the past year
have granted but two pardnns to homi.
c.des, and both Of these couvicts we're
white men, one from Camden and the other
from Charleston, and, in both cases, the
victims of the homicides were colored.
The whole number Of pardons granted
by me does not exceed the number granted
BY my predecessors, for the same period
when compared with the number of convic-
tions. Moreover, under previous admins.
trations, the penalties for petty offences
were not as severe as they are now,
there being then no penitentiary sys
TEN of imprisonment at hard labor.
LIBRARY AND CAPITOL BUILDING.
Icall your attention to the recommends
tons of the State librarian, who has charge
of the capitol and grounds, many of which
are important, sueh as the required re.
pairs of the roof of the capitol, and
| fencing Of the grounds. must say,
however, in all matters that relate to ap.
preparations that are of no immediate me-
cessity, the expenditure Of public money
should be- avoided: =
.ahsssA. FfsEILlzSRs. y. 49,.