Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-11-30
County Work House.

State of Tennessee, Lincoln Coun-
ty, November Term, 1871, of the
Circuit Court.
The Grand Jurors for the State,
during the present term of the
Court, have taken under advise.
ment the propriety and expedien-
cy of establishing County Work
House for the employment ofpris-
oners sent to Jail to await trial,
and persons convicted of INSIDE
msanors and confined as punish
ment, or for failure 10 secure fine
and costs, and they hope that tie
submission to the worshipful
County Court of this county their
recommendation will not be con
sidered impertinent.
The Grand Jury is advised
that according to Article III,
Chapter l, Title 7, of the Code OF
Tennessee, the County Court has
authority to establish work houses
for the employment of prisoners,
which authority can at any time
be exercised in the discretion of
the Court. We are of opinion
that DOW would BIZ a proper time
for the County Court to exercise
that discretion and prerogative
vested in them by the law above
cited. We have witnessed during
the present term of the Circuit
Court, as well as many times pre-
viously, that His Honor the Cir
cult Judge was cramped in the
administration Of public justice,
for the reason, that to EuLi5h Of
tenders as they should be, would,
under the present 81 stem, inflict
heavy expense upon the county;
hence his honor, out Of due regard
and sympathy for the tax payers
of the county is almost forced to
temper justice, in many cases,
with great leniency, not so much
that the offender could claim it,
but for the relief of the masses of
the people. Our county, accord
ing to the last census, has a popu-
lation Of nearly 80, 900, and We
cannot expect with SO large pop
ulation that our Jail will remain
empty, but that tie ordinary pro
rata of crimes and misdemeanors
will find an asylum there, and all
precautionary measures to keep
men out of Jail, in order to avoid
expenses, wi result in embolden-
ing men to disregard the law, and
the system of leuiency will Itself
defeat the end it was intended to
subserve, by increasing instead of
diminishing crime. We think
that a well regulated system of
labor under the direction of our
County Court will have the effect
lst, To diminish crime.
End, To make criminals bring
revenue into the county treasury
instead of taking it out.
3rds 1t will enable the Courts
to7aimiuister justice to criminals
mountaineering the tax payers.
4th, 1t will prevent large num-
bers of offenders from discharging
themselves by act of insolvency and
leaving longbill of costs to be foot
ed by the county.
9Th, 1t will make offenders have
more respect Tor the law.
9th, 1t will enable the courts
to administer justice without tax
ing the county treasury.
7th, 1t is believed, that well
regulated, it will of itselfbe a source
Of revenue.
For the above, and many other
reasons, we respectfully submit to
the worshipful County Court the
PrOpriety eff establishing work
house.
S. NJ. Hampton, Foreman, B.
W. Goodrich, l.. H. Wiley, r, A.
Hamilton, NJ W. Carter, F. NJ.
Kelso, John Holly, ]. S. Edmiston,
j. L. Caughran, Moses Fisk, Wiley
B. Daniel, P. H. Wanslow, T. S.
Corder.
Ar HooJ ,ooJo oo-o horco