The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-12-12

convicts. aud repeat here the language of
the message Of December 7sh, 1870: cane
other change is required in our prison system
Now, the youth of twelve or fifteen years,
sent to the Penitensiary for year, perhapss
| for larceny, may be incarccrated in cell
with wretch hardened by twenty years of
crime. At the end Of twelve months tho
youth graduates from prison perfect master
Of all the arts and appliances Of an accom-
plished thief and burglar, ready and eager,
perhaps to put in practice the knowledge ac-
quired during his years association with the
depraved companion Of his cell. This may
be an extreme case, but not at all an improb
able one. There are many cases now In our
Penitentiary differing from this only in de-
gree. Now prisons should be reformatory as
well as punitive. While the criminal is pun
ished for violation of law and for its vind,-
cation, as we'll as for an example to others, 10
efforts should bs spared to reform and elevate
his moral nature Partieu ally should all in
strumentaities possible be used to reform the
young. impossible and iuexparier ced. They
should be removed from the COMMUNICATING
influence and association of older, more-cxpe-
rienced and hardened criminals. We ought
to have reformatory prison for youths under
eighteen years OF age, seperate and distinct
from the Penitentiary, to DO controlled anu
managed upon somewhat different principles
and under diffe ent rules and regulations :;
and I trust that, whether the present bull
ding be remodQed or a new Penitentiary con-
structed, this idea will be carried into practi-
cal effect by the erection Of, another and sep
crate prison, or by division Of the PeDiten-
tiary in suca manner that youths uuder
eighteen years Of age may be assigned. to Il
section completely isolated from the balance
of the prison and prisoners"
JUDICIARY.
Among the many reforms looking to tha
decrease of the ext enses and the Increase OF
the revenues of the State which have had
the honor to recommend to the Gensral As
sembly, and which [ regret have not been
fully carried into effect by proper legislation.
was that of our judicial System. I've plans
were suggested in nay last annual message for
the accomplishment of this object-eithcr
the enlargement of the number OF circuit
courts aud the reduction of the jurisdiction Of
the county courts, or the enlargement OF tho
jurisdiction of the county courts and the re-
duction Of the number and jurisdicto:n of tho
circuit courts. Father reflection has eonvn-
ced me that the former is the more feasible
plan. We need but one court of record OF
original jurisdiction, and undoubtedly twnnty
or at most twenty four circuit courts could
readily aud promptly attend to all legal bnsi-
ness, except probate, necessary to be transact
ted in cour-s of record County courts can
not be abolished without an amendment Of TIM
Oh
under any circumstanc es. The jurisdiction
ofthese courts, however. is within the con-
troll Of the Legislature. Let tkeir jurisdic-
ton be lin ted to the matters of probate and
such civil aud criminal jurisdiction and gen
erai supervision of county matters as may DO
deemed advisable, but dispensing with jurics.
except at the option and expense of liigates.
and providing for a system Of fees which shail
defray the whole expenses Of the court except
a small salary to be paid from the State treas
ur7 Ia conformity to the constitution, and
saving o. at least 100000 can be annually
made to the Commonwealth. | have no fault
to 6nd with the manner in which our country
Judges have discharged their functions. Ii
is not the judges, but the system, which
censure. We have too many courts and an
unnecessarily expensive judicial system
Fewer courts and better paid judges will elc.
vate the judicial standard, secure the prompt
and satisfactory transaction Of business AMI
mate rally lessen the burdens Of the system.
The judges Of Botetourt aud Appomattox
counties resigned some time sinco and tha
vacancies thus occasion ed where temporarily
provided for by the appointment Of j. J. AL
len, ESQ.,, to the former aud by assigning tho
Judge Of Prince Edward county to hold tho
courts IN the latter.
On the 18th utimo the able aud upright
judge of Dinwidaie county, Hon. j, Boisseal
departed this life, after a brief Illness. and
the Vacancy thus occasioned the Legislature
should promptly fill. fp
IMMIGRATIoa.
In my last message discussed, at soma
length, the subject of immigration. and de-
sire respectfully to call your attention to tho
views therein EXPRESSED and the suggestions
made. Private enterprise has been commend
ably active during the past year la inducing
immigration to our State, but the sum total
of results accomplished has been slight in
deed when compared with our wants and ne.
eessties Private enterprise alone, and un-
aided BY State action. can never accomplish
large results. The two should go hand in
hand mutually aiding each other. Thres
things are absolutely essential 10 success in
this behalf. viz: accurate information, ready
and cheap transportation and facilities for tha
prompt acquisition of homes by the imm.-
grants on arrival here, at fair and reasonable
prizes. We already have line Of steamers
plying between Liverpool and Norfolk. which
during the past year has landed at Norfolk
over one thousand Immigrants of the cllarac--
ter needed to purchase and develop our i'd,
and uncuItvatcd lands This enterprise da--
serves encouragement, and I know Of no
mode which will better accomplish that end.
or confer more lasting benefits upon thu Ssats.
than the organization aud successful opera
tion of thorough and practical system Of
immigration. Such system ought not to ba
either burdensome or cu,nbrous, and SHOULD
be such as to exclude from our borders pau
per Immigrants and condemned criminals
The preparation and publication By State au-
thority Of proper statistics and informatiun
of our condition, and tho almost nauner,-'
bio advantages We possess fer the Immigrant,
would DO Of vass benefit. and weail contrib.
ute largely to the succ ss Of locatand private
| immigration euterprises. The Allan line Of
| oooa r. steamers tooetber with COR raijrnadc