Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-01-11

UTirsxzSo CRfxr. In the late mes/He
Of Gov. Bosie. His ExeelIeuey n.kes
some admirable suggestions on the sab-
jecs Of utiEsing crime. ut least u triyial
cases. for the benefit of the osmmunisy
where the olsnce vas eonu tsed- This
ssshjec, has Ioag engaged the asensioa ii
taxpayers. bat the poli,icisus have here
tofore fought shy of it. His Exeellcncy be-
Ing the irst.public man thas've know Of
who has referred to isin an official paper
and endorsed it with square recommen-
daiion. We hope the Legislature win
take the subjec. into consideration at once
and either give Us the law recommended
or their reasons for not giving it, Though.
with our present lights. earnestly favor
ing the Suggestions of Gov. Bowie in this
matter. it may be that the Legislature
ought got 70 give them the force aud sane
ton of law. This is and ought to be q
question for refeeiion and deba,e.- Nov.
however, that the subject is brought IL
rcctly and specifically to the attention Of
the Legislature in a formal .messag &c by
the Executive of the State, it should be
referred to a committee, sifted and report.
ed aPon, No '~osAGfiag i eomYis:s0'
no shallo preiezt n ). ar1 49, a.
no lodging. Either the law itself, or
something like it, or the reasons against
it. But to the suggestions
81 would suggest, in this connection,
for your consideration. whether it would
not be an economy to the State. benefit
to the convict. and aid greatly in the So
luton of the question of prison labor, were
the laws to be changed so a. TO punish triy-
ial offences by requiring the criminal 10
work upon the public roads of the county
in which he may have been convicted
rather than BY imprisonment
Certainly. in many of the counties, by
this system. the roads, which so sadly
need il, would be greatly improved at d.
unfinished cost. 1t would be necessary TO
establish road system suitable TO its work
ings. and the prisoners already in the PEN
itentiary for small crimes, might be hun
dei over TO the county authorities. on its
organization. tn make the force sufficient
~ large 10 be nrotitably worked.
There need be 10 difficulty in perfect
ing such law. rs the prisoners could be
worked under proper guard and the d.
recton Of Road Engineer and any at
tempts to escape provided against by re-
ducing the sentence tor good service. and
doubling it for attempting to escape, or
upon rccapture.
by this. the great expense of mainte-
nance in illeness would hc saved the State.
competition with mechanical labor avoid
Ell. and the county more than paid for his
support hy the services of Il useful labor
or. That it would he much better Cor the
health and happiness Of the prisoner, in
most eases. cann", be questioned
.'lf Won shall deem this suggestion wor-
thy of trial. L would advise. as auxiliary
to the plan. another law. giving Magis-
trates Jurisdiction in trfing eases Much
expense would be saved to the counties for
Imprisonment prior I" trial. Or. if Won
10 not deem it advisable to iisJsenSs with
the trial 10y jury in any case. the Mari>-
trate might lie empowered TO commit the
party to work with the road gang. upon
the public highway, rather than to Jail.
pcndiu" his trial-the accused to have the
right ofappcal to the nearest Circuit Judsc
as 10 road service or imprisonment