Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-01-09


To be sure, everything which kird
| hearted oVerSeerS can devise, Is don
| for their well-baing. The law OF kind
ness has been substituted for that oi
cruelty and brute force. An effort has
been made to create Il feeling of self-re-
Spcct In place of the sense of utter
degradation. The prisoners are more
trusted than formerly, and are invited
To the privileges of moral and religious
instruction. The result has been what
might have been anticipated. The
prisoners 50 treated, have only in rare
instances betrayed the confidence re-
posed in them. They destroy less ma
terial than formerly; they do their
work better and more of it; and the
prison, instead of being great expense
to the State, as II Was lors many years,
! Is soutce of considerable income.
Great ere lit is due ta the Board of Di-
rectorS and the officers in the inmrdi-
ate charge of the prison.
OF course the changes proposed i'll the
construction of cells. would neceSSitate
| the erection Of new building, for
which there is ample and convenient
room. y new system of sewerage is
also Very much needed, and IA new
roof to the old building is indispensa-
| ble.
If it should be thought advisable TO
make the improvements suggested,
nearly ail the work could be dune 10y
convict labor, though considerable
/ time will be required. Estimates of
cost, ana plans have already been pre-
par. . under the direction of the Ward
en- of the Penitentiary, and are ready
for your inspection.
| CRIMINAL LAW.
/ 1t is matter worthy of your con-
Sideration. whether or not the present
criminal law could not with adj
vantage be so changed as to provide
that juries should fix the grade ofcrime
making more grades than we now
fave-and that less Or no discretion
should be left with the courts as to
sentence. For instance, there is un-
| der cur law but one grade of man.
slaughter, though the court is allowed
a discretion in inficting punishment,
I f-om one to ten years in the Peniten-
tiary. 1t is presumed that each indi-
vidual Judge would be consistent in
fixing the ternI of Imprisonment in all
similar cases, but different judges diff
fer widely in this regard. One court
will sentence for one year, and another
for ten, in cases in every essential par
ticular alike. 1t depends upon the
temperament, education and habits OF
| mind of the Judge. 1t has occurred to
me that there might be greater uni
| forinity in punishment if the grade OF
crime could be passed upon by IL jury
of twelve men, while the term of inn
prisonment, or other punishment,
should be definite and certain. There
may be objections to the change sug-
gested, but it is worthy of thought.
For full discussion of this subject,
and for many valuable and interesting
details, You are referred to the annual
report of the Board of Directors now
before you.
By reference to the Report of Par
dons, herewith transmitted, it will be
observed that only twenty, in all were
granted by the present Executive,
| from the Sth of January, to the 18th OF
November, 1872. 1t is my belief that
the good of community requires the
punishment for crime to be considered
certain; that when criminal has been
| fairly tried and convicted for an Of
fence against the law, executive clem-
ency should be oniy exceptional and
when the reasons therefor are palpa-
bic and conclusive. If the object OF
punishment were solely, CT chiefly the
reformation Of criminals, many pardons
might with propriety be granted. But
1 81, ol 1n,-
tion is to prevent crime by the eX-
s-mpiary punishment of those who have
been already convicted.
INFLUENCE OF REFORM SCHOOLS.
| 1t is gratifying to know that there
are one hundred less cOnvictS in our
Penitentiary now, than there were one
year ago; and the number received
since the opening of the fall terms OF
court, has been less than tWo-thirds OF
what it was in the corresponding
months Of 1871. There are various ways
to account for this, but undoubtedly
one explanation is found in the fact
that our Reform Schools for boys and
girls, take badly governed and lncorri-
yiblp youth away from the hauntS oi
vice, generally before the commission
of any serious crimes, to institutions
where they are surrounded with good
influences, and educated for lives OF
usefulness and virtue. We have few
nobler or more benefcent CHARITIES
than our reform schools.
Your attention Is directed to the rec.
lommendation of the Commissioners OF
the Reform School for boys, with ref
erence to the purchase of lands neces.
sary for the use of that institution.
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS ORPHANS
HONE.
The Soldiers and Sailors Orphans
Home at Nen.a, is in prosperous con,
dition. The new buildings, not al.
ready finished, are in process of con.
structiOn, ana there will soon be am.
pie accommodation for ali the helpless
and homeless children of our dead
1 soldiers and sailors. with such teach.
/ ing and guidance as judicious and low
ing managers can offer, or the State
provide. -.
i GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
i The Geological Survey of the S ate
has progressed satisfactorily during
the I;ist year. The first volume of the
final report Is now IN the handS OF the
printer, and will be ready for distribu
lion at the present session of the Gen
T eral Assembly. Material for another
| volume is how nearly ready, and it Is
hoped provision will be made for it>
learly publication. 70 perfect the work
of the survey according to the original
design, and in harmony with what
has already been completed, will re.
+ ouire one year more, and it is recon-.
Inended that the time of the geological
+ corps be extended accordingly, and
, THAI such appropriation be made there
for us may he necessary.
Five maps, upon a somewhat eX
tended scale, have been prepared by
, Prot. Andrews, representing the GOA
region in the district assigned tC
him. The funds heretofore appropri.
ate. for engraving and printing, were