The Lincoln County herald., 1873-01-15

difficulty cau Be obviatsd, and compare.
lively at very small cost to the state.
Suppose you enact Law during the 6rst
ten days OF ysur session, providing for
the crestion of . committee or board of
constitutional revissrs, to be composed of
five or seven Of the most distinguished
citizens Of the state, whose duty il shall
b to meet in the city Of Jefferson imme.
diaioly, and take the whole matter into
consideration aud propose to you such
amendments to the constitution as are
demanded BY the people, and which are
calculated to perfect our present organic
law. In the course Of week or ten days
this committee will be able to fully digest
the whole subject and propose every do
sired amendment. The work thus done
will leave little for you to do in regard
to the matter, nothing in fact except to
submit the proposed amendments TO the
people. The selection of the board may
Be made BY . jsint vote Of the two
houses. or by the appointment Of the
governor, as you may determine.
But let your course be what it may,
trust that the public good may be
promoted by it. And should you differ
with me 10 opinion, and determine to call
a convention, or adopt some other plan,
differing from the one suggested, you
may rest assured that I shall most cheer.
fully yield to your superior wisdom and
give you my most cordial cooperation
iu your effort to perfect . most impcr
feet constitution.
The penitentiary of the state has been
the object Of just solicitude on the part
Of statesmen and philau uthropis,s from its
esta blishment down 10 the present time
And there is no subject likely to attract
your attention during the session ol
greater importance, so far as the interests
of the state and the cause of humanity
are involved. Marked changes have 90 :
curred-indcod I may say al entire rsvo.
luton has taken place throughout the
civilized world 10 the manage meat oil
prisons, and prisoners during the present
century. Formerly, it seems the punish.
ment Of the convict was the only object
Of the law; aud those who we're charged
with the custody of the prisoners, after
conviction, and often before, seemed to
have We'd with each other in the discov.
cry Of arts and appliances by the use Of
which tho Creates: torture could be in.
Aioted upon and the last vestige of honor
and manhood most speedily crushed out
Of the life Of the prisoner. No fouler
blot upon the practices Of former ages
can be found than that connected with
the treatment of the inmates OF GRIMM al
institutions, aud am sure that Christian
civilization can boast of no brighter, or
lovefier, or holier achievements than
those won 10 the efforts to ameliorate the
condition and elevate aud reform this
unfortunate class Of our common human
ity. Now, everywhere, the intention Of
the law in Furnishing crime is as much
the reformation of the criminal, as the
protection Of society. In the manage.
ment Of our penitentiary, the reformation
Of its inmates, the prevention of crime,
and the protection of the state against
pecuniary loss, should be the controlling
influences. That system which will
most certainly accomplish those ends
should be adopted aud carried out. 1t
would be impossible, perhaps, to provide
10 detail, by law, rules for the manage
msnt and control Of the institution that
would certainly be best for the reforma.
ton Of its inmates and the production Of
revenue to the state. These matters
must Of necessity be left to the control
Of those who have charge of its manage.
msut. This necessity, however, origi
mates another, and that is'ths placing Of
its control iu the most judicious hands.
Men Of enlarged views, Of fins business
hsbitA and Of most incorruptibls integrity
should mausge it, and such mea alone
can make it what it ought to be, namely,
. self. sustaining institution. aud % re-
markable for its pscuuiary success as for
its wholesome discipline. Since tho pen
itentiary Of Missouri was established it
has cost the state over and above its 10
come upwards of one million of dollars.
This result is conclusive, to say the least
of il, Of injudicious management, aud
demands, in my judgement, radical
change.
By the socond section of the act pro-
viding for the management of the psuitsn.
Wsgner's Statutes, I'd volume. page
9Sl-it is provided that the treasurer,
auditor and attorney general shall be
er o6ic,o inspectors Of the penitentiary,
etc. and by the fourth section Of the
same act it is provided that the compsu
sation of each inspector shall BE- 500 per
auuum, in full compensation for all ser.
vices ,eudsredas inspector. The following
sections impose high, various aud respon
siblo duties upon these oidosrs-duties,
which, l am informed, ere. seldom, per.
haps never, fully discharged. ln truth,
the Inspectors Of the Missouri psuiteu.
uary, l sm led to believe from oil l can
learn upon the subject, have just about
10 much 20 do With its control and man.
agsusut, aud no more than any othes
sh,ss intelligeut and respectable gentle
msa residing st the scat Of government
Th. >~nsanun~Aa "a tha wAo1a mi Oa.