The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-12-18

appropriation for the support and maintenance
of the Ponitentiary and that the proceeds of
the levy shall bo strictly applied. IA,
The superintendent further states that
there arc In existence two warrants of tho
late comptroller.general Of ST, 900 each which
have been In litigation before the Circuit
Court Of Richland county.
His Honor the judge Of tho said circuit
decided that the said warrants were the actual
property of the Penitentiary, but their holders
| rofuse to surrender them.
To forestall frrther proceedings, and to
save unnecessary expense the superintendent
recommends that your honorable bodies
| authorize and instruct the honorable tic
comptrollcr-general to duplicate, and tho hon
| orablc tho State treasurer 10 pay the said
| warrants.
For continuing the construction Of the Pen.
ilcntiary, and for its support and maintenance
for the fiscal year commencing tho first @!
November, 1873, an appropriation is asked of
| the sum Of 100000 over and above the def
cicncy Of $T1, ,33s.40.
| III my Judgment that amount will l,e
actually necessary for the purpose named
recommend that an act be passed by YOUR
| honorable bodies prohibiting the employment
OF convict labor outside of the Pcn,tcntiurv for
other than State work.
| No argument is necessary, think, to con
vince the mind OF the legislator that copyic,
labor should not be brought into competition
with the labor Of the honest mechanic and la
borer, for it is not only unjust to the latter.
but it is offensive to society. and has II de-
noralizng influence upon the criminal him
self.
The subject of reform in prison discipline is
one OF peculiar interest to the philanthropist
and humanitarian.
The sentiment Of the civilized world justi-
ties tho punishment by fine, Imprisonment and
even forfeiture Of life, OF all who violate tie
laws OF the country in which they live.
Punishment Should have for its object The
reformation Of tho culprit as well as the pre-
scntation Of an example Of warning to the
public.
1t shou.d be rcformatory as well as deter.
rcnt-rcformatory, by secular and religious
instruction, industrial training, sentences
shortened on account Of gool Conduct. and
conditional pardons; deterrent by solitude,
coarse fare and constant, continuous hard
labor.
Tile criminal should be made to expiatc his
crime, and at the Sumo time be prepared to
| re.cntcr society.
Tho sentiment Of hope should bc mingled
with that Of despair, which would seem to at.
| tach to his punishment.
! Blackstone has trullIfuliy said, "nans re-
process"
The punishment Of the criminal should ic
severe, but not cruel.
1t should have n soothing rather than an ir.
ritating tendency.
| The enlightened sentiment Of tile age las
| already ieciG I'd against tho whipping post aud
the stocks as the relics of bnrbarism.
Bcccaria we'll says that .'tlc countries and
tho times most notorious for the severity o.
punishments were always those III which the
| most bloody and inhunan actions and the
most atroclous crimes were committed, for the
| hand OF the law maker and the assassin were
directed by the same spirit Of fcrocity, which
| OH the throne dictated laws to slaves and say
| ages, and in private instigated tho subject tc
sacrifice one tyrant to make room for-anothcr
In proportion as punishmcnts become moro
cruel, tho minds Of men (as the fluid rises tc
the height with that which surrounds it) grow
hardened and insensiblc, aud tho force of the
passions still continuing, in the space of one
hundred years the wheel tcrrilies no more
than formerly did tile prison."
The superintendent Of our State Pcnitcn
tiary Isl and has been, taking especial pains
to perfect Il system Of prison discipline, hav
ing iur its object the reformation as we'll as
| the punishment Of the prisoners, and although
as yet the system is in its incipiency, still
am grnticd ut being able to state that many
evidences of Improvement are already mani
! fest among them.
| am Of tho opinion that n sau,ary reform
might he introduced in the exercise Of cxecrl
tive clemency.
There might be Il condition attached tc
every grant Of pardon, that if tho prisoner
after his pardon, should he convicted of All
other crime. he should bc returned to the
place OF Imprisonment and complete the oriyi
| nal sentence.
IL the prisoner h. really and truly reformed
the remembrance Of the gaping gates and
yawning walls OF tho Penitcntiary would deter
him from the commission OF further crimes
| while, Oh the contrary, if he should continue
!hpcnitcnt and unrcdecmed, his vacant cell
may reclaim its former occupant and furnish
that protection which society demands.
1t is "icmpering Justice with humanity. y
while It's exercise is guarded against iouhtl.,l
cases, mistakes and dcceptons.
Tie Supcrinlcn len, has informed me ,liat.
III the early part Of his administration Of a..
Fairs, w!ici- Inc WIS very mucl. troubled to o)-
tain supple: w!.clcGyiil. 10 feed Tie lrisoue, 8.
Hardy solomon, Esq, Il well known mc,c!::.n,
AMI banker OF this city, came 10 lis relief, and
at great personal! sacrifice to himself made ar.
ran"cnsnts hy which supplies were fur,..
iSlcd.