Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-01-09

could be saved. The interest upon
yearly expenditures which bring no
return, on account of the great
length of time consumed in erecting
one of our public buildings, would
amount to an enormous sum. SO
far from saving money by the pre-
sent system, the loss is great and
inevitable. We have recently seen
magnificent city, with immense
blocks of buildings six and seven
stories high, attractive and durable
spring out of the ashes in six months
time, yet we consume five or SIX.
years in constructing an edifce
which ought to be finished in twelve
months, or in two years at the ut
most limit. / do not believe this
to be, to any considerable extent,
perhaps it is not all, the fault of the
trustees, they are hampered by the
law, and 1t ought to be changed or
modified as to obviate the Difficult
ties which experience has develop
ed.
OHIO PENITENTIARY.
A radical change in the construc
ton of the cells of the Ohio Peni-
tentiary is earnestly recommended.
As at present, their are in five tiers,
each cell being 34x7 feet, and Z
feet high. 1t Is proposed to build
them in four tiers, the cells to be
S4x54 feet ,and s feet high. There
is now a grated breathing hole,
eighteen inches wide, for each cell,
and no artificial means of ventilation
whatever. The air, especially in
summer, is sickening and poisonous.
1t is a greatful relief for sick prison
ers, to get out of their cells, to en-
gage in the hardest kinds of labor.
The prison physician declares that
it is impossible to prevent frequent
attacks of pulmonary disease, so
long as convicts are kept in such
vitiated atmosphere. To use the
expressive language of the Rev.Mr.
Byers, a former chaplain of the pri-
son. "The men never come out
of their cells looking or feeling as
well on Monday morning as they do
on other days of the week" Dur
ing the Sabbath, which ought to be
a day of rest, our prison convicts
are laboring for breath. am not
over sentimental about this matter
and do not desire that criminals
should sleep on bed Of roses, or
be surrounded with luxuries. But
they ought to be humanely treated,
and their lives should be spared, Jun
less forfeited under the sentence of
the law. To be sure, everything
which kin dhearted overseers can de-
wise is done for their wellbeing.
The law of kindness has been
substituted for that of cruelty and
brute force. An effort has been
made to create feeling of self-re-
spect 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 re-
suit has been what might have been
anticipated. The prisoners so
treated, have only in rare instances
betrayed the confidence reposed in
item. They destroy less material
than formerly, they do their work
better and more of it,and the prison
instead of being a great expense to
the state, as it was for so many
years, is source of considerable
income. Great credit is due to the
Board of Directors and the officers
in the immediate charge of the pri-
son.
OF course the changes proposed
in the construction of cells, would
necessitate the erection of a new
building, for which there is ample
and convenient room. A new sys
TEN of sewerage is also very much
needed, and a new roof to the old
building is indispensable.
If it should be thought advisable
to make the improvements suggest
ed, nearly all the work could be done
by convict labor, though consider
able time would be required. Es
Inmates of cost, and plans, have al.
ready been prepared under the di-
rection of the Warden of the peni-
tentiary, and are ready for your in
Ispection.
CRIMINAL LAW.
1t is matter worthy of our con
sideration, whether or not the pres
ent crimlnailaw could not with adj
vantage be so changed as to provide
that juries should fix the grade of
clime-making more grades than
we now have-and that less or no
discretion should be left with the
courts sentence. For instance, there
Is under our law but one grade of
manslaughter, though the courts are
allowed a discretion in inficting
punishment, from one to two years
in the penitentiary. 1t is presumed
that each individual judge would be
consistent in fixing the term of
Imprisonment in all similar cases,
bnt different judges differ widely in
this regard. One court will sentence
for one year, and another for ten, in
cases in every essential particular
alike. 1t depends upon the tenn
permanent, education, and habits of
mind of the judge. 1t has occurred
', to me that there might be greater
uniformity in punishment if the
grade of crime could be passed upon
by a jnry of twelve men, while the
term Of Imprisonment, or othel
punishment, should be definite and
certain. There may be objections
to the change suggested, but it is
: worthy of thought.
For full discussion of this sub
ject, and for many valuable and in.
terestihg details, you are referred
to the annual report of the Board
of Directors now before you.
PARDONS.
BY referring to the report of par
dons, herewith transmitted, it will
be observed that only twenty in all
were granted by the present execu
tive, frem the Sth of January to the
Is of November, 1872. 1t is my be.
liefthat the good of the community
requires the punishment for crime
to be considered certain, that when
criminal has been fairly tried and
convicted for an otfense against the
law, executive clemency should be