Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1873-01-11

Communications MS to Improvements and repairs |
ms You may think proper. At the last session II
was enormously reported that this Court recon-
mended the building OF a new county Jail This
was a mistake, but VIC might have bet II easily
misunderstood If we had done so, IL would have
been Interfering with the province of the Grand
jury. The Act of Assembly provides that upon
the recommendation Of two successive Grand ju- !
rics, the County Commissioners may proceed 10
erect public buildings, and we may say here,
what was then said, aud that was that q former
Grand jury, without any ntimaiions whatever
from the Court, had recommended the building
of q new county prison. They represented TO the
Court that the present building is unsafe and I'M
healthy, and the increase of crime demand !
ed that better structure should be erected, and
all this Court said was, that She Grand jniy
should examine into. and carefully consider this
matter, and do Just whatever they bulievFl to be
tn the best interests of thr people of Che county
They were referred to the fact that the Sheriff
could scurccly turn his back to attend 70 his 9TH
cr official duties but that some one escapes, and
now ~ this term, we are Informed that number
of prisoners against whom former Grand Jures
have actually found true bills for high crimes,
have broke iNil aud made rood their escape. Are
we, the people OF Northumberland county doing
justice to ourselves, and to the other citizcnC of
this Commonwealth, In not providing secure and
proper public budngsl These are matters to
be considered hy the people, and the members Of
this Court are not any more interested In the
subject than any other citizen. With the cNcop
ton Of but one, every county adjoining Northum-
land, the mother of counties, have new, modern
and substantial pubic prisons. The jury were
further referred 20 the fact that Clinton county
had just completed new Jail, at the cost Of $751;,
40, the contractor getting the materials IN The
! old building. What n proper building could be
erected for at this place, and the kind Of II build
/ ing that would be suitable. is matter that
should engage the attention Of the people Of the
County Tor, whilst II may rot be considered
good policy 10 build at present. on account OF the
high prices OF materials and Labor, and consider
when such structure will be public necessity.
! The last Grand jury recognized this necessity,
but thought that the present was not the time,
/ owing to the matters 90 which have just aluj-
ed, and their report was approved by the Cont
bui still the consideration of this question is i'm
/ pDriant, although it may be thought that it is
/ not prudent to proceed at this time. The matter
of expense in Keeping prisoners at home or in the
pcnitentary at Philadelphia, should be inquired
into. The mode and manner OF iuhictigg pun
shmcnt upon offenders has, and is mt the present
moment, engaging tn" nttcHtian of the civilized
word. prison Congress, which has been Sit
/ ting in England for several months. has Just
closed its lAbors there, and is again to meet for
further discussion of the sHhiect in this country.
The United States were repIgs 1u.ci there, nnl |
have given the reports ofits proceedings some vt
tention. The manner of iniilcting punishmcnts
in different countries is varied, and in many in
stances curious, but Of all the different modes
we are inclined to think that the system Of SCpu-
rate and so itarv confinement ut labor Is the best.
! In common county jail, prisoners are allowed
| TO minglc together. ana their reformation is
scarcely ever effected. At former term we were
obliged to send two young men 10 the Tcuitcntit-
ry. ! have often thought Of this sentence, YET il
WIS the lightcst penalty allowed by the law. lie
punishment Prescribed 10y the Act Of Assembly
for the offence of which they stood convicted, i
imprisonment by separate aud solitary conanc-
mcnt at labor, not exceeding three years. The
same act declares that no person shall be SEN
tenced to Imprisonment by separate aud solitary
confinement for any term less han one year, eN-
ccpt in counties having suitable prisoh buildings
for that purpose If Northumberland county
had had Il suitable building in which that mode
. OF punishment could have been inflicted, the
Court could have in its discretion sentenced those
! persons for a much shorter period, and in that
( instance believe that the public gooi would
have been subserved just as well, and the parents
and families saved much modification aud dis
grace, whilst the expense to the county would
have been less than one half And this is only
one instance ont of n score that have come under
( our observation withiu the year iust past. A
prison should be 50 constructed as to afford ac-
! commolatous differently to those found guilty
and those only charged with crime, and impy-
sOncd to await their trial. 1t often happens that
Innocent men and women are imprisoned, who
are afterwards proved To be innocent. After con-
viction, however, they should have their just de-
srrts, and know Ut no punishment that is more
severe than to place social being in separate
aud solitary confinement. But even in this hu.
/ manity demands consideration even for the un-
fortunate condition of the guilty cuiprit. He
should be forced to work for the benefit of the
public, ana during the intervals of his labor sep
arately confined, dCbarret from all incentives to
debauchery ,npG instructed in religion and moral
Ey. Blackstone, in one OF his charges to Grand
jury says, "impgiuutiun cannot figure 70 it-c!C
species of punishment in which terror, hcncTo-
lcGCc, and reformation are more happily blended
together. What can he more dreadful to the ri
otous, the lihertinc the vorptuou-, the idle de-
linqueut, than solitude, confinement, -Obriety
aud constant labor Yc. what can be more truly
. bIngHciGll Solitude will awaken reflection: con-
huem,nt vii! blui-h temptation; sobriety will
restore vigor; and labor will hcget habit of ho-
nest Industry IN his heart and, when the date OF
his punishment is expired will Couducc to both
his temporal and eternal welfare"
Gentlemen, do not let liz he understood as urg.
lnG you To make recommendation In regard -
TINS matter at prescut--Uct as your Judgment
dictates, only do. Ia regard to this matter NJ all
GOOD citizens ought to do, consider what you be-
HcNe To be the best Interests OF the people.
Inc evil business OF the Court you will have
nothing TO do with, but il vii. be nothing out Of
place to say TO you, and through you to the peo-
plc OF The county, that VIC arc striving hard to
bring up the back business of the county. This
I necUssitates the holding of long terms, and We
have been busy, bOih day and night, since the
cool weather, having this object in view. The
cases on the issue list musL all be- tried some
7 time, and Il will cost 10 more to try them now
. than in years hence. Besides the benefits to all
. canu,t get their cases tried within reasonable
time, the ends of justice are often prnstratcl.
Parties and witnesses die. Memory becomes de-
tectiye, aud human tc-tmony is often lost. Be
sides, many men against whom there are iust
claims sleeping on the records Of the Courts, be-
cause they cannot be reached on account of the
vast amount of accumulated business, become
ihsUlYcnt, aud their best creditors find that after
wears of patient waiting their claims are lost.
This must not be So in this county, and we see no
reason why ii should, if the people will only come
aud try their cases the members of The Court are
willing to do the work, and in the end we are
contdeut that all will be satisfied with this de-
termination. The Act of Assembly makes it i'm
perative on all judges to hold sufficient Court in
each county, SO that every man can get trial of
his cause within one year.
We have ordered to be placed at the head Of
the list all suits against persons who are charged
! with being detauters to the county, believing
that the interests of the people require this TO be
do re,
! LEDGER ALMANAC FoR lS73.-We have re-
ceiyed from the publisher, George W. ChilIs, II
copy of this neat and useful almanac, which sis
| not sold but furnished free OF cost" Over one
INa.. ..aW.l o A.