Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-05-28

AAIShu Sicto USSoooS yOb hoNS hO UNIV "
90 through the house with your broom up
side down.
SHOULD ALASKA BE MADE PENAL
CoLoNY?-In place of building new
prisons, why should we not try exile
penal transportation We have in Alaska
an immense territory, in almost every re-
spect we'll suited to be the scene of penal
colony. 1t is isolated, and escapes would
be easily prevented; it is almost uninhabit-
ed; it has chain of islands suitable for
separate colonies; its climate on the coasts
is sufficiently mild, and yet not tropical
but braciDg and healthful it offers few or
no temptations to vagrancy; and yet it is
a country in which convicts who had served
out their time, or earned their discharge
could live comfortably. and build up new
and prosperous society.
At present Alaska is Useless and ex-
pensive possession. Two Federal artillery
companies hold possession; but it lies too
far out of the way to tempt settlers. Used
as penal colony, to which the most hard
ened of our convicts might at first be sent,
it would offer clear field for interesting
and valuable experiments in the manage
ment and reformation of criminals 1t is
not sickly, like the French penal settle
ment of Cayenne nor has it, like Austria
liza, a climate so mild as to enable run
away convicts to live vagrant life in the
bush. 1t is country in which industry
and foresight are necessary to enable
white man to exist; and thus the natural
conditions of life would help in disciplin-
ing the criminals sent thither
Being controlled by the Federal gov
ernmenr, it is probable that, if Alaska be-
came penal colony, West Point officers
would be its rulers and guardians and
these, who are, above all, strict discipIin-
arians, are admirably y calculated to manage
rightly convict population, which needs.
above all other things, to learn obedience
to authority, and to be subjected to rigid
discipline of mind and body. Moreover.
the graduate of West Point is, as rule,
man of honor and a gentleman. He
knows nothing about contracts; be per-
forms his duty he is honest and respect
able; ; and under his rule, at least, the con-
vict would not commonly have before him
a pernicious example of greed, and other
low forms of vice.
There would be no lack of work In
Alaska for penal colony, however numer-
Gus. The country has no roads it has no
mechanic arts it would need, if it had a
population, artisans of all kinds; and for
half century to come penal colony in
Alaska rightly managed ought to be self
supporting, with abundance of useful labor
for every convict.
The question of penal transportation
has not come very prominently before the
public in recent years. 1t was not even
discussed as the recent Prison Congress in
London, though report was read upon it
| by Count di Foresta, Procureur-General
Of Ancona, who said: " Transportation
with compulsory labor in colony ap-
prove as the best punishment for great
criminals. 1t seems to me to answer per-
fectly the double object of all punishment
the protection of society, within the
limits of justice, and the reformation of
the convict. 1t ful6ls the first of these
objects-the protection Of society-for the
most dangerous criminals are thus cast out
from the bosom of society; the grave in
conveniences of relapse are avoided, and
would-be criminals are deferred by the
prospect of banishment from their country
and family. The second object IS equally
met, that of moralizing these individuals,
and giving them hope and the means of
becoming again useful to themselves and
society in another country, where, after
undergoing part of their punishment. they
can send for their families or found new
ones, thus beginning another existence IN
an entirely different atmosphere, which
will not seduce them into their former
errors"
This is the true point-to SO manage
the criminal that when he has suffered his
punishment he may have, at least, the
chance to begin new and better life, and
to make even his period of punishment as
natural and healthful as is consistent with
his seclusion from general society. And
this can be best done by exile or penal
transportation. 1t is not done at all under
| the State-prlSon system.
Two companies of artillery and two
revenue-cutters now hold Alaska. This
force need be but very slightly increased
to be sufficiently strong, with proper man.
agement, to control and keep under dis
cipline thousand convicts. The Aleutian
Isles, the island of Kodiak, and the long
Alaska peninsula offer themselves for iso-
lated stations and do not doubt that our
engineer officers could elaborate plan ol
operations for convict colony which
would make such colony self-supporting
and helpful to the convicts, bearing in
mind always these words of that most sue
cessful manager of penal colony, Cap
tain Maconochie. under whose command
that most terrible of English prisons, Nor
folk Island, was the scene of SO much
genuine reform, ' the true principle is to
place the prisoner in position of stern
adversely. from which he must work his
way out by his own exertions by diligent
labor, and constant course of voluntary
self-command and self. denial."-Harper
Magazine.
4 PIucky Vermont Boy