Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-01-15

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the annual meeting of the stockhold-
ers.
In this connection, it may not be
improper to say that the subject Of
cheap transportation is one, which is
engrossing the attention of the whole
country. A committee of Congress
now has the matter under considera-
ton, and it is hoped just and satisfac.
tory solution of this troublesome
question will be reached: If Con-
gress should fail to afford relief, it
may become the duty of State Legis-
latures to consider what can and what
ought to be done.
CONVICT LABOR
Under existing laws, the labor Of
Convicts in the Ohio Penitentiary is
not, for the most part, employed df-
rectly by the State, but it is let out to-
the highest bidders therefor. The
contractors pay for such labor, ON an.
average, about ninety cents per day
per capita, and the prisoners are;
clothed and fed at the expense of the
State. 1t necessarily happens that
manufacturers who obtain labor at so,
low rate, go into market with great
advantage over all competitors less
fortunate in this regard. They are;
enabled. it is believed at profit, to
nndersell the market price. The result
must inevitably be, that all kinds of bus
| mess similar to those carried on in the
Penitentiary are embarrassed, while
the prison contractors make inor-
dinate gains. 1t may be urged that
the hiring of this convict labor is
open to competition. NominalIy it is
so; practically, it remains for many
years in the same hands, and is not
fully paid. | am of the opinion, after
some investigation, that it would be:
more profitable for the State to utiE-
| iZe and control the labor of all the
| prisoners than to adhere to the con-
tract system. At all events, the prison
conld be 50 conducted as to interfere
less with the legitimate pursuits of
business men who pay the ordinary
wages for work.
The State, looking to the interests
of all its citizens, could have no in
| ducement to sell its manufacture be-
low the market price, for its plain
duty is to encourage business every
where, and to embarrass it as little as
| possible.
I hope the General Assembly will
investigate this subject, and do what
is best for the good of the whole
State.
/ renew the recommendations I
made last year with regard to eRlsrg-
ing and improving the cells of con
victs in the penitentiary. AS at pres
ent constructed they are not fit TO be
occupied, aud are not in kee ping With
the humane spirit of the ago. The
cost of making the necessary changes
would not be great, as most of the;
work could be done by the prisE
oners themselves. A decent regard
for the health and reasonable comfort
of these unfortunate criminals requires
early attention and action on the part.
of the Legislature.
CRIMINAL LAW
Another years experience in tie
matter OF hearing and deciding appIica-
cations for pardon has confirmed me:
in the opinion that the law should be.
so modified as to leave less discretion
with the Courts in passing sentence
| for criminal offenseS. It often happens
that two prisoners work side by side
| in the penitentary, both sent there
| for precisely the same crime, one for
| one year and the other for tea In
| such case, it is impossible to convince
| the convict incarcerated for the longer
| tine that he has been fairly dealt With.
| And SO long as he is stung with a
! sense of this injustice, he is not likely
to reform. There is nothing sppFosciI-
| ing uniformity in the length ef SEN
ten ce pronounced by different Judges
for similar offenses.
earnestly recommend that the
criminal law be so changed as to Sc
cure more exact justice so amended
as to leave results affecting the lives
aud liberties of men less depeadent
upon the Judgment, the temperament
or the caprice of those who administer
the law.
STATE ORDNANCE.
1t may not be universally known
that under an act of Congress. ap.
proved April %, 1Ses, two hundred
thousand dollars are annually appr0-
priated for the purpose of arGning and
equipping the militia of the United
States, this sum being divided among
the States and Territories according
to their representation in Congress.
The yearly quote in Ohio under this
rule is S11 800, But during the late
war large sums of money were eharS-
ed against some of the States for arms
| and other ordinance stores issued to
said States by the War Department
By reference to the report of the Ad-
jutant General, which will be laid be-
fore you, it will be seen that Ohio
stood charged on the Ist of Decem-
Der, 1868, with S1S4,733.23 in excess
of her quote. The amount at this
time appearing to be due, after deduct
| ing the credit allowed since December
! l, 1868, is about Sl27 900. As the
arms and other ordnance stores now
in possession of the State are incou-
siderable in quantity, and of little val
ue, it is undoubtedly true that we
stand charged with stores issued to
troops and used during the war, and
! which have been accounted for to tho
United States Government by COM
manding officers in the field. 1t may
be that errors occurred in keeping the
accounts, but certain it is that Ohio
ought not to be charged with this large
amount of money. Indeed, General
A. B. Dyer, Chief of Ordnance. says:
Large sums OF money were charged
| against some of the States for arms,
| DC, furnished by this Department