The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-02-11
IFor the DEpatch.l
Talk About Home Matters
mo. 2.1

1
| It Is subject of thankfulness that there has
been growing interest In prisons and prfs-
on discipline throughout the civilized world.
| We can no longer close our eyes to our fear
| iul responsibility in remaining uninterested
| IN so important work. We hail with plea
| sure the formation of prison association in
our midst Our penitenfiary is orercrowded,
our Jail is more than full but for the most
innocent OF all offenders, the young, we
| have no home, no refOrmatory, no Juvenile
prison, as have many Of our sister States.
In VAIN has Governor kemper appealed to
our Legislature, and Judge Guigon written
letter so excellent that beg its insertion
here, with the appeal OF the jury whicr pre-
ceded it,. The case was that OF child CON-
victed in December last: .
1.-The undersigned, jurors ia the case ofthe
Commonwealth rs. Carter Fleming, respect
fully represent that the prisoner is a mere
child, unfit for such punishment as the laws
OF Virginia enforce, and that the courts and
Juries of the city are constantly compelled to
send such children TO the penitentary against
every sentiment Of humanity and justice ;;
and they respectfully ask that the Governor
will represent these facts to the Legislature
and press upon that body the importance of
providing for this class Of criminals (the
children Of the street, some place where
means OF reformation may be used apart from
the evil association Of hardened criminals,
and such children may have the opportunity
Of becoming good citizens,
[Signed1 SILAs L. JOHNSON, CHARLES HAGAN,
a. l. BURFORD. LEROY :. EDWARDS, G. j.
ANDERSON, JAMES NJ. WISE, SMITH RED.
FORD, Louis EUKER,J n. HING, JOHN B.
PURCELL, J. III. Wake.
Hastings Court room, December 10, 1874"
II cordially concur in the above recon-
mendation of the jury. These children of
the street. are before this court at every
term, charged with feonies, and the embar-
RAISING question perpetualy recurs with
court and jury, What ia to be done with
them: They are uneducated, generally or
phanS, or worse than orphans; they have had
no opportunity to be good, either by associa-
tion or training, and are used rs tools by
older persons, and instructed by them in
crime. If sent to Jail, they are necessarily
compelled to associate with the viest crimi.
nails, and after the expiration of their impri-
sonment they go out experts in vice. II sent
to the penitentiary their association Is
equally bad. They are stigmatized for life,
and have the mark Of felon upon them. The
State has to pay for their support and reaPs
no benefit from their service: and no means
cause OF sympathy they necessarily return to
their Old haunts and companions, for they
have nowhere else 10 go, and in short time
are again brought up for similar offences.
''ln nearly every State houses of cOrrec-
ton and reformation have been provided
for the purpose. and to large extent with
the effect. Of relieving juvenile offenders from
the results of their evil aSsO Cations sur
rounding them with proper moral influences
and restraints, instructing them in such
trades rs will enable them to live without
crime, and so educating them as to enable
them TO become, if 1t does not make them,
reputable citizens. Surely Virginia. impor-
erished as she is, can find the means to ac-
complish so desirable, just, and humane an
end.
every respectfully,
[SiSnedl A. 3. GUIGoN,
Judge Hastings Court, Richmond"
On Tuesday the I'd instant two boys Of
tender age-one sixteen, the other eigh-
teen--( (CharIes Bowler and Joseph Lips.
comb)-were tried for larceny, plead guilty,
and sentenced to the penitentiary for three
years. Their youth, manners, appearance,
and sad social training interested in their
behalf the Governor, Judge Guigon, and the
knd-hearted jailors. To do the best posi-
,
but for our guilt as community in having
provided no house of correction or juvenile
prison these boys, at the entrance Of man
hood, will in all probability be consigned 10
| the pcntentary. For their future see Judge
Guigon's letter.
Charles Bowler has parents, but they
placed him, at thirteen years of age. in a
louery.otfce, receiving but six dollars per
| week. He was put into this office because
| he was delicate child. Young LipScomb is
suffering greatly with rheumatism. Of him
self he says: 81 began about two months
since to 90 to a low place OF amusement.
This led to drinking. | had been drinking
the night of the robbery. l have neither
father nor mother. My mother died when
| | was four years old my father when l was
ten. Ny father placed me in lottery.office
| the year before he died. l have lived in one
| ever SINCE"
These boys are children Of the community,
and just such growth and promise as our
| community might be expected to deveope,
| with our Srog-shops outnumbering, in pro-
portion to the population, those Of New York
Il am tod) live TO three our low places OF
amusement and Our comfortable and selfish
CHRISTIANITY; our many allurements to vice
Without corresponding efforts to attract to
virtue.
We most earnestly implore you, as our
legislators, to take immediate action in this
matter. Care for these boys, and the Youths
in the penitentiary, the Jail, and the chain
gang; give them chance for q better fu.
ture, and may God so bless you and YOUR
children, whose pathway lies in the yelled
future. Remember the wheel of crime re.
wolves. AS you are human, have au interest
in all humanity. Provide a temporary work
house or juvenile prison-some large factory
or suburb home-buid one on the most an.
proved plan afterwards. There can be no
stronger argument for the woman question
than your neglect of the young. They
| would be the first care of women Legislators.
We pray you, in Gods name, take these
boys and give them better bone than the
penitentiayy. Au REyolR.
| Mr.. r. A. PROCTOR AND THE TRANSIT OF
| VESUs.-Mr. r. A. Proc or, writing TO the
| London Times respecting a letter addressed
! by DR.. Phipson TO a French journal express
! ing the opinion that the receut transit Oh
| servations are useless because the earth is
continually drawing nearer TO the sun, OBJ
serves that it would be something beyond u
Joke if DR.. Phipson were right, and there
| fore it may be as well to point out that, while
| during the last century there has been uncer-
tainty about the suns distance, even to the
| extent of millions of miles, astronomers
! are absolutely certain that the distance has
not varied by hundred or even by ten
miles during that time. II the earth had, as
has been stated, drawn nearer by one-thir-
tieth of her former distance, the length OF