Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-11-18
iron fbe Culver. Joarn.l.)

Ux1LlxruaC n13Rs The unusualiy large
number of persons tried and convicted
Of larceuv and cther minor crimes ut
the recent term a. the Circsit Court,
ssems to Indicate that confnement il
he Penitentiary. the usual node Of
punishing this class of offenders, - net
the hest method OF suprressins crime.
A very large proportion Of criminals in
this county are colored, and on these
people the only punishmnt which sem
teuce to the penitentiary inflicts> il
the mere deprivation Of liberty. They as
agenersfthing. seem entirely insensitle
20 the disgrace attached to thecouviction
Of crime. Socially they are in no wise
lowered, and at the expiration Of their
confinement thew are received by their
friends as cordially as ifshey bad Just re-
turned from sorse fashionable watering.
place. These convicts are better fed
and clothed in the Penisentiary than
they are at home; they are not com.
PEELED to work much harder, 90 that
this punishment inspires no terror to
the evil doer himself. Frequently the
convict learns trade, and perhaps he
learns TO read also, and his friends look
upon his soiourn in the Penitentiary as
so much time given to intellectual i'm
provement; and are prepared to violate
the lawsasa means of securing the same
advantages Of education for themselves.
There are very many cases where the
punishment of the offender would be
far more effective as q preventive Of
crime, If it were administered here
In the county where his acquain-
tances could see for themselves that
the "way Of the transgressor is hard"
If our Judges were empowered by law
to condemn men, when convicted of
crime, to work upon the public high
ways instead of sending them to the State
Penitenitary; it is very certain that the
courts would have less criminal busi-
ness upon its hands. Wherever tried,
the "chain-gang," has been found the
very best way to stop petty crimes
Moreover, the labor of convicts on roads
would greatly reduce the expense of
keeping these roads in repair and SO les
sen taxes.
1t is to be hoped that our newly cleo
ted law-m makers viii give this matter
some attention, and at the next session
of the Legislature pass some act to en-
able the county authorities to organize
a "chain- gang"
THE CASE OF "SESAToR" PINCHRAcK.
The Washington correspondent of the
Baltimare Sun makes the following OBJ
serva:ions in reference to the case of
the would be-Scna;or Pinch back, OF
Louisiana:
"The case Of Pinchback is the special
order in the Senate for the first Monday
in December, which is the day Of the
meeting of Congress. 1t is not unlike.
ly, however, that the case may be post.
poned till after the holidays, or at
least for week or two. Opinions vary
as to Pinchback's chances for admis-
sion. While some think there is no pro-
liability Of bis case being favorably acted
upon others, who are perhaps rs wellin.
Iorrued, tninK that his prospects are let.
ter than they have ever been before. The
conservative victory in Mississippi, they
think, will help PinchLack materially
The unexpected gain of an opposition
Senator in that State, and the absolute
certainty that Louisiana will send q
Democrat to succeed Mr.. West, the
present Senator from that State, viii
help so much to narrow down the mar.
gin If Republican majority in the Sen.
ate that Pinchback's vote may be abso
lutely essential after 1877. If Pinch
back is rejected Democrat will he sen,
in his place.
PENALTY OF UsURY.-The United
States Supreme Court las recent,
given an important decision in reference
tothe liability of national banks charging
or receiving rate of interest exceeding
that allowed by law. The decision
overrules the decision of the New York
State courts, which made them forfeit
the principal and interest of notes upon
which Illegal interest was received, and
declares that only the interest is for.
feited. As this more enlightened view
is taken by the highest authority in the
nation, it will heneeforth settle the
question as to tie liabilities of national
banks in such cases. The principle
declared is the same az that on which
the Maryland law rests in regard to
usury.-Baliimore Sun.
VoTE ON THE STATE TIcKEr-A
comparison of the vote cast at the late
election in Maryland shows that Mr.
Gwinn, for Attorney General, received
outside of the city Of Baltimore q ma
jority Of lG7 votes over his competitor;
that Mr.. Carroll for Governor, is short
of election 2,257 votes outside of Bal
timore, and Mr. Woolford, for Compt.
roller 1888 votes. Mr.. Wallis, A,tor.
ev-General, is 653 votes behind Mr.
Harris in the State, and 1896 behind
him outside the ci.y.-Sun.
contents Of the Westminster Review, for oeio.
her. recnily rpublished by The Leonard
Scot, Publishing Co. IL Bare AZ Street, ~.
I. The Marriage Of Near Kin.
II Quak-rism
III. Lord Shelhurne. The Minister
". The Religious Education Of Children.
V. The raroda Blunder.
VI Noniais pc
VII. PHYSICS and Physiology of Harmony.
VIII; Theism.
TX. Contemporary Literature.
The periodicals repriaied By the Leonard
Sect, Publishing Co. (4i Barclay Street. n
y are as follows: The London Quarterly
Edinburgh. wes,mins.er. aud British Quar,eri,