Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-08
Total cash. which has been paid
i-tO the treasury .. 81
COUNTY woEK-HoUsEs.

COUNTY WORK-HOUsEs.
In my fret and second messages 20 the 37th
and 3sth General Assemblies, / recommended
the estsbl ishmeut Of wOrE- houses in every cOun-
II, for the Incarceration OF persons cOnVi sted OF
miSdeme suors, and the lower grades OF larceny
The last General Assembly, By its act Of March
q, 1873. took initial in the direction Of this
much needed refOrEa- But observation and In
quiTy comb n my precOnceiyed opinion, that this
set comes far 81 JEt Of meeting the emergency.
Near twO-thirds Of the cOnviCts in the state
Prison are there On convictions for larceny,
ami confidently assume, that Of this number
more than tEO-thirds were convicted for stealing
less than $50. Repeal the present statute dehn-
ing petit larceny, and declare that offense the
stealing Of al sums OF property Of the value OF
So AMI less, and provide that all persons con-
yiCted Of petit larceny, together with convictions
for misdemeAnOTs, where impris0nmi Mt is 3 part
Of the penalty, OF where the fine and costs Tot
secured, shall be sent 70 the county WOrk-hOuse,
and there kept at hard labor, upon the public
road, or other public works OF the county, until
the eKUiTation Of the sentence, and until all
fines and costs are paid. And In case of lar
ceny, until tbs value Of the stolen property is
paid for in labor, upon such terms may be
jus. These provisions applied 70 all cOnricts
in the State Prison, would prove a most judi
c Gus reform.
TO meet the objections tha1 small counties
cannot sustain work-h0uses, you might provide
that al counties having a population Of say
], 900 votes should establish WoTk-hOuses, and
that those Of less population If they elect not to
construct them, should contract with one or
more adjoining counties. either 10 build a Joint
WOrk-hOuse or upon fair terms take their pris-
oners, and repay their labor either at a fixed
prfcs in money, OF BY an equivalent in labor.
Il may be confidently predicted that this
system of punishment would be more effectusl
than the present. for the prevention Of crime OF
the lower grades. Punishment HIS increased
terrOrs 20 the evil-doer, when il carries with IL
degradation. under the daily observation Of
friends and kindred. And reformation under
such circumstances, is more likely 10 meet its
merited reward.
The public roads Of the country would be rapid
~ improved, without resort TO additional taxa
ton, or trenching upon the valuable labor Of the
country.
The accomplishment Of these objects need not
involve the counties in much expense. The
wOrk-hOuses would necessarily be connected
with the county jails, and in a majority Of the
counties, would involve little OF no additional
cost
1t will be seen from the report Of the Comp
trOller that the costs of transporting cOnylCts
from county 5ails to the state Prison, for the
last two years, was over $4,000. BY the system
just recommended, a large part Of this expense
would be saved.
A stiu N ther saving would be effected by di-
rectng that all eOnvicts be delivered TO the near
est prison 70 the point from which they are sent.
There is no good reason Why convict should be
sent first 10 the chief prison when there is
branch prison nearer.
Both mileage and per diem, TO large amount,
would be saved. And a still further saving
might be effected by adopting more stringent
rule, by which excessive numbers Of guards
summoned by sherlits would be reduced. In this
connection attention i called TO two provisions
in the Code OF Georgia, page S31, CObb's Digest,
sections = and p, tO-wit:
"SlctiOn 2. Every person convicted in any
county Of this state Of any crime OF Offense pun
ishable with confinement in the Penitentiary,
shah, as soon as possible after conviction, to-
Cether wish a copy Of the record Of his or her
conviction and sentence, be safely removed and
conveyed 70 the said PeniteEtiary, By guard 10
he sent therefr m for that purpose. and thereia
be safely kept during the term specified in the
judgment and sentence OF the court.
"Sec. %. In all cases where persons are con-
victed and sentenced 20 imprisonment in the
Penientiary, il shall be the duty Of the clerks Of
the inferior courts OF the respective counties,
when such person may be cJnylcted and sen
fenced, 70 inform the principal keeper Of the
PeniteutiaTy Immediately thsreafU=r, By mail or
BY private conveyance, when there Is no post
Office in the county, OF the COW ion and sen
tsnce Of said convict, and that he or she is de-
tanned In the county, jail or under guard, as the
case may b., subj actt0 the order OF the keeper
aiorsaid,' and again, page S1li it is provided by
rule 3.
THAT the principal keeper of the penitentisry
shall be authorized TO make such arrangements
as he may deem economical and safe, for con-
veying cOnyicts 10 the Penitentlary, and for this
service he shall employ portion Of his guard"
CRIME AND ITS PUNISHMENT.
Our Penal Code is based upon the idea, that
the most certain means Of preserving the peace
OF society, is TO punish those who are guilty Of
crime. This punishment u be eficctual should
be swift, certain and commensurate with the
magnitude OF the OfiCnse. Under the exist
ing practice, there is too much delay in bringing
offenders 20 trial, and too many ways in which
final conviction is postponed and delayed.
The result s., an unnecessary accumulation Of
costs and expense, and at the same time, loss
In the moral power and effect Of the law itself.
There is not that efficiency and dispatch in ar
resting criminals, that saOuld 4haracterise our
sherifs and peace officers. Often, it IS only by
means Of Executive rewards, that the guilty
have been brought 70 trial, aud while have kept
a rigid economy always in view, in offering re-
wards, vet / have been forced TO draw 10 some
cOnsid erable extent upOn the Treasury, in order
70 insure the arrest Of offenders. A healthy
public sentiment, uph7lding and sustaining the
local authorities is the surest means Of preserV-
ing the peace Of any community, and inasmuch
as the power and authority Of the sheriff is
ample. il n ay net be amiss 70 apply some more
stringent requirements and heavier penalties to
his failure 10 execute the law.
The provisions Of the Code, Sec. sos, allowing
one continuance 20 a defendant, on account Of
prejudice against him, shOuld be modified, 50 as
to ALLOW such continuance for capital Ofenses
alone, and then, only at the discretion Of the pre-