The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-01
fully as commcndable for bachelor cover.

July as commendable for a bachelor COVER
nor as saving wood for poor widows.
james Gilrain and Charles Butterfly are
confined in the Rutland county jail not
for the commission of crimes, but as the
supreme court Of Vermont took especial
occasion 10 say-State James Conlin, 81
Vt. Rep. 3lS-for the non payment of
fines and costs imposed for Offences so
utterly insignificant" that the tenth
article of the bill of rights has no applica-
ton to them not for crimes, but simply
for non-payment of fines and costs i'm
posed for "minor offences which clearly
concern the regulation of the internal
"policc of the stat" alone. For such
non-payment, the governor virtually de-
cides that they must remain in prison for
life
We would respectfully suggest to the
governor, that these "minor offences" are
made such for the protection Of the poo
pie, and that Imprisonment is not part of
the penalty therefor-it following the non
payment of the fine simply as mode of
enforcing the payment thereof 1t is evi-
dent in these cases, and it was SO made TO
appear to the governor, that these men can
not pay their fines and that 50 long as they
remain in jail they will remain unable to
pay them-yet he refuses to pardon them
that is, to remit the fines and costs.
The state of Vermont, by this refusal Of
her governor, is compelled to pay seven
dollars week, or 1864, year, for their
board. Similar cases in each county of
the state would entail an annual charge on
the state treasury of $5,116 How many
years would it he before the boarding of
two men in each OF the jals would be suf-
ficicnt TO pay II dozen such appropriations
as was sought to BE- obtained through II
special session
There is another view of the matter.
BY the arrest and incarceration of these
two men in JAIL two women and fourteen
children were thrown on the town of Rut-
land for support. j. twenty dollars
week, or 81 900, a yeor, large average
estimate for their sul p0it? The town of
Rutland, il our estimate is correct, will be
compelled To tax ite,lf one thousand dollars
year for the support Of these women and
Children srm equal 10 our share Of a
thirty thousand dollars appropriation or
equal 10 our proportion of a twenty thou
sand dollars appropriation, and Of the ex-
penses of a special session OF the legisla-
ture which is not "dead-head." Add to
this one thousand dollars, the price paid
for the board Of these two men-three
hundred and sixty-four dollars per year
and the annual loss of their labor, we have
sum equal to one-tenth of any appropria-
ton that would have been asked of the
general assembly. Surprising the governor
should take similar action in all the other
counties in the state, where would his
economy and humanity land the people?
In this connection, we may briefly refer to
anotherp phase of the matter. A few days ago,
we stated that, in Rutland, it cost 1874 II
to collect fines amounting to six dollars.
In correcting an error as to time and place
not rs to amount of costs-the town
grand juror Of Rutland stated in letter.
published in THE GLOBE, January 15-that
the man referred to by us "aud one other
" man were arrested and fined tor intoxica-
ton and for breach of the peace" This
one other man" was James Glran whom
the governor has refused to pardon and if
the town grand juror is correct in his state
ment, the town and state instead of collect
ing fines of six dollars will be compelled to
pay S34.71 in costs and three dollars and
a half per week for board for no one knows
how long-perhaps, for ever, if we may
judge from the governors action-and we
may be permitted to ask how many such
cases the people can standard we are H.
formed that they are of common occur
renee in Rutland, and to less degree in
other parts Of the state and still congrat-
ulate themselves on the grand economy of
no special session? We think, however,
that the town grand juror was mistaken,
and that Glrain was not convicted of a
breach of the peace. If so, the costs inl-
posed. upon him would be some thirty-two
dollars; the costs imposed on Butterfly
were some eight dollars making the whole
costs, which the state and town are CON-
PEELED to pay in these tw o cases some forty
dollars, which IS increasing at the rate of
seven dollars per week. Truly, Vermont
is an economical state, and is to be con-
graduated on the economy and humanity
of her governor. No centennial no par
dons; no humanity; Perish the thought.
nNho ID. a;Ga NIL