Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-10-06
WHAT TO DO WITH OUR CON
VHCTS.

VICTS.
The eleventh article of the Consti-
tuition relates to punishment for crime,
to the institutions provided for that
purpose, and to State institutions for
charitable purposes.
The only change in this article. pro-
posed by the amendments, is made by
adding a provision to the first section
authorizing all convicts, sentenced to
hard labor, to be employed on public
works or highways or other labor for
the public benefit, and the farming
out of the same where and in such
manner as may be provided by law.
No convict shall be farmed out, how
ever, who has been sentenced on a
charge of murder. rape, attempt to
commit rape, or arson.
The object of this amendment is
plain to the commonest understand
ing. 1t is to save money. and at the
same time to benefit the State by car
rying on the public works of various
kinds that are go much needed for the
development of its resources. Ever
watchfuI of the interests of the people,
the Democratic party at It's recent
Convention pledged itself to use the
convict labor of the State for the pur-
pose of securing the completion OF
those great works of Improvement
that shall bring together in more inti~
mate union The people Of the East and
TIE people of the West, thereby giving
each section easy access to other
markets, than its own fer the sale OF
its surplus products.
This policy mnst commend itself to
the Judgment nf every one. Indeed,
the Den ocr". 20 Legislature has alrea ~
acted upon it, but owing to question
that has been raised as to the consti-
tutlonality of such a course, it was
thought best to remove all doubt by
making this amendment to the Con-
stitution.
By this means the State will get
the benefit of the labor of the convicts
and the expense of entertaining SO
many &C. ored gentlemen of elegant
leisure at the penitentiary will be
avoided.
The penitentiary has proved
grievous burden to the Taxpayers of
North Carolina. Near a million of
dollars has been expended upon it and
in feeding the convicts, and it is full
time to make the convicts useful as
we'll as ornamental. Let them earn
their bread and meat, their victuals
and clothes. They are generally
people who have sought to live by
stealing rather than by honest work.
They have lived in that way long
enough, let them now be put to wor4
upon our railroads and other public
improvements.
If some such disposition as this be
not made of the criminals of the
State, they will necessarily have to
be kept in confinement in our jails
and penitentiary and thereby entail!
upon the people the expenditure of
vast sums of money for houses for
them to live in and food for them to
eat, without any corresponding adj
vantage 10 the State. The number Of
convicts consequent upon the present
stricter administration of the law is
now SO great that the tax upon the
State for their keep and maintenance
is no light burden, and this must be
SO, as long as deprivation of personal
liberty, with or without hard labor, is
the penalty affixed by law to so many
crimes.
That it is a hardship thus to tax
good men for the support of bad men
is undoubtedly true, but like many
other hardships of this life, it must
be borne for the reason, if for no
other, that it is cheaper for the good
men to support criminals in confne-
ment than to permit them to 60 at
large. The good of the community
absolutely requires that crime shall be
punished at any cost, but at the same
time common sense teaches that crimi-
nails ought to be made to earn their
living, if it be possibls to do SO. The
amendments propose to give the State
the benefit of the labor of the criminals
it is obliged to feed and clothe. That
is all the change the amendments pro-
pose to make in this matter. Let them
bo ratified.