The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-12
s, Fror, thu. Newark Adverliser.l ~
NOW Shall G0nyiets be Employed

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From thc. Newark Adverliser.l ~
NOW shall Gonyicts be Elnploycdc
The question Is very pleasantly and ably.
consider 3 d in q letter on our first page, and
as the matter has entered largely into the;
political canvass, and has been considered
OF great Importance. by large numbers Of
our manufacturers and their operatives
further discussion wilfbe In order until the;
questions hinging upon it are settled and
the positions OF our correspondent are 1nlfyl
met. Ashe has pointed out, the difficulties
are not few nor trifing. a criminal does
not cease to be man by incarceration,
neither does the duty OF f;sthe authorities
end by shutting him up. II the sole
function OF a law is to punish, then
it might take, "a lesson from Delaware, and;
introduce the whipplng-post or other means
Of torture, and expiate the offence summa-;
rly; but such are not the, ends TO be at;
tanned nor the means to be employed. The
system In vogue of short or long terms Of
imprisonment has in view, the 4reiormationI
of the criminal rs we'll Us his punishment,
He is treated with all the kindness that.
prison discipline will admit; he Is comfort
ably clothed and substantially fed, and il I'LL!
he has competent physician 1t Is also.
recognized as fact that he has q soul" to-
be saved, and religious exercises are pro-.
vided for Sunday body to be exercised,
and a mind to be employed. The ends Of:
Justice are not complete !until ALI jpossblet
means have been employed to restore him
to society, a reformed man and q good
citizen.
1t therefore follows that employments OF
some kind are essential, as our correspon-'
dent shows, to the process OF cure. The.
horrors OF solitary;con6nem are beyond
all conception; they are worse than death.
They reduce man TO imbeeillty, uniting
him for any future usefulness, or they oil
him with revenge and make him the I'M,
rlacahle foe Of mankind. To take man
and make him worse than he was defeats
the end Of justice, and pure lana simple
punishment is not in. harmony WIN
the Dromptings Of humanity or with the.
Divine law. The criminal is at first shut
up for the safety OF society, and next for
his own benefit. II he is known to be past
reformation be should be kept constantly
Gagged, like wild beast, but this, while pos
sible, does not come within the legal cate
CORY. No one is supposed to be absolutely
incorrigible, and is, therefore, not beyond
the pale of mercy; but in attaining tnat
point we have only reached the question:,
How is he to be employed?
The whole business might be dismissed
with q stroke Of the pen, in this wise ::
Whatever is done with the Criminal, OF
whatever becomes of him, lie must not be
50 employed as to take the bread OF honest
labor. The first line OF assault Is to be placed
there, TO teach feon trade may be most
excellent, although we confess to never
hearing OF ouewho on leaving prison fol.
lowed the trade be there learned. Allowing
that every released prisoner did SO, now
ever. it would not justify the law or the
State IN benetiting him at the expense or
those who never committed crime. Inc
range OF this discussion is far higher than
that Of injustice to .indIvlduais; II com
within the category OF wrong done TO
the State itself, and even to tue supreme
Government OF tue country, as represented
in its Constitution. What is an injury to
one is an injury to- all. No mans pro-
perty can be taken without his consent un-
less with suitable compensation, yet every
prison in the land that employs convict la
bor in those branches Of work that directly
interfere with the employments OF men and
women outside does rob those citizens with:
out any return whatever. II the making
OF prison shoes or bats reduces the prices
OF those goods it is sheer robbery, 1or labor
fails to receive its due reward. The COM
petitions OF life are severe enough WlthouC
bringing in these bitinglE strong elements
OF greed and criminalty-the contractor on
one side Of the honest mechanic ana The
worse than slave on the other.
1t is not our business, therefore. to say
what shall be done with the criminal further
than this, that he sluIl rot be made an in
strurlent OF wrong in the hands OF the State.
Yet the question asked Is not wholly unan-
swcrable. There are countries where GRIM
inas are employed protitably to the State
and without injury to others. 1t IS even so
in some places here. BlacKwelFs Island mas
been covered with buildings erected by the
convicts and an immense amount OF work
has been done in the construction OF Il
sea wall. docks, and roads. In Cuba
and elsewhere chain-gangs are sent
out TO construct and repair the pup
lie roads, and it might be done here,
thus saving farmers personal labor or tue
Dayment OF road-taxes. Our highways, rs
rule, are disgrace to the State. Many OF
them that are much travelled might be ma
cadamized and all OF them brought lnto
good condition with this labor; and the sew
eral townships would be willing to pay a
light tax 10 be used for the support OF the
prisoners. 1t is, however, not for US. but
for the State, to solve this question fully.
( The first step is to end the injustice to hon
est labor; the second, to decide what shall
be done 10 the man behind the bars. ~