The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-04-04
in the settlements of the momentous

In the settlements OF tne momeutoui
matter. .''
lam Just in receipt of letter from 8
friend in Mecklenburg county, giving
me the particulars of the arrest and tria
of . man for the theft of 81 pounds d
loose tobacco, worth $3.50. The pris'
oner WAS sentenced, after . jury trial o
two days, to seven months confinement
in Jail at a cost to the Commonwealth O
$3.50. The items were given: being the
cost of arrest, of guarding prisoner, ano
his trial before magistrate, his commit
ment ojail, fees of clerk and Common
.wealth's attorney, pay of witnesses, pay
and board of jury two days, and board o.
prisoner before and after trial 24O days
st 0>cents a day!
To fine the honest, working portion o.
the community (for that in effect was the
verdict) $3.50 for, the alleged punishment
of the larceny of less than q hundred
weightof loose lugs, was q hideous out,
rage, crime worse than the stealing Of
the tobacco. The Commonwealth il
more guilty than the rogue. A man is
simpleton who surrenders thief to the
punishment (2) of the law. The law re-
wards the rogue and Furnishes the public,
If our hero had committed crime ol
little greater. dignity, the -penitentiary
would have been his reward. Under cir
cumnistancesl of BETTING eItravagance
and pomp, he comes to his new abode,
that commands SO fine q view of the falls
of the James River. Once q, year, when
the present writer enjoys a; little leisure,
his instincts take him to the county OF
his nativity. the coed old county OF Meek
lenburg. When he returns to Richmond,
having enjoyed the good cheer and hon.
est greeting Of his friends, the trip never
costs him more than $3.50, sometimes
only S5. And yet he travels in, way
that is to. him sufficiently comfortable
and respectable. But a batch of rogues,
sent from Boydton to the 'penitentiary.
come In the costly magnihcence, OF, a
royal retin1e. Each has his own, escort,
while a high official attends the royal
party to provide for their general comfort
and accommodation. The travelling ex-
peuses Of these attendants, their board
bills, and charge for services, added to
the actual cost of the Transportation of
the convicts, make the. cost Of landing
these precious scoundrels at the peniten-
tiary at least $40 each, or ut the rate of
forty cents mile! - p.
Arriving at'the depot, the finest hacks,
ordered by telegraph, await thar conVe-
nience. Entering the State hotel, they
find abundant reason Of self.fGlicitation
upon the good fortune they enjoy.
Warmth and idleuess, peace and plenty,
crown ut length their Hvirtuons lives
Good and comfortable clothing, fare
and excellent, labor SO light
that it IL pursued, it woald seem, only
as the adjuvant Of digestion. and. in the
interest Of health. In theirpresent COM
fort, they recall, with q shrdder, the
hardships oftheir former life. They re-
with a happy sense Of relief,
the chill November nights, waen they
hunted possums and caught pigs, the
fierce onset of the mastif, the sharp re-
ports, in quick succession, of the masters
gun. But now, o happy day they arc
Tree alike from the fear of want and the
fem, Of labor; their troubles vanish into
thin air, and all their cares are sweetly
soothed in the gentle lullaby of the
Jamesl, Honest laborers, racked with
care, by constant toll and grinding econ.
cmy can scarcely accomplish bread, sim.
ply bread; and yet their scanty eafnings
must be Wrenched from them, under.the
forms of law, 10 fatten and pamper these
pets Of the Commonwealth. - !:
Instinct with philanthropy, we are ex.
srsmeIy sensitive as to their comforts and
accommodation. A howl of virtuous
indignation, that found expression in
nearly all the newspapers of the city,
was raised few years ago.. because q
peripatetic philanthropist had represent
eel that the hunks of our station-houses,
the apartments OF our Jail, and the cells
OF our penitentiary, were a shade less
luxurious than the accommodations OF
the Exchange Hotel. Investigating
committees were raised, who were in:
stfucted To- examine into and report upon
tie evils complained Of; to suggest the
and the method Of prevention
in the future, if the allegations were
found to be true; and so ne proceeded
with might and main to wipe the asper-
sion from our good name, and to prove
that no community whatsoever cherished
a more tender consideration than we for
tIamps and vagrauts, for rogues and bur
glars'l. a moon has scarcely waxed and
Waned since the Christmas bill of fare
of the guests of our VALLEY Inn" was
published in our newspapers, quite as 9
matter of pride-such an array of, good
things as might tempt the sated appetite
of an epicure OF gourraand certainly
such rs seldom cheers the board of those
whose money furnished the rich and
tempting repast. Do We really mean to
invite the immigration hither of those
"honest patriots, who leave their country
for their country's good 2" Is it strange
"a thing that moro than once has hap
q prisoner, receiving his
sentence from the Judge, prays that the
period of his. incarceration may be OK
tended? that tramp appears, OF his
OWL uOtlOu, uClOIC al cinSOt Va shSN 70"
md demands admission to the bountiful
charities of our city Jail? that an e1-
convict, accepting scarcely
q Meek's freedom, commits felony that
be may be promptly returned to his COM
Portable quarters in the State hotel? Is
government. instituted only for the bene-
fit of thieves and paupers !? and have
honest and industrious people no rights
that these are compelled TO respect?
Vast as is the expenditure Of money,
as already considered, in the so-called
punishment of criminals, there is yet
further loss, which figures have not dis
played, and cannot display. We under
stand the concrete more easily than the
abstract. A few years ago l employed
and retained for two years or more Ia
borer on my little farm. He was hum
BILE, polite, useful and happy in his place.
He had few tricks, which somewhat
abated his value, but still he Was valua-
BILE. Now and then he appropriated to
his OWN use trifiDg articles that. came in
his way, but his mania never took an
ambitious or dangerous turn. He was
corrigible, rnpretentious, unambisious,
l.