Daily Republican., 1879-12-10
Criminal Punishment.
F0f the Republlea

4
blows as they were applied to his bach
When they took him from the post,
thought to myself, well, he goes mo-
to his cell again, feeling that he ha
paid so much of the debt which h
owed to justice, but lowered somewha
if possible in the scale Of manhood
Iegoes now to spend ten years i
prison (possibly) to pay another In
stallment CT the debt, and to be tn
companion Of criminals of almost ever.
grade, II not to be suuken lower II
criminal intent, to bs made at leas
more cunning and skilled for the prac
tice Of crime.
1t Is a horrible thought, to reflect
that In the name Of justice, that pun
ishment, In the process OF its execu
tion, only tends to harden and educate
for criminal work.
Ten years thought, with the clas
OF persons with whom he will compan
ionship, will enable him to come ou'
prepared for almost any deed Of dark
ness. could not help but think .ha
our mode of dealing with offenders
Especially the youpg,) was sadly de
fective.
With the people at large, there seems
to bs very erronious views in regard II
the punishment Of criminals. The deeI
feeling that seems to pervade the grea
heart of the people, in the administra
tion of legal penalties, Is revenge. Bu
this is certainly a wrong view to tak'
OF the administration of law. Whatever
heathenism may teach in this respect
1t Is not in accordance with the spirit
or teaching Of christianity.
Society has an unquestioned right tt
protect itself, or any member thereof
from the wrong doer, even to the sacri
flee of life; but it has no right, by the
process Of administration, to sink thu
criminal still lower in his moral status
Correction and protection should he thu
incentives to all legal punishments
and while all necessary restraints arr
imposed to make society secure, i
should be a studied policy In th'
administration of justice, to mad
the criminal better instead OF worse
but how contrary to this, is th'
penal code of Delaware.
have no plea for crime in any sense
but cannot fail to see that 1t is thu
duty Of society to save the criminal l
possible, not TO be set at large whil'
dangerous to the safety of others, bu
to be- secured in that condition best cal
culated to correct the state Of mine
which makes him dangerous.
Our policy is just the reverse OF this
W. fix the grade ofpuuishment and i'll
jnniction, take no steps TO make 1t cura
tive in lis operation, but actually turI
the culprit out upon society again
worse man and more dangerous to the
community than when the law first took
hold of him.
Future freedom should rest upon sat.
isfactory evidence given Of reformation
and not upon fixed period OF confine.
ment. believe it is possible under
proper restraint, and an earnest ap.
pliancs of gospel principles, to improve
at least, ii not entirely reform, the
most hardened criminals; and while
these fail, such offenders should moi
again be turned loose upon society.
There are but few, Gf any of the
States,) that give less attention tt
prison reform than ours; and / suppos sc
that while 80 much stress is laid upon
the beneficial effects of the whipping.
post and pillory, this state of things
will continue.
A prisen to be what IL should, ought
to embrace discipline, useful industry,
and practical reformation and every
prisoner bs made to feel that desire was
evin ,ed to make him q better man, in
stead of reducing him to lower grade
than he had already reached.
The policy Of the State has been to
encourage vile business, the ouly ten
dency of which is TO degrade and de-
stroy, and to send forth the streams of
misery and crime throughout its entire
length and breadth. Heads Of families
have been reduced to drunken imbe-
Giles, and their helpless offspring have
been turned out upon the world to gain
subsistence as best they can, and that
too very often under influences best cal.
culat+d to destroy all native refinement;
and then in the incipient stages Of
crime, are made the companions OF those
who have passed through the various
degrees Of criminal training.
Is it any wonder then at early man
hood they become terror to society," If
by legislative consent moral pest houses
are established throughout the city
and state, is it strange that the young
are debauched, and the old are degraded
beyond reprieve! Let the rum mills
and gambling dens be swept away, that
are sending forth their streams of deg
break up the houses of prosti-
tuition that follow in their train, pull
down the whipping-post and pillory,
and establish reformatory and indus
trial schools, and society will begin to
breathe more freely, and experience
that it has not enjoyed before.
Here is a theme worthy the consider
alton Of our wisest statesmen; and If
hey will give attention to the estab-
ishment of q reform like this, and less
20 the maintenance OF stupendous po-
itical organizations, the people would
,pi0v greater security, the state be
more pro,perous, and labor be more
likely to receive an equitable reward.
CD.