The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1880-01-24
Fos THE CLARIoS.l
Reply to " Scribe"

mistaken. Experience" did not 'devise
and write his entire article" solely for the
purpose of ringing in" the views contained
in the paragraph quoted by Scribe As
this paragraph, in the opinion of "Scribo,
is the gist of the whole matter, he is Ger
tainly entitled to credit for giving it entire
before replying to it. Nor did expert
ence" believe that he was violating in the
slightest degree the rights of any one, or in
any way doing wrong in publishing his ar
ticle. He is citizen and voter, and feels a
deep interest in all that concerns the vel
fare of the State, and especially in the sup
preston of lawlessness and the preservation
of the peace and good order of society; and
the Comet having invited thorough ven-
tilation" of the subject, he supposed that it
would be agreeable to all concerned for him
or any one else to dissent from the views Of
the Comet, and set forth in the CLARION
the grounds Of such dissent. Judging,
however, from the temper of "Scribo's' re-
ply and his gratuitous insinuations as to the
"honesty and good intentions" of Expert
ence," it is not unreasonable to suppose
that he, or some special friend of his, has
an interest in the subject not common to
citizens at large. But this, should it be
true, is no matter of complaint, since per-
sonal interests do, or may insensibly inhu-
encc our judgments, and, after all, it is to
be hoped that "error ceases to be dangerous
when reason is left free to combat it."
After stating that every Southern State
prison is leased, "Scribs" asks: "Then who
e this fresh discovery that the leasing sys-
tenn is wrong, and this cry of protection
against crima?" 1t is because, after full
trial the leasing system, wrong in principle,
has nroyed an utter failure in practice.
With 1910 cenyicts in the State, and their
number rapidly growing, lawlessness pre-
walls and crime abounds to an extent that
;s without precedent, and that suggests the
inference that the fear of punishment has
ceased to operate as restraint upon evil
doers. "Scribo" indeed, treated this subject
as though it we're only dollars and cents,
but in our Judgment, it involves the entire
question of the wise, just and and eficiacous
administration of our penal laws.
Laws are necessary to the good order OF
society. and Courts are established for their
dine administration, and, without adequate
penalties for every violation, laws become
nugatory and lawlessness follows. Recent
lv q single county in New Jersey paid out
about 1873, 900 for the discovery, arrest and
punishment of the assassin of citizen, and
though this sum was large the result
ttained was well worth the outlay. There
not a citizen of the State who did not
feel hat an additional safeguard was thrown
around his life and person by the stern, en-
ergetic pu rsuit and execution of the murder;
er. The po icy Of Mississippi however, ana
the one which "Scrlooy would nave Perpet'
uated, is rather 70 save GoiiAi ;. anu ce'l1 11
than afford protec,t ion to the cltlzen !, OF al
his rights of person aud properly az all nee
essary cost. If Scribo's principle is rght'
why not abolish courts a. 'a Jams anu penn
tentiaries and taxation itsell A. iii.
Taxation is the price which Ihe citizeh
is Justly called upon to pay for tie protecI
tion and benefits of civil government; anu
government is failure when the price ls
maid and the consideration not received.
MANY atrocous murders and other
crimes have been committed in this State,
and the criminals have been permitted to
escape all punishment, by going to Arkan-
sas or Texas. In a large number Of the
cases no reward was offered for the arrest
of the fugitiyes, and in some cases. when
their Mace of retreat has been discovered
and an offer made to arrest and place them
in the hands of the proper authorities for ;
reasonable reward a mistaken economy hal
even then caused them to be left unnolest
ed. This was no fault of our excellent Gov
ernor. but a defect of the law whlchfaileC
to place in his hands a fund adequate t.
such purposes.
system fewer convicts escape than eNr be
fore. From facts within our knowle9e W.
have been under different impression
Within the last few years quite lum
her of convicts sent from North Mlsssls
sippi. have been known in a short tile t.
he back in their old neighborhoods.
The counties of Pont0toc, UnionTip
nah. Benton, Marshall and lfay
cite, have certainly had cause for ON
nla;ut on this account In one instace
notorious criminal escaped three timesanl
is now at large. l find no fault wit tn
nresent lessees of the Penitentiary [he,
endeavor, believe, to fulfill all othei
obI;gations to the State. 1t is the Esten
which regard as inherently vicious On
great objection to it eertainlyis the in
Equality Of the punishment inaics unde
it It is the duty of the State eqply an
impartially to punish all violation Of ia'
in proportion to their guilt, and to Us en-
ali punishments should be adminisHsd b
ia own immediate agents who are Fecil
sponsible to the State itself. la col
e Is. it is understood, are now hafg a
VIC. time as clerks or guards or som
easy position which secures the1priv
H Ionsa.o which no convict is entitlI an
,ss;oh :, axes their punish ment mo1oml
WIlo In real. Others, hired out farI
, hdl .nsn a, e well clothed and mosatel
Iau ehod ano in better condition grail
NOR Nor,e when sn Il 'ey were free. On th4Pir
t;n .n Of their IL rms Of sentence, theAive
r .Un 4 Of conyio t life so favorable ap de
mpraIize their as ociates. Some, az, ia
into the hand ,f hard task,mass,
whom thew are cruelty neglected anoye
worked. We have been told by s-wit
pesses that about the close of the elS7
neoS0 -. hro,o hit tn the DIT .