The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-03-10
VOLUME XLIII.

MAJ ct. Martin, Niece, OF Clarke Nc Lsnrin. 81
Rankin McWiuie. Norris. Mullins tbors
Nelson. Norre /, Ress, Rogers, Seabrook, Som
meryiIle Sykes, Talbert, Tankersley, Taylor
Of Lee, 1eUnissoH- ToTr-v, Of SEnh 7wer Walk
er. Watson, Weio0rn, Williams Wilson, Wolf.
50
Mr. Harrison moved to po- tpone the motion
till Weines Jay night. Lost, AMI the House
refused 70 consider the vote
MIR. Walker offered the following resolution,
which was adopted
Resolved. That the House hold three SEES
sions each day, beginning at $50 A NJ, 3,3O
P NJ ami $50 P. NJ commencing to-day.
special order for he day. ;. T. No. l55
TO require the employment Of convlcts on
works OF internal improvement, and provide
for the support of the penifentiary without
loss 10 the State, was taken up
Mr.. Buchanan offered an amendment pro-
viding for a Bard Of Commissioners, consist
ing If the Governor and four citizens, whose
duty it shall be u receive new propositions,
and lease the penitentiary to the highest and
best bidder.
Tie amendment further provides for the
erection Of new buildings and the pItting up
Of new machinery; ass that no prisoner
whose time extends over 10 years shall be al
lowed outside Of the prison wdlls-aHy viola
ton Of said provisions by the iessees 10 be pun
shed by fine; that the convicts shall not be
employed ia the manufacture or repairing of
articles tor sale at retail, such as are manu-
featured by the local mechan ies, nor shall
work ~ any mechanical pursuits outside Of
OF works of internal improvements.
Mr. Buchanan, At some length, supported
his amendment. II the lease system l. to be
continued, b. wanted the State t. have the
benefit Of any better bids that nj ght he made.
The State should &c; all that can be realized
from II. Ifcounty c0nvicts can be leased out
Al 40 cents per day, he could not understand
why he value Of STATE couvicts should be
tenn Of leasing the State ought to realize SO,
O0D per annum. The bill now before the
House may be the fairest thing IN the world,
but YOU never can satisfy the people that any
one individual should have a monopoly of con
Wet labor.
Mr. Howry declared his opposition TO the
Senate bill, which he cha ged 10 be a bin Of
abomiuations. He favored Mr.. Buchanan's
amendment, because ~ gave all an equal
chance To bid for the convict labor. Senate
bill was nothing more or less thar contract
between the Leg stature and the present les
sees. Lei the thing be opened 10 the State;
let us not he exclusive He critisized the bill in
several particulars, especially the facility for
escapes afforded under the present system.
Men sent to the penitentiary for helnous
crimes, are again loose upon society. The
railroads proposed TO be built wanted this la
Dor, and were willing To pay reasonably for
1T; there Is now a disposition TO 90 forward in
the matter Of internal Improvements; farming
pays better than when the present contract
with thp lessees was made.
Mr.. Bailey declared his intention to vote
for the Senate bill He referred to the discus
a
Hamilton made the best bid under the pub
lished proposals, aud that under the lease by
him, the State had been saved vast expendi-
ture of money. H. referred to the heavy cost
of operating the Penitentiary by the STATE,
and felt satisfied that the best interests of the
State would be promoted by continuing the
present lease. The Dill now before the House
came with the end0rs m mt OF the Senate, first
having been carefully scrutinized by the aP-
propriare committee of that body
Mr. i twOOd argued q great length and with
great earnestness, against the whole leasing
system.
Mr. Walker regretted that the Code Commit
tee had not been able to settle this vexed
question for the Legislature. Are pre-
pared TO say that there il only one man, or
one set Of men, that can operate the Peniten
tinry without cost to the StateH He did not
think the House was ready to assent to such
He favored the amendment Of
fered by Nr. Buchanan, because 1t gave all
who wanted this labor an opportunity to bid
for it.
Mr. Lewis, Of Claiborne, said he had given
this subject a patient consideration. As a
Penitentiary Commissioner in another State,
and as a member of the Penitentiary Com
mittee of this House, in 1860, he was
somewhat familiar with the question. He
reviewed the history of the lease to Messrs.
Young q Co.. Lyle, Dunnavent. and Il.
Richardson, and the PenItentIary has never
seen the day hen it was a seif-sustalning in
sttution until Hamilton and Co. took it.
Mr. Richardson got BONUS Of SIS, 900 year
during the time he had it. The objection to
working the couyicts on plantations, he con-
ceded, but all the bills submitted were open to
that objection. Seven railroads were now
projected, and this convict labor could be
utilized, under the Senate bill, in the build
ing of thse roads. He referred to the expert
ence of Northern and Eastern States, and
held that they were nearly all being forced
into the leasing system. The bill now before
the House had passed the approval of the Com
mittees of both bodies TheState will lose moth
b1-- Lon. he iaTV d =
Hamilton 4 Co. The State was now indebted
to Messrs. Hamilton < CO., the sum of $4,000
extend the lease, and that debt Is cancelled.
He would rejoice if crime could be so diml nlsh-
ed as the present capacity of the Pententiary
would be equal to the care, within the walls,
of all who should be sent there but until this
can be realized, he proposed to take Hobson
choice, and would vote for the Senate bill.
Mr. Anderson, while complimenting the
present lessee upon the faithful execution OF
his contract and as gentleman Of expansive
views as to internal improvements and DIVER
sifVing the industries OF the state, he could not,
as a business proposition vote for the Senate
bill. The leSses seemed TO be anxious for an
extension of their lease, which tact shows that
the State can incur 40 risk in inviting propo-
sails for this convict labor. He referred to the
general dissatisfaction throughout the State
against the present lease, and II the lease IS
to be contained six years, the dissatisfaction
would he intense.
Mr.. Sykes said it was not prudent or becom
ing that the Legislature should legislate into
the hands OF one man or a set OF men, matter
of so much Importance. The Senate bill was
in the shape of a close corporation, and was
Wroag in principle The Legislature of 1876
did not place the penitentiary in the hands of
Jones S. Hamilton 4 Co.. but that Legislature
did what Mr.. Buchanans amendment now
proposes, to let out the penltentlaEy to the
highest and best bidders. He referred TO the
peculiar condition of things in 1876, aud con
trasted the same with the more prosperous and
settled condition of things at present,
n Il IN 40 lea =fn
tenn, in the abstract, and stated how, under the
operation of that system, the sentence Of the
court would not be carried out either In letter
or in spirit. But while opposed to that sys-
ten he must accept the most practical plan
submitted for the mana cement of the peniten-
tiary. He favored the Senate bill. which am
plv guarded the interests of the State-a sys-
TEN which had been tried and was successful
Mr. LYLE was opposed to the leasing system,
on principle, but If that plan IS to be continued,
he held that all should have an opportunity
of aviliEG themselves of whatever advantage
there may be IN il. He urged objections to
the Senate bill, preferred tue bill proposed by
the Code Committee, but would support the
offered by Mr.. Buchanan.
Mr. Melville called attention to several in
into which gentlemen had fallen
in discussing this question. In stating that
the State only got 81 10 per month, the eXpen-
ses borne by the lessees should be considered
transportation, clothing, guarding, medical
attention etc These were ample Offsets
the State For the debt of $4,000 now due to
Hamilton & Co, the State would have sub
stantial buildings and other improvements as
eouixalaut This matter had been agltated
for months, and if other men of enterprise and
capital wanted the Penitentiary, why had
they not applied for it Y hen Hamilton 4
Co took the lease, there vas general pre-
aiction that they would be swamped by it.
Mr.. Harrison favored Mr.. Buchanan sub
stitute If the leasing system is to be con-
tinued, let due advertisement be made Inc
senate bill excluded any opportunity for
Mr.. WILLIAMS said that be was member OF
the House during Governor Browns ADMIN
stration, when the BeLitentiary question was
then fully discussed 1t was then considered
a small sized elephant white one, II kcg
was now massive black one, with
4 small white stripe. The Senate bill was
more in accord with mis- view than any other
that had been proposed. Hamilton & Co, had
reflected credit upon themselves, and con-
ferred benefits upon the State. They had
worked out results which few men could have