The Russellville Democrat., 1880-03-25

it timely, wise and just. Let every Democrat vote his sentiments on the Fishback amendment, but let us have no discussion or demora!ization in the party on account of 1t. We must not make of it . rock for the destruction of the Democratic vessel  A NEW IDEA IN REGARD TO
 UTILIZING CONVICT LA
 BOR.
 A correspondent of the Little Rock Democrat gives that paper . brief synopsis of a speech made by Gel. Grace, . few days ago, at Arkadel phis, and among other things, he says this of the speech:
 The most novel portion of his re- marks were thought to bs by his hearers, those in which he expressed what is to him evidently pet theory of making convicted felons pay, with additional labor in the penetsntiary, the costs of their prosecution and conviction. He admitted that such a proceeding would be . new departure, and an innoyation, but thought ifprscticable would be an improvement, ss no doubt did his audiesce, but they were not of one opinion that the thing could bs done.
 And this reminds us of an idea connected with this subject that we heard one of our prominent citizens suggest some time ago, which Is, in our opinion, far better than that ad vsnced by Col. Grace. We do not know whether the gentleman claimed the idea ss original or not, but it struck us as being eminently wise, patriotic and humane,
 He laid it down as . starting prop osition that while the State had the right, and while it is the duty of the State to punish and prevent crime by the infiiction of penalties, such as fines, imprisonment and labor, and, even death, for capital crimes, yet at the same time it has no right to de- prive the innocent-:he wife and child-of means of support by ap. propriating or connscating the pro- ceeds of the labor of the head of the family for crime that he may be guilty of. His suggestion was that the State should fix upon the labor of each convict such . price as his skill as workman, or hls man. ual strength for ordinary labor might entitle him to, and after retaining enough to pay for the convict's board, clothes, medical bill, ac., the surplus, if any, should go to the family of the convict. A system of keeping the accounts of the State prison might be arranged so that it could be told exactly what each convict earned by his labor and what his ex- penses had been during the year. And with the plain feeding and the common and meager supply of cloth ing furnished the convict, it would always be found that there would be sufficient value in the able bodied convicts labor to pay his expenses and leave . surplus to % to his needy family. Where an able bodied mans labor is judiciously utilized and completely systemized ss it might be in our State prisons it is always worth more than his board and clothing. and it would be humane, just and christian-like, to let this surplus go to the wife and children. Then instead of she State or some lordly lessee of the States prison speculating and grow Ing rich off the labor of these unfor- tunates, some poor woman depen- iant upon her own frail strength for \ support for herself and q helpless household, would receive moro or ess from her unfortunate and erring 1 husbands toll to help smooth over he rough and miserable hardships ,f life; or, some orphan boy, the idol, perhaps. of a felon fathers heart, night receive enough to school him md make . man of him, who would ,e . useful citizen. It is enough for he State to intiict the disgrace of the contumely and shame # felon's life. the hardship and Of deprvation of liberty, md manual labor under an unfeeling prison master upon an erring subject, without adding to this the heart-rend- ng grief of knowledge to the convict