The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-28


surely il !, worth while, II possible. so tc
administer them ~ that they shall not
cvcntuate almost inevitably ID the nora
and spiritual ruin OF The offender. As il i.
now. what are the facts IN the ease: ! give
the testimony Of convict on this point as
Of'fnfnmparuhly more value than ny own.
Nv hat" he writes, ..does the present
convict system do for those first offenders
who do not yet belong 10 the clas.
of habitual criminals II SENTENCES
them 10 the society Of and thrnsts
them into close communion with
the abandoned villains md professional
thieves v hose characteristics have ALREADY
described. II virtually tindS them as op-
prcnfices for q shorter or longer time 70
learn the trade q law-hreaking. They are
during the whole term Of their imprison-
mcni under the influence. tuition. and ex-
ample of miscreants who from the cradle
70 the grave exist upon outrage and plum
der. They are 10y these men Initiated into
all sorts Oi tricks and dodges by which
they can eyade prison discipline and elude
the burden OF work during their imprisou-
meni, and nt the end Of il enroll them
selves in the great and yearly-increa,ing
army Of professional criminals.''
And worse than this. \ lad, q Young
girl. Young or niddlc-accd man or wo-
man. trans scresses the law Tor the first time.
Behind them and the temptation 10 which
they Weld lics often q record o. blamciess
living and comparative innocence. What
has become - this las, when they leave the
door. 81 q prison. after having served the
term ~ their sentence: Condemned dav
after day to the fellowship q the vile and
deprayed. j. j. q moral miracle II any sense
OF deceucy Or integrity survives. said &
discharged convict. speaking 10 a friend. Of
this: There are times now In my home.
and iu the presence 0i Mv pure Young
wife. when The memory of the hiGcou>
oaths. The vile speech. the infamous themes
and scheme, which were forced upon me
when was g prisoner. 40 rings iu Nv ears
that find myself sAudGerins 81 The
thought of Them. and wondering most
of ai how over escaped The pollution
and ruin. both moral and spiritual. with
which they threatened me" GO into tire
women, wards in one Of our great prison,
0r jaii,. and sec bow an aee,. CLASSES. De-
c-rce> 0f criminals. are lcrdcd together du-
rluE the ~e-calcd WOrh-hour~. L0ok 80
some Of the faces. catch II you can some Of
The speech that prevails there, and then tab,
notice Of youn- ciri-a domestic convict
"a ior theft. 2 woman Who ha, struck aD
an-rv blow ~ some sudden burst - i1--
sion. and consider what these. Who aTe
there ior the first time. l~,a te after they
emerge. at the end oi >iX months or q y-ar.
tg-w .ucL society: ! arragn The yleu
of -r,.e -rruruious aUt di,. rlm.naDnC ~
iem 81 ,.4-,.i-s ION 30 dealing with '~.Mi-
mas ~ both -cac, %, one oi the darhr-,
-.aiu- upou our Christian civilization.
urraiel il q. the fruitiu --e oi crime
auQ q. the mOia mL~der o. human souls,
Uere d. our tir>t. or most uf-cut, duty @
tle criminal. We are 60 sre o. j. ,hat .n
Furnishing crime We take a ieis. some rca-
>onabic lr.caution against the permanent
DEGRADATION and ruin ~ The criminal.
A. 81 the character and responsibilities
~ those 90 whose custody the GImina. Is
committed hc spoke next.
i ! understand H. meaning and Office in
the world IL j. the duty oi Christianity
our Christiauitv-in H. relations q The
criminal. 20 insist upon
The classification of prisoners.
Th, decent restriction o. the pardonlnc
power.
The elevation of the character and quail
fcation, ~ jailcr> and warden,. and
The bciuful >vmpatnv % Christian spcir-
rs with discharged criminals.
7 should have liked If. IN thi- scamper II
discussion. fh. 1uportuniiy had permitted.
81 have spoken also
of -le relations ~ prison labor 10 tlr
...,.,.,.., and rs. reformation.
oi irt,Il.rfraI cu;ture and ruLmeuiary
.5n,~fi.r. f,th mental and phv>ical. Fl.
,.,,-or. AND
, of ,i.. l.r,.. ,-.5 6ie.cu- theme If r,l.-
aim. ,,iri.tr.-ion. 4, ttc convict.
I,l,- ,r..r,.-h II have merely torn open
I'm. .oil.J and Gi,rcpuiahie ua-e I'm our
....., history. tia; other, who are 10 fol-
l,,, nm. u.st read IL lesson. iu clearer and
mon, stirring tones. cur duty a., church.
men j, surely g very plain our. The me-
.are which ha- aceu entrusted 90 u> is o.
ly,>.ar. u love. oi redemption. oi hope.
even fn the prisoner. p1 You remember.
iu Victor Hugo great plrilrr q" 60 les
Ni-trahi.,." the meeting ~ jean Vatican
and the bishop: Nal. can. having been
q. .ufeucra 90 fifr years impri~onm Ii Tor
stealing loaf 81 bread. i> re-entcncca rc-
for trying O. escape, Un' d Ar ha>
remained in confinement nineteen YEAR.
Atlcnethhei,rc released and given the yellow
fa,-porf that describe, him asa discharged
convict. The paper that hberaic, hm D,
the stigma imi denounce9 Aih' LE,'IH
honest man, door j. closed against INN
until he knocks 10 the gate oi the old ni' IT,
oy There. io hi, surprise. be- ind, We
come. food. and shelter. But The tnii si'tl
of mi, oid lie ], still upon him. Ec cali
not sleep for remembrance Of the silver
plate upon the bi,hop'- table. lie re, II
le Al-' I'.s III n''l.,,'i,' J ,ro,l, ''' lcl
Oi course ht l' f,laheh anu iI"u-n' O',1H t'.D.
I..a i.w into fbc bi.bor', presence viii
,ha corvicfirr bundle in IN, hands. Til,
nl1 nreiat.. r,>e> 70 Meet the group Il, they
enter. and before word can be- spoker
,a','',i', ann n, ,,r. van an r,l c.ndlcstick,
-, ,e UT o'it.b ~, 49, -i.o ~ .ny.r WHY di,
i'o' "ni." " ,,.t 3D.. r... =