Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-28
A PLEA FOR THE LASH.
Il Veferap officials Vie,Us Of Prisons and
P1tniShmentS.
Boston Herald.


Boston Herald.
Mr.. William Pierce, who resigned his
position in April last, had been clerk of
the Massachusetts state prison during a
period of twenty eight years. Since the
| recent troubles he has expressed himself
briefly. He was always opposed to the re-
| moval of the prison from Charlestown, on
grounds of economy and security, as well
as for reasons of sanitary nature.
Though the veteran clerk is the embodi-
ment of geniality, yet he does not believe
| in too much gush and sentiment in dealing
with offenders of the law, and he asserts
| that the criticism of Warden Earle's man
| agement is uncalled for and unjust. II
| think" he says, shat there have been a
great many false theories prevalent as to
prison discipline, and l fully believe that
the influence of the prevalent sentimental
| ity has been harmful in the extreme. The
prison, as I regard it, is established for the
punishment and reformation of those con-
victed of crime but the idea of punish
ment is, as l regard it, the primary idea.
| The law DEGREES that crime shall be pun
ished, and among the penalties fixes that
of imprisonment at hard labor. The state,
| in order to make law terror to evildo-
ers, provides that u certain class of crimi-
nails shall be shut cut from
human society and made outcasts for a
definite period of time. Their rights and
privileges are curtailed, and some are en-
tireIy taken away. This may make the
individual better man, may have the ten
dency to reform him; or it may make him
worse, hardening him in his evil courses.
| This must depend largely on the individ
ual himself, but take it that the primary
| idea in thus taking a man and putting
him for time outside of human society is
the idea of punishment for wilful wrong
doing, and in prison discipline this funda-
mental and necessary idea must not be
| lost sight of. [ think discipline may be
so administered that it shall aid in refor-
nation, that the state owes it to its Grimm
al classes to give them the oppor-
tunity to change and fit themselves to
| become respectable and useful members
| of society when they are permitted to re-
turn to society, but this does not necessi-
tate the tightening of tasks, the granting
of privileges, the furnishing of comforts,
and the hedging about OF convicts with
protective legislation until the prison is
made more attractive to many of the
criminals than the homes from which they
come. I think, however, this has been the
| tendency for some years; the idea of pun
| ishment has been subordinated to the idea
of reformation, and in plans to reform
there has also been tendency to be
governed by weak sentiment instead Of
| strong common sense. During
my connection with the prison
! there were changes made by
law in prison discipline and management
not all of which we're for the best. The
contract system of labor has necessitated
certain changes in such management; then
| the combination -of-sentence lawwas passed
in 1857: the parti-colored dress for con-
victs was abolished and gray substituted
| Whipping has also been done away with,
the use of the gag and solitary cOnine-
ment have taken its place. All these have
been important changes, and my Observa-
ton fully convinces me that the abolition
of whipping was a blunder, and against
| the discipline that ought Ito prevail in a
prison. There is a form OF disobedience
That ought to meet with a summary pun
| ishment, and my opinion is that in some
cases the lash is not only much more effect
i've in securing obedience and reforma
ton, but also more humane than solitary
confinement Men after week or ten
! days in the solitary CONS out limp, death
| like in appearance and unusually sullen.
! This sort of discipline can hardly help i'm
pairing their health, while in most cases IL
does not accomplish the purpose of max
! ing the prisoner any more amenable to the
rules. am emphatically of the opinion
| that there should be a return to some sum-
mary mode of punishment, and l know
of nothing better, in the interests of hu-
manity and discipline, than the lash. It
was only weak sentimentalism
which led to its abolition"
Regarding the Communication of
sentence law, Mr.. Pierce says: Il do not
think it has proved the benefit that was
hoped by those who favored its passage.
My observation is that it tends to make
the men uneasy after a certain time, and
operates as bride to convicts to indnce
obedience. l think they should rather be
given to understand that obedience to the
prison rules will be enforced. A convict
should understand that his sentence means
what it says. Let the term of imprison-
ment be made shorter, if need be, but let
it be understood that term of five years
means five years. have good re sons for
believing also that our courts have come,
to take this chance for shortening the term
into account when passing sentence, so
that the Communication does not really work
shorter terms for convicts. 1t would be
good idea if the courts had more discretion
in fixing the length of terms of sentences,
so that they might take into consideration,
more than is possible for them to do under
the present law. the circumstances, habits
of life, motives impelling to the commits
sion Of crime, probability of reformation,
etc., and then, when term of imprison-
ment is once fixed, let it be unders TODD
except in the most exceptional cases, that
it is irrevocably fixed
Mseh 6s Little, btt Hariag Guaranteed
Paint.
New York Sun.
The army should be reduced to ten thou
sand men. West Point should be abolish
ed, and in time of peace, army officers
should in all cases be promoted from the
ranks.
An Austin colored preacher gave out as