The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-01-09

lated and they are sentenced to long
term in pIvon. Should not such men
have . chance for reformation and restora-
ton to the better walks Of life? Governor
Horatio Seymour, of New York, in speak
ing upon this subject, has spoken - fol-
lows: Prisoners are men like ourselves;
and If We could learn the dangers which
lurk in our pathways, We must learn how
they stumbled and fell I do not doubt
bur some men are more prone to vice than
others but, after listening to Thousands OF
prayers f0r pardon, l can hardly recall
case where do not feel that might have
fallen rs my fellow man has done, If had
been subjected to the same demOralizing
influences and pressed by the same tempta-
tons l repeat here what ] have said on
other occasions. that after q long experience
with men in all conditions Of life, after
having felt as much as most men the harsh
injustice sPringins from the strife and
passions of the world, have constantly
learned to think more kindly of the hearts
of men, and to think less of their heads.
We love to think that the inmates Of cells
are unlike ourselves. We would like to
disOwn our common humanity with the
downcaSt and depraved. We are apt 70
thank God We are not like other men; but
with closer study and deeper thought, We
find that they are ourselves under different
circumstances. And the circumstances
that made them what they are abound in
our civilization and may at any time make
others fall who do not DIRE am of danger"
Any sentence beyond twenty years makes
the penitentiary An inevitable grave yard
to that man. This should be avoided.
The Legislature shonld give the subject
due consideration. In obenience to Sec
ton 8. Art. ), OF the Constitution l COM
municate to your bodies each case of par
den Will. name of convict, sentence, &c.
have pardOned "a men and women con-
victed of various felOnies within the last
two years upon my own motion; upon the
recommendation OF the citizens and often
the Judges and prosecuting Attorneys Of
| the counties from which they we're SEN
fenced, and upon the written request Of the
Surgeon and Board OF Inspectors Of the
prison. have pardoned lever convicts
from the penitentiary within the same
length Of time than Any Of my predeees-
sors, excepting one, within the last decade.
recommend the erection OF q chapel aud
library, and ~ soon a. the chapel 10 COM
ple.ed the employment Of . permanent
chaplain to daily look after the spiritual
and moral condition Of the prisoners. Ex-
perience demonstrates beyond question the
moral influences of religious worship upon
prisoners. 1t benefits then 10 recall the
memory of such training in earlier years.
With punishment We ould blend a.
much of an opportunity for reformation
! and exhibit rs much mercy ss compatible
with the public interests. an not seek
ing to mt he this an ideal prison. Such do
not exist anywhere. The history Of oil
prison life teaches that where prisoners are
we'll fed on Substantial foed, comfortably
CHARTERED and clothed and provided With
good library facilities and chapel services,
they become more contented and sefvicable
TO the State and demand less punishnent
of any kind. It is wise,
it is humane, to pursue the course that
will dispense with the necessity fer harsA
punishment. This prison is comparatively
free from severe punishmenss, and espec-
tally is il free from that kind OF p1nieA-
ment which destroys the mental and physi-
cal faculties Of the prisoners. 1t is grad
uslly assuming the position Of being enc
of the medel prisons Of the States in the
physical condition Of the inmates, the sys-
tenn sf It's organization and the results Of
its labsrs, and il will advance still higher
under the present judicious management.
There are several features Of the Law re-
gzIdind penal ssrvitude which should bs
remedied aid others incorporated.
I. The inequality Of sentences under
the same Law and Tor the same grade Of
crime. Often the old, hardened criminal,
with life full of crime. receives . short
sentence, while . mere boy, charged With
his FIRST ofiense, receives much more severe
sentence for the same crime. No logic can
convince the young criminal Of the justice
of Law which will permit such dispar-
itv; and rs long rs he remains Of that
opinion he is not susceptible to refsrDa-
! tory influences, This evil should be rene
diee both BY the Law and the courts. il
can be remedied BY graduation Of sea-
fences
2. Boys under 70 years of age shOald
not be sent to the penitenti2ry. II they
are the association Of the Young and in
experienced in crime with the old and In
corrigibly vicious shoRld be prohibited BY
prison rules fernslxte under the law.
, ). The reading Of daily papers, whose
columns are filed with detailed recita1s Of
every nanner Of crime, should b excluded
from the prisons, and only religious week
, lies and periodicals should be allowed cir
culation amsug the eonvicts. II is IN in
disputable fact that, With great majority
Of the convicts, the columns telling OF vie-
lence. fraud and crime are the first to be
read.
4. AZ far as possible. prisoners Of the
same age and grade Of crime should -
grouped together At work and in their cells.
If n permanent chaplain is employed
| at the prison he should be required to teach
Sunday prison school, under the direc-:
ton of the Beard of Inspectors and War
den. In many prisons such schools ere
successfully and beni6cially tanght-spell-
| ing, reading, arithmetic writing and gssg.
raphy beiny the NEST useful branches
taught in these schools. Education il .
! preventative Of crime and . remedy for