The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-07-30
THE CONVICT QUESTION.

Mr.. EDITOR This communication is
addressed to you, because of your con-
troll of an influential newspaper, and for
the additional reason that you are now
one of the Board of Directors of the
Penitentiary. The late furry about the
alleged maltreatment of couvicts at
Twiggs' camp, on the savannah Valley
Railroad, aroused the officers of the
Penitentiary, and has also excited the
attention of the people and Press, and
will doubtless result in some permanent
and wise policy in regard 10 the convict
labor of the State. The humane treat
ment of these conyicts in the Peniten-
| tiary, and of those employed outside the
walls, should be carefully provided for
and rigidly enforced but the security of
the people, and the punishment of the
convict with his reformation, if possible,
must also be steadily kept in view as the
primary object of this penal institution.
There is no room for windy sentimental.
ity or popular notoriety, to be manufac.
tured in the proper consideration of this
subject. The people of the State must
see that all necessary laws and regula-
tions are enacted and honestly and zeal
ously obeyed, for the humane treatment
of the convicts by all officers, contractors
and agents. Still the convict should
realize every moment that he is under
going due and proportionate punishment
for his crime against the peace of society,
and that society owes him nothing,
except to protect him from improper
Treatment, and to allow him such chances
of reformation as punishment is expected
to inculcate. The brutal treatment of
one or two convicts at Twiggs' camp
recently has naturally and properly
aroused indignation. An anxious inquiry
as to the fault, whether in the officers of
the institution. the contractor or overseer,
or the laws and regulations governing it,
| is by no means stifed or satisfied. That
the man who inflicted the blows and
stripes should be hunted down and
punished, there is no difference of opin.
ion. Have the officers of the institution,
Including the Board of Directors, exer-
cised that constant care in awarding
contracts, and vigilant oversight over the
conduct of contractors, in regard to
treatment, hours of work, food, &C., in
all the details as contemplated and re.
uuired BY the laws of the State. If this
i has been done, honestly and faithfully,
and still these cases of cruelty and bru.
tality will occur, then the oficers are
without fault and the cause must be looked
for elsewhere.
That the institution must be sustained
by the labor of the conyicts may be re-
gardsd as settled policy. That the walls
are not large enough to contain all the
convicts under sentence is equally GER
tain.
That to construct buildings and walls
sufficient, and employ all convicts in the
institution, would hardly be advocated
at this day. Hence the necessity and
sound policy of leasing portion from
time to time.
In the General Statutes, from Sec.
2729 to Sec. 2796, pages 759-76O, will be
found the laws regulating the leasing of
convict labor in this State. In Sec. 273l
may be found an opportunity and sell
fish excuse on the part of contractors
who lease this convict labor for illtreat-
ment, hard driving and immoderate
work of the convicts. Sec. 2731 is as
follows:
sThat it shall be the duty of the Board
of Directors of the State Peuitentiary, in
leasing convicts, to hire them to the
highest responsible bidder; Provided,
That the Board of Directors shall have
power to reject any and all bids; Provi.
| ded further, That no bid shall be received
that does not include the board, clothing
and all other expenses connected with
the transportation and safekeeping of
said convicts, to be paid by the bidder |;
Provided further, That the said bidder do
agree that if any convict or convicts 80
hired shall be proved to the satisfaction
| of said Directors to have been illtreated,
or the contract in relation to them to
have been in any way violated, to return
said convict or convicts Immediately to
the Penitentiary upon the order of said
Directors"
| Sec. 1882 provides for a heavy penalty
for the escape of convicts, &c.
| IF contractor, therefore, bids SIP per
month, or even $40 per month, for an
able-bodied convict, and also furnishes
barracks, guard, food and clothing, med.
ical services according to the stringent,
the necessary regulations of the Board of
Directors, where is his profit to come
from, except by immoderate and long
continued hours of labor, by scant food,
a disregard of cleanliness and health,
and taking advantage of all shifts which
| lis cupidity may devise. Hence this
fifteen and seventeen hours of labor, this
dragging of shackles and chains miles
to and from place of work, squeezing all
the profit possible from the very life.
blood of the convict. While the con.
tractor should be held strictly to the
term of his contract, and heavily pun.
ished and mulcted for any violation
thereof, or cruelty or overwork, still is
the State entirely free from reproach,
when the law requires these convicts to
be hired to the highest bidder, coupled
with all the conditions referred to above.
The contractor, who bids for aud re-
ceives convicts at Sl2 per month, as per-
haps Twiggs does, really agrees to pay
nearer twenty dollars per month than
twelve for each convict. Can it reason.
ably be expected that fair margins Of profit
can be realized for ten hours of labor,
performed as it should be, over and above
such wages? The higher the wages, the
harder and more unrelenting must be
the labor, considers the contractor; if
the State demands the most money, the
contractor certainly will mt permit his
beneyolence or Kindness of heart to
stand in the way of his project. Hence,
between the policy of the State in letting
her conyicts out to the highest bidders,
and the genera, greediness of mankind
| for gain, of which contractors for convict
labor do not form any conspicuous excep-
ton, the convicts themselves are apt to
fare badly.
If this be so, then this provision should
be expunged from the law, and certainly
the Board of Directors could ascertain
and fix system of wages which would