Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-08
NO APOLOGY NECESSARY.
A Correspondent Pointediy Considers
Some Social Questions Recently Raised
WOODLAND InlV g. 1855.


paper of day or two since a letter from
w. S. Green, of Colusa, replying with con-
siderable warmth to some remarks con-
tanned in previous letter from Princeton,
in which one of the items stated that the
Hon. john Boggs has in his employ
the present harvest season number of
fresh ex-convicts and some of the Indians
whose home or rancherie is on Mr.. Boggs'
extensive farm.
Now, do not know who wrote the letter
from Princeton to which Mr.. Green refers,
and for that matter, it is not material who
wrote it, nor whether it was a
fact or no. that ex-convicts or
Indians residing on the ranch were en-
ployed but since Mr.. Green emphaticaily
asserts that Mr.. Boggs has Rota coaUict, nor
"a, Indian nor U,jnamaa IN his harTest
feidn that, of course, concluSively disposes
of the subject as to the fact.
But what | wish to ask is Suppose the
Hon. John Boggs. or any other man, I'D
furnish employment to some ex-convicts
upon their coming out of State Prison
without a dollar in the world, or any living
person inclined to recognize them, or give
them helping hand to be upright there
after and to earn an honest meal; or II an
Indian, who has thus far survived the civil
lization of the white man, and his home or
rancherie happens to be within the limits
Of the farm, is furnished few days en-
ployment in the harvest field at regular
prices for wages rtdt of it, Has that be-
come crime in California? Has our So
called Christian civilization fixed the ire
vocable fate of man who, from any chance
or cause, has been sentenced to one, two, five
or more years in the State Penitentlary,
to be as if his sentence read To be con-
fined for two years in the State Prison at
Folsom, and at the expiration thereof to be
permitted to go at large, but the public TO
forever regard him us still guilty, unclean,
not to be recognized in society rs q man or
human being nor to be permitted to earn
his own bread or that of his family, if he
has one; no one to give him 4 days en-
ployment, under penalty to his employer
of social Ostracisnl and being bOyCotted
no one to give him even Il cup
Of cold water; and if, after the rigid
application of this code Of our Chris
tan civilization, ne is still found anywhere
on this portion Of Gods footstool, the fact
that he is still alive, without any visible
means Of support, shall point him out as
suspicious character to be promptly ar
rested whenever any unexplained crime is
again committed, and under the shadow of
previous conviction he shall be returned
to within the prison walls and 90 no more
out forever?
Is this what our boosted civilization
intends in the administration of justice, and
the enforcement of our penal laws? Is
this the ethical standing to which the
humanity and Christianity OF the nine
teenth century has brought Us? If so,
then it were better that our boosted adj
vanccment OF the centuries should perish.
and that we go back to that stage of the de-
yelopment Of government in the remote
ages, when there were cities of refuge APP
pointed, and before false civilization
had decreed that il was crime to he mer-
ciful.
Among the objects for imprisonment of
persons convicted of crime are those of
punishment and reformation Many
writer's contend that since punishment
cannot effect recompense for the injury
committed, the real end of imprisonment is
reformation. But what can be more crimi-
nally idiotic than for society through its
Courts to sentence a man 10 imprisonment
for term of years to reform him, and that
same society, the moment he comes out into
the daylight, again forever bar him from
the walks Of Il reformed man, and thereby
compel him to steal or rob in order to get
lOJii " SdllSlN tiit ;5Iltlh - vi UuIlSci. III
such a case, the State and society and not
the man. are guilty of the second crime. be-
cause they compelled its commission
The plane upon which we seem To be
moving " in the broad blaze of the nine
teenth century as to the adjustment and
enforcement OF proper relations between
society and its members, as demonstrated
iii the instances under consideration, is
very analogous TO the boy who continued
pounding the wOodchuck after he had
already killed It. When asked by man
if he did not know the animal was dead,
he replied " Yes, but | want this ere par
ticular woodchuck to kHow thai there's
punishment after death.
There is another unwholesome fact that
cannot be overlooked Just here, and that is
if this rcn0rseless following of z man who
has once sinned, but who has since under
gone the States method OF punishment
ana reformation, is to be continued; if this
" Christian civilization" which we are con
Stantlv Boosting about 50 loudly. is to keep
on this after punishment of these partiCu
lar individuals with view to ilnpressing
the fact that there's punishment after
death, or after The States system of rcfor-
nation has been carried out, then in all
good conscience let lis ct once reform our
list of conyicts and, reversing the present
method OF executing justice, commence to
prosecute aud c9nvicl our big thieves and
criminals and let the smaller offenders
" have a show It is u notorious fact that
at the present day our chief criminals inva-
riably 20 unwhipped of justice, and even
from losing caste in society, while the
petty offender is hunted down Us if the fate
OF the world depended upon II, and is
convicted with certainty which would be
refreshing 10 see applied to the class that
now go scot free Hone man robs another
Of his purse containing only SIX bits. It's
enough 10 call all the machinery Of our
government into active play to redress Of
tended Justice and enforce the broken law
But Il the same man had been President Of
2 savings bank, and stolen Il few hundred
thousand dollars, or a million or two, in
Guiding every cent that thousand widows
and children had in Inc world, bis crime
would at Unee-as pubic eslima-
ton goes al the present day-be
transferred into virtue, and
he could ride with coach and four, sud
denly acquiring the homage and 0beisance
Of the people; float on the top wave Of the
&c first society and even vigorously aid in
prosecuting the poor devil whom ne had
robbed of the last dollar Of savings, and
who had stolen a loaf of bread to
keep the wolf from the door of his lit
tie ones. is CIR Christian civilization
such 4 w8Eton abortion upon all sense Of
Justice as to fIwn to such monumental
wretch, and pursue to the death the man
whose greatest crime is that he did not
steal enough TO make it respectable?
In word contend that il our system
of government has not sufficient of the ell
ement OF beneticent helpfulness TO at least
protect rom harm the member Of society
who, after having offended against the law
ana been punished for it, IS sincerely striy-
ing to live an upright life. then such gov
efu neut is proved not to be for the pfotec-
ton of, and to secure equal justice to the
weak but operates to the utter
| disregard of all their rights by
the stronger members Of society
and such q government for a civilized peo-
Pile no writer on ethics will for moment
| assert, is entitled to respect, or continued
existence.
The question of permitting an Indian
who may still be surviving i'll the great
central valley of the State, the right
to earn loaf of bread bV honest