The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-03-03
The Penitsntisry Who's to Blame

Aub CulbcutAafy " no " olaoiel
EDrroR CLARION: In the majority
report or the Senate Committee on Peni.
tentiary and Prisons, submitted few
days since, long extract Is given from
the Governors Message to the LegisIa-
tare Of 1884, recommending the repeal
Of sections and Of the Act Of Janu-
AIRY 81, 1877, rs 20 repairs and improve.
ments on tie Penitentiary property. In
this message, the Governor recommends
that the amount Of repairs, etc, be
limited 20 $4,000 per year instead Of
s2J, 900 ~ then Fixed by law. This was an
inadyertence on the Governors part, 50
far as the $4,000 was concerned. This
amount was appropriated by the Act Of
1876 authorizing the Board OF Commits
sioners to lease the Penitentiary on
terms that would relieve the State Of
expense and provide for the care and
keeping Of the conyicts. The Act Of
1877 ( section ~, provided that
the rent and hire aceruing to the State
should De appropriated TO the repair and
Ct the penitentiary, but
that ush repairs and improvements
should not exceed in the aggregate the
amount Of rent and hire due by the
lessees, together with the amount now
authorized by law" which amount was
$25, 200. The Legislature, in accordance
with this recommendation, did repeal
said sections 2 and 3, but in this
they did vain thing, as the two sec
tions were made part Of the contract
of lease with Hamilton, Allen & 20,
and could not be repealed so far as they
were concerned, until after the expira-
ton OF their contract.
Now let us see who Is to blame for the
passage Of the Act Of March Is, 1884,
in effect, the repair and i'm.
prOyement clause OF the Act OF Janu-
AIRY 81, 1877, under which the Governor
and Superintendent Of the Penitentiary
were authorized TO contract for repairs
and improvements on the penitentiary
property. The Committee on Peniten-
tiary and Prisons Of that Legislature
1880 reported as follows: "While they
admit the State Prison has been run
without expense to the State, and in
fact at profit Of S., yet we can but
say that this has been done at the ex.
pepse Of human liyes--the lives Of help.
less, manaced humsn beings, and this
money can only be regarded, as it is due
the State or lies idle In her Treasury, az
blood money, and can but recommend is
ia manner 10 relieve the
present c0nrict system Of this STATE, and
removing this cursed bIotted page from
our State history, and to relieve our
convict system of the just reproach"
Now how could this money be so ex
pended az TO relieve the convict system
of this State2 There Is but one answer
to this question: Provide additional
room inside the walls for the convicts
who are worked outside, and build
shops, etc, IN which they can be worked.
The result Of the recommendation OF
the committee was that the Legislature
passed the Act OF March Is, 1854, en-
the Superintendent, with the
approval of the Governor to contract
Tor such repairs aud improvements MS
we're needed
As stated above, the Legislature did
vain thing In repeating sections , and Q
If the Act OF 1877, because it was
slready embraced in and made part of
he contract Of lease with Hamilton,
Alien d Co., and the passage of that
portion of the Act of March 10, 1884.
'elating to repairs and improvements,
vas IN accordance with the recommen-
lation Of their committee; indicating
dearly that the purpose of the Legisla
ure was to rebuild the Penitentiary.
md at rs early date as possible.
bandou this odious system Of leasing
onyicts to private individuals to work
n farms-which was not approved by
he people-and work them iaside the
walls where they ought to be kept.
All this clam0r about the Governor
contracts under law which |
le had recommended should be re
'ealed, aud which the Legislature did
tempt to repeal, only makes more
lain the Act of March Is, 1884. For it !
$ evident that the Legislature of 1884
'lainly indicated its intention to rebuild |
he Penitentiary and keep it in repair,
nd placed no limit on the amount OF |
work u be done, but made it the
luty Of the Superintendent, with the
approval OF the Governor, to contract
or the repairs and improvements needed |
o accomplish the desired end, viz: |
Q ultimately keep inside the walls
he peuiteatiary conyiots. II is not
air to try 70 saddle on high public
,tficisls the responsibility that rests
lone upon the Legislature and the
authors Of the peniteutary leasing
ystem.
If some of our wise men who are
ndustriously trying to explain matters
0 as to shift the responsibility from she
would look into the facts
md law as they exist, it would save
treat deal Of useless harangue, prevent
sreat injustice, much outright misrepre-
entation, and give the Legislature more
lime to attend to important legislation
'eiore them. LooKER-o :.
Jackson, February q, 1856. /
Editor Commercial Herald