Huntsville gazette., 1888-11-24

plan. ne proposal Ior CerHl Vi
ten years was preferred, instead Of
any shorter term authorized by law,
on acc unit Of the important guaran
tees assured by the bidders of greater
care in the management Of the con
Wits of better and more commo
dious prisons, and genera ly Of a
more humane execution Of the law
directing the lease system.
Besides the change from the lease
system to the plan Of working the
convicts on the public account, to
which or 10 something similar, we
must in my judgement eventually
come, under our conditions, we need
to be very gradual and the initiatory
steps there to must be taken with a
careful regard to making penal servit
in this State reformatory, punitive
anu ooii o"PPoi eihS'
In the notice for the proposal for
the hire OF convicts with my appro-
val, female convicts we're exempted
or excluded from the offer, and also
all those who by reason Of age. in
trinity or hysical defect or any kind
were unable to pert orm hard labor
The class of cOn,icts last described
are gathered at the walls of the old
penitentiary at Wetumpka, and are
there engaged in such employments
as are su ted to their condition.
My examination of the buildings
and Of the grounds Of the old penis
tentiary at Wetumpka incline men,
the opinion, considering the proper
ty owned bv the State and its pres
ent prosperous condition uuder the
management of the pr sent Board Of
Inspectors, that at that place may
hereafter inaugurated the beginning
Of system Of working the convicts
by the State on public account and
| think that legislation at this sesslsn
mading a commission to consider and
report upon at the next session the
establishment of a permanent peni-
tentiary Ell her at Wetumpka or at
some OF er peace would be oppor-
tune.
1t is with pleasure that | commend
the President and The members Of the
boa d Of inspectors for fidelity, cour-
age and ability in the administration
Of the present convict system, and at
the same time recognize that the con
tractors for the cOnvicts have s. own
every disposition TO make the perfor-
nance of their contracts conform to
the lawful demands Of the State and
to the suggestions of humanity.
AT the last session of the le gisla-
ture law was enacted authoriz ing
the employment Of teachers for the
moral Improvement of the convicts;
and the incp; ctors report to me that
the administration of this law assisted
by the hearty cooperation Of the con
tr ,ctors and encouraged by disinter
ested friends OF humanity has proven
an undoubted succe s. The criminal
class in any State afford the greatest
menace to is progress. 1t is the dis
eased extremity of the body po'iti !;
an effort to circumscrihe the disease
is commended by every lover Of the
State.
The pr nciple di !. culties which
have isen in the administration of
the convict system is confined to the
county couvicts. The law at pres :
authorizes the en'ence Of felon to
hard labor for the county and in all
cases of misdemeanors. where hard
labor is imposed. it must be for the
county. The exercise Of this discre-
ton by the courts frequently gathers
in the same prison petty misiemean
ants with hardened and confirmed
criminals.
The reasons authorizing the sen.
tence Of onefelon for hard labor for
the country and another to the peni-
tentary are not app4rent; and | re-
commend an amendment to the law
directing the sentence of every felon
to the penitentiary.
Wilcox. An old nan living below