The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-01-02
EVEN WORSE THAN SLAVERY.
GEoRG!A'S CONVICT LEASE SYSTEM
A DISGRACE 10 THE STATE.

GEoRG!A'S CONVICT LEASE SYSTEM
A DISGRACE 10 THE STATE.
Men Women and Children Legally
Bought, Sold, Whipped and Worked
There is not - Penitsntiary in the State
Cruelty and Inhuman Treatment.
(Atlanta Letter in the New York World)
November l6, 1864, Gen. Sherman
moved out of Atlanta on his march to
sea. In few days he neared Milledge-
vile, the old capital OF Georgia, where
was located the penitentiary. The num-
Der of convicts serving out sentences
was less than one hundred. The advent
OF the Federal army gave opportunity to
Gov. Brown to increase his State force.
These prisoners we're given their liberty
upon condition of enlisting, which they
did cheerfully, and went off with the Gov
ernor and his troops. When Sherman
left Milledgeville the penitentiary was
bot.a shell, dismantled and of no use.
Then the State was without buildings
of that kind when business was resumed
in the Courts after the close Of the war.
WHAT WAS TO BE DONE WITH TEEN?
It became, then, question Of interest
what should be done with those sentenced
to serve in the penisentiary. TIE plan
was first tried OF letting the county
authorities of each county work them on
the roads in chain-gang, keeping them
in the iails at night for safety. OF course,
with emancipation the negroes fell into
the enjoyment of the inalienable human
right of going wherever they chose and
drinking mean wkiskey-as much as they
could psy for or might be given them
then throwing themselvessjnto the oes-
perate and quarrelsome elements OF
society. Furthermore, whenever the,
committed those petty esfor which,
in the days of their slavery, their master>
administered home punishment accord
ing to their judgement, these poor crea-
lures were arrsigned in Court, and were
soon under sentence for one or nore
wears at hard labor. The number OF
conyicts was thus soon increased to such
proportions that this system ceased t.
meet the public necessity. The Govern
or was authorize d to farm them out fol
labor on public works. June Is, 1859,
Governor Bullock made contract with
Grant, Alexander & Co., a firm OF COL
tractors OF A.:lsnts, hv which they hao
the use of these convlcts ior 6 time Il
the construction Of railroads.
LEASED OUT TO SLAVERY.
An Actcf the Legislature, approved
Dece moer a; 1871, It recognized this lease
th Apr,l 1, 1872, and provld. d that they
should be- fsrm,d out from that daas
under contract tor two years or less Il
not less team S25 per album for eaci
one. The act plov:cssd that this coDtrac'
shenid str. qulce sae hanaoe freshmen
OF he convlcss, their security and HAL
asement IN accordance with the rule
and regulations (then) In ,orce for Jhs
control of tns convlcts ID SO ta~ ss the
same may be consistent with the Working
Of she cu,.7icts on any public works Il
the State OF Georgia The State was tt
have 10 expense except the sa:scy Of ths
principal keeper. WITH IN Office a5 Allan
ta, and he was mads also inspector OF tne
convlcts.
It was further provided ssthas tae
lessee of said convicts shan not be per
mitted to work on the Sabbath Gay, NO!
shall corporal punishment Ee inflicted
upon any of said convicts unless ths
same shall be absolutely necessary tc
secure discipline
TIE PENITENTIARY COMPANY.
An Act approved February 25, 1876
provided for lease CT twenty years t
one or more companies, who were K
give bond of $l0O, ,0O0. This Act in
corporated this company as the Georgi,
Penitentiary Company, and it was no
allowed to sublet or lease or hire tht
convicts to any one else. Other thing
being equal, the highest bidder was II
be preferred.
There was to be no expenseto to the State
except for a principal keeper, q chaplain
and q physician. There were to be
monthly inspections OF the convict
without notice.
This AcS p-,sided that the eompan.
leasing ssshoasa, at its own expense, Sc
cure site on some sescoast Island, :
practicable, and, if not there, at SOM
other point, and erect penltentlar.,
with all necessary buildings, hospitals
sc, for the keeping Of these convicts.
IF the physician determined tina
somewese competent to labor on roads
canals, mines, ausrries, and IN making
bricks" the company was allowed t.
use them in that wsy-the long-tern
men in mines.
This is Suspicious section in this Ac
when it is realized that those who thel
had them under lease, and have sine
formed the company, were Interested Il
coal mines in Dade County, in the con
struction of several railroads, and =
briekyards near Atlanta. It looks yer,
much as if Ghey had it inserted for thel
benefit, especially as for some unaccount
able reasons the site for the penitentiar.
was never secured, and no such peniten
tisry and buildings aswere contemplate
were ever erected; and this railroad con
s.ruetion, coal mining and brick-makin!
have continued as before.
This Act re-enacted the provisions o
the first Act as tc treatment, &c, bu
there was another suspicious exception
TEE TINE LIMIT REMOVED.
The time of working had been te
hours a day. This was stricken out