Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-17
NATIONAL PRISON CONGRESS.
General Hayes Reviews the Ancient ana
Modern Methods OF Dealing with
the Criminal Class.

w fOiHF'-
General Hayes Reviews the Ancient and
Modern Methods OF Dealing with
the Criminal Glass.
telegraph 70 the D:spatch-i
NASHVILLE, Tenn. November 16.-The
National Prison Congress was opened here
tonight and General rutherford j.. hayes
delivered an address. He opened with a
review of the ancient and modern methods
of dealing with the criminal classes, COM
pared the one with the other. and con-
graduated his hearers that the brutal
penalties Of former years have been
abolished. save IN one small State. The
prisons specially for women were highly
commended.
Mr. Hayes continued thus: Among the
obstacles ia progre-s, 20 whicn on 9thef
occasions ! have called attention, i an
convinced that one of the chiefs was
named bv Governor Seymour, OF New
York. In his admirable addresses president
Of this society fifteen years ago at B3lt-
more. This was his emphatic statement:
"NO ono feels that there Is IN the
country a clear. strong, even flow ot
the administration OF the criminal law"
Wherever this opinion prevails. and TO tho
extent that II is found. IL stands IN tho way
TO all reforms looking % the amcloratiOn
Of the condition Of the prisoner. Popular
conviction towards tho conyict IA excited
by an unreasonable hindrance to ther
speedy trial and conviction. No well-in-
formed man can fail to see that such OBJ
staclcs DO in fact exist in tho criminal pro-
cedure Of almost cycrv state.
Technical rules in criminal cascs relating
10 iuries. toindictmcuts. toevidence, and 70
n Tchcariuc of cases after judgment, tendtO
shield the guilty and to d9;egt what Gov
eruor Seymour calls "a clear strong, and
even flow in theadmiuistratiouO of justice.
We got this body OF technical rules from
England. In that country a few genera
tious ago humane judges invented and en-
plOyed these rules 10 protect the innocent
from despOtlc power. Here wo need no
such protect, y. IL - the innocent ana
law-abiding people who are represented by
tbe prosecution The lack OF popular con-
fdpnce in the trainers Of justice o., criminal
trials hegets crime. II emhOldons the
criminal Glasses and leaders 20 lawlcss yio-
lence and an endless list OF other calaml-
tics.
If Justice failsin the courts, public sonti-
ment will Justify or at least tolerate MODS
and lynch law. Delays N criminal pro-
Ccedings IN these days when wealth has
such power offer temptation TO BRIDE
giving and hribe-tabiug and thus the adj
miu.stration OF justice is corrupt I'll and
loses public respect. it is one Oh the spc-
cited oiect of this eociety 10 improve the
mode Of procedure Ev which the criminal
laws are enforced. Let the jury system 1e
wisely but extensively modiGcd. Already IN
a few States the tecnuicgiirv that no nan
can sit on jury who reads newspapers
has been cxpuuced from gre statute
book. and International rule has taken rs
place-yiz.: ANY citizen, Notwithstanding
opimous formed from reading newspapers,
IS qualified to sit on jury # he ls able 70
decide % case without prejudice or pnrtail-
~ upOn sworn testimony submitted. IL
would be far more reasonable 10 exclude
from iuries men VINO do not read new-pa-
pers and who do not form or express opln-
ions from what they read. Ignorance, not
intelligence, should be shut ont IRON the
Jury-box.
One other example Of unreason in our
iurv system. Professor Waylnnd. dean OF
The Yale Law School. calls IL " ietich of a
unanimous Jury" II five slXtLs Of jury
or three iOuIths all agree upon verdict OK
guilty. and # the pr siding Judge approves
the verdict why shall u not stand: Under
our republican system tho grave ?
questions affecting the peace and
wardcd property, happiness, and lives
decided finally by q bore majority vote
of citizens. These reforms depend nj last
on popular judgment AID popular viii.
"A long az unjust advantages under the
law are given to laW-bTcakers. rs long as
trials are ncedicssly expensive and attend
ed with long delays and marked uncer-
tninty Of tho result, there viii he yirdle-
tiyeness toward convict wMch VIII
hamper all humane and Christian efforts
for ms reformation and reinstatement III
the ranks of good citizenship.
+ Let the laws relating TO criminal trials
/ be such as VIII secure prompt, econom-
cal. and perfectly fair trials, and the punlc
mind will then be able 20 give an impartial
/ hearing - the vital question which the
friends of humanity wish to pre- sent IN be-
half of the reform of prisons and prison
discipline. The chief aim IN the treatment
of c0uyicts - 90 protect society against us
avOw.d enemy. tlc criminal. Those who
cannot be reclaimed should remain under
theirsenteuce of conviction where they can
support then selves by lahOreud dono harm
tosOcicty. Many We know can ho reclaim
danl viii lead honest lives. Those VINO
fill our prisons and rciOrmatOrie9 are either
accidental criminals or lncipient criminals
/ who break the law from Some thOuEhtle55
impulse. or from drink. This IL espe tally
/ true Of the vOung, who constitute so large
/ a proportion OF ell prisoners. IL Is proba-
/ bic that minority only Of those COM
/ mitted 10 iails. TciOrmutOries, and prisons
/ can be properly ciasscd a. old and confirm
/ cd offenders. u must never be forgotten
/ that the essential, indispensable factor IN
tho reform Of criminal is labor. As
to its application in the prison go many
prejudices and pecuniary Interests are
touched or supposed to ee touched hy it
that tho question has interfcrcd dsG--
trouely with wholesome prison discipline
\ and In some clses has been the source az
great mischief. But Discussion and ex-
pcrimcnt are disposne OF it. Nothing that
honest labor outside OF prisons VIII gam
bv supported in idlcness convicted crimi-
nalsis now rejected In quarters most infu-
entail on this subject. We have learned
by experience that education. training. N
correct habits OF mind, body, and cha
raider, is our Disturbances for our reclaim
ing the fallen.