The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-02
The Southern Convict system.

The platform Of the Tennessee republi-
cans, adopted at their convention at Nash
vile, contains the following:
We dsnouncs the administration of the
democr ats OF this state as weak, short
sigh ed, non-progressive and unpatriotic.
IL has forced upon the people and Is main
tanning an infamous penitentiary lease
mo strosity which is a disgrace upon our
civilization aud blight upon the prosperity
Of every community wherever operated.
The convict system which is here de-
nounc exists in almost every southern
state, but those who denounce it always for
get to tell the reason for its existence. and
IN this case 1t is denounced by the very
party which is responsible for it. In the
days of reconstruction, when the carpet
bagger5 were running the courts in the
south, the lawyers and judges were amazed
because southern juries would always
acquit negro. A writer on this subject.
in a very able article, recently pointed out
that it was then next to impossible to con-
vince the southern farmer that theft COM
mitted by negro could be criminal. 1t
was hardly given the grade in criminality
of schoolboy's depredations in an apple
orchard. That the robbery Of a hen roost
or the invasion Of a smoke-houso by a
negro was crime in the eyes of the law
was new revolution to southern country
jurymen. They, therefore, refused, unless
ordered by the courts to discover in blac
man the 0nimuS fUrdndi which law books
talk about.
The foreman of white jury in Missis-
sippi said to a yankee judge, who was
angry because of negro thief's acquittal,
"Sam only toted off the chickens. He
didn't steal 'em. Sam is the honestest and
best Baptist negro in this county, jedge."
"a negro can't be guilty of larceny,
thenr' quoth his honor.
"Well," answered the foreman, accord
ing to them books and what you said about
it l reckon Sans guilty. But, jedge, eff
you freedmen's fellows and courts are go
ing to imprison negroes for such things as
this, you might as we'll adjourn courts and
build your penitentiary walls around this
county. 1t would save heap of time and
trouble and costs, jedge."
But the courts tiaally induced juries to do
their duty, and at one time there were 5000
negroes in the Texas penitentisry, and the
the states of Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi
and Arkansas exceeds 2, 000 These negroes
are not artisans 1t is impossible to employ
them within prison walls, aud therefore
have the several southern states adopted the
policy, execrable as it is, Of hiring
these convicts to cotton and sugar
planters, and to miners and furnace
owners. The southern states derive no ap-
probable advantage from federal systems
of revenue 1t is all outgo and no income,
and only twenty-five years ago all these
states were nearly desolate. They can't af-
ford to maintain in idleness these armies of
petty thieves, which would be doubly greater
If juries were disposed to enforce the laws
more vigorously. 1t is bad enough to throw
them into competition with honest labor.
Yet, in the face of these facts, the repub-
licans of Tennessee express Indignation and
horror that such a state of affairs should
exist. They would, no doubt, if they should
secure control of the state government,
support the thousands of convicts in the
Tennessee penitentiary at the expense of
the taxpayers, and place an additional
burden upon them. Republican rule every
where means increase of taxation. The
republicans elsewhere in the south are
ready to follow the lead of their brethren in
Tennessee.