Newspaper Page Text
Vol VI.
Iff Darien 4]>a3ette
m'nn'F.T) AND PUBLISHED
BY
M’S.* F. GUANDISON.
(ON THE BAY)
/ H fler annum, payable in advance.
I THOM BLACKWOODS MAGAZINE,
STANZAS,
HfiadtHjr an Account of the Re-Interment
| of King Robert Bruce.
Hfithe mean and mighty fall,
H prince and peasant die;
fjß like a tyrant, levels all,
sweeps unheeding by!
to oblivion and decay
Hbfiountless thousands pass away,
H one, whose honors high
rjfHn— a morning star —to shine,
lyjHlight undying, and divine.
jfß-that tiie world is sunk in crime;
Bit error walks abroad;
fgßirtue ever soars sublime
Hr every pressing load.
V Bid may veil the lord'of Day,
3ißlows lie, when it glides away,
Bs brightly than he glowed?
)rßi opposing tempests bend
from his journey’s end?
it with the great in soul,
Be mighty of our race,
fffionward pant to glory’s goal,
Heir only resting place.
\jß the sapient, and the brave,
rfidestiny survives the grave,
Br e’er shall time efface
ifihalo round thine honored urn,
Hbrtal chief ofßannockburh!
■’■centuries have rolled along
■ silence o’er mankind,
fie thou, in youthful vigor strong,
Bdanced upon the wind
fiwar-crest on the battle eve—
Bit to the chin De Bohun cleave,
Hid all the hosts behind
Hited, and hostile camps did view
Hi wonder, and with trembling too!
jßyet thy fame hath nobly stemmed
Ke cataract of years,
. Honour’s sacred temple gemmed
king ly worth appears;
wert not of those, who take
jßght in impiou -war, and slake
ißheir wrath in human tears;
B'vhen the sword was sheathed, thy mind
‘B gentle as the summer wind.
: ‘B Scotland shall forget thee not,
Brave champion of her right!
Bu art her praise; to every Scot
I B glory and delight;
kHd countless thousands yet to come
81l kneel in reverence at .thy tomb,
Bml kindle at the sight,
‘■think that there the dust remains •
; ■him that broke his Country’s chains!
1 REPORT.
i BtAe Inspectors of the Penitentiary, to the
| Committee of the General Assembly
[■/’ Georgia; at its session in 1824.
[ Penitentiary 16 th Nov. 1824.
BGf.ntlf.mex: The undersigned Inspectors,
IBwliotn was confided the supervision oftlie
jßnitentiary, have pleasure in being able
Bstate, that in the course of the past year
Bprovements have been effected in the bu-
Biessand management of that institution.
■The expenditure, in some important it-
Bts, has been diminished, and the labor of
Be convicts rendered more productive.
■ The accumulation of bad debts, formerly
■source of heavy loss, lias within the same
Bne been successfully obviated, and a con
■derable share of the outstanding debts ad-
Bd to the available funds of the Institution,
■reat improvement has also been realized
■ the work-manship of almost every article
■repared in the prison. An additional work-
Bop and sheds have been erected, to meet
Be increase and improvement in the manu
■during departments.
■ The cor/'midee will perceive by a refer-
Bcetothe a^ <slrac, that notwithstanding
Be extra ex-pens.; ,’ncurred as above, and in
Brim, 3 other instances', especially, by the
Bployment of a numerous guard, (render-
V ‘"dispensable by the weakness and unsuita-
Hencss of the building to the purpose for
Bhich it was designed,) that the fiscal con
■erns of the Penitentiary are in a more favor
able state than at the end of any year since
Its foundation. By strengthening the build
ing, and making an improved disposition of
llie guard, there is reason to believe that a
letrenchment of guard expenditure may be
■nade next year amounting to 1200 or >§ls
- ‘
| The escape of convicts from the Peniten-
Itiavy was formerly an accident of by no means
■rare occurence. The judicious measures
Inf the Principal Reaper, have rendered such
lan event now, nearly impossible. We are
I indebted likewise to him for improved ar-
Irangements, promotive of cleanliness and
I good order among the convicts, and also in
the yard and buildijhg.
The Assistant Keepers have merited our
a pprobation by their zealous and attentive
discharge of their respective duties and un-
Wearried exertions to forward the welfare of
the Institution.
The experience of the past year has pre
sented to our attention other items where
increased utility may be combined with di
minished disbursiuents, of which the board
of Inspectors will not neglect to avail them
selves,
DARIEN iiiltf GAZETTE.
ces. With us every thing is different and to
our disadvantage. The convicts here are
from the plough and are to be formed into
workmen, slowly, difficultly, and with a sa
crifice of the material on which they learn.
To elucidate the injurious result of the
misconception above alluded to, we present
a sketch of the Penitentiary system as it
ought to be, and as it may be, even with us,
and contrast it with a penitentiary system,
the chief object of which is profit and man
ufactures; and trust to the intelligence and
information of the committee, for the conclu
sion.
A system of penitentiary punsiliment (or
penal confinement) constructed wisely and
skilfully, and with due regard to human
rights, uiuleviatingly tends to the attainment
of three principal objects. In the first place
by secluding criminals, it relieves the com
munity for a number of yearsfrom their fur
ther depredations. This blessing the pen
itentiary realizes completely; and this ex
emption from peril and plunder, is perhaps
an ample equivalent to the country for the
annual expense the Institution occasions.—
Whoever reflects that an idle, thriftless pro
fligate, always subsists at * heavy cost to the
community which he burdons, and on the
waste of property, the wanton mischief, the
jeopardy of personal safety and even of life
itself, consequent to the turning loose of fif
ty or sixty of the more desperate, after the
summary inflictions of the old law, and la
boring in their vocation, will find, it is be
lieved, little difficulty in admitiing the con
clusion. In the second place, the above
system places its convicts in circumstances,
in various degrees so disagreeably or
painful as to constitute an efficacious inti
midation from future gilt, as far as they are
concerned, and to operate at the same time,
as a solemn and impressive warning tooth
ers. That is, it prescribes hard or painful,
or at least unpleasant labour sufficiently long
contiuued—silence, to prevent or limit the
mischiefs of evil communication, and ensure
necessary attention to their employment—
and occasional solitude and a spare supply
of food, to calm, subdue and humble the tur
bulence arid ferocity of veteran vice, and to
conduct the better disposed to that reflec
tive sobriety of mind, always favorable to
reformation and mural improvement. Thus
far, a penitentiary wisely devised and ably
and concientiously administered proceeds,
and justly proceeds, in vindication ofthe vi
olated laws of society; But while it punish
es delinquents as bad men, it ceases not to
recollect it is posssible they may become
good ones. Viewing them as persons dan
gerously liable to temptation, it places them
as far as practicable, beyond its reach, *that
they may lose the habit of vice. It applies
to them as many and as cogently efficacious
motives to reformation and to virtue as their
situation allows; it strives by moral and re
ligious instruction to reconcile them to God,
and prepare their restoration to society, wor
thy, if not of its confidence, at least of its sym
pathy.
These principless of the penitentiary
treatment and discipline are deeply groun
ded in the laws of human nature—they are
sanctioned by the opinion of the wise and
the pious, (the physicians of mail’s mor
al nature) in ail ages and nations; and they
are authenticated by the widest and clear
est experience. It is worthy of observa
tion, that the framers of the Penal Code and
of the regulations for the government
and management of the Penitentiary Pri-
DARIEN, (GEORGIA,) <6qual anti <£jract 3tugtice* TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1824.
The modejof transporting convicts by our
o\vn guard has been tested by almost a years
experience and fonud to !answer admirably.
By it, in that time, a saving has accrued of
about SBOO,
Although something has thus been achiev
ed in the way of improvement, not a little
still remains to be done to render our Peni
tentiary what the dearest interests of society
loudly and imperiously demand it should be,
ajterspr to the wicked,and a powerful instru
ment of their reformation.
Aye view with concern ,the tardy progress
of the Institution towards that point of high
est utility, at which we are not without hope
it will ultimately stand. We crave the in
dulgence of the committee while we endea
vor to trace some of the causes, which we
conceive have impeded and continue to im
pede this consumation, so much to be wished
for. In endeavoring, gentlemen, the accom
plishment of this purpose we may become
tedious by repetition and diffuseness, but it
will arise from anxiety to place the commit
tee fully, fairly and sincerely, in possession
of the state of the Institution—its advantages
and the defects under which it labors, and of
our views of means by which the former may
be extended and the lstter alleviated or re
moved.
Among the causes referred to, may be en
umerated the failures and unsuccessful ex
periments incident to new establishments,
especially those involving numerous and im
portant interests, and demanding for their
advantageous management,even in their sub
ordinate agents, considerable'intelligence,
education and humanity, and a peculiar and
appropriate experience, for the acquisition
of which our state furnished very imperfect
opportunities. To these may be added the
imperfections and extreme disadaption of
the building. The disabilities under which
our state labours, in every thing relative to
extensive mechanical pursuits, the difficulties
presented by our state of society, and above
all, by the misconceptions that prevril res
pecting the true nature and the most essen
tial principles of such, institutions, the man
ufacturing departments, compared with
those in more northern states, have every
disadvantage to encounter. In them, a large
proportion of the convicts are regularly bred
mechanics, reai(y to occupy the bench of
the loom on then-first entrance. ~ Workmen
uniting the qualifications, of mechanics and
accountants, (to act as Assistant Keepers)
are obtained with facility. Materials of eve
ry kind areabundund and at the lowest pri
son in its earlier stages, seem to have ent
ertained sounder and wiser views of the true
nature and objects of penal establishments
than have since become prevalent. They
manifestly intended the prison to be what its
name indicates—a place of punishment.—
The labor they enjoyed, was of a character
altogether penal—it was to be performed in
silence, and on materials little costly as pos
able —tbeir intercourse with their friends
limited—and they earnestly enforced the ne
cessity of moral and religious instruction.
These just and rational conceptions of the
nature and objects of the institution, con
nected so vitally with the morals, good or
der and security of society, gradually gave
place to others less wise, and almost entire
ly subversive of its penal efficacy. It came
at least to be considered merely as a place of
safe keeping, and a state manufactory, where
the workmen are exposed to less restraint
and inconvenience than often attend the
worthy and unoffending, and are in main’ in
stances, the lot of the gallant defenders of
our country. The expectation of profits
arising from the labor of our convicts be
coming competent to defray the expendi
ture of the establishment, arose, it is most
Jikely, from reports that penitentiary labor
in other states was actually a source us reve
nue. These statements we have no doubt,
(the whole truth being known,) were entire
ly fallacious, for no maxim in political econ
omy is sustained by better Evidence than,
that trade or manufactures conducted at pub
lic expense, is to the public, always a losing
concern. This expectation led unavoidably
to disappontment, and that disappointment
to much of the impatience and dissatisfac
tion of which the penitentiary has been the
object.
Another source of hostility to the estab
lishment was the annual expense of the in
stitution to the state. But here it should
not be forgotten, that the expense is caused
by the criminals, and not by the prison.—
The convicts must be punished by confine
ment in the county gaols, or be whipped,
cropped, &c. and turned loose. In either
event, the burden will be much heavier, for
it is sufficiently plain, that collected together
m the penitentiary they are there secured
and subsisted, at the fifth of the cost necessa
ry to effect the same in the respective coun
ties.
However, although the exactitude of dis
cipline and arrangement, and the perfection
and profits of manufactures in northern peni
tentiaries, are not attainable in our% yet
much that is most valuable and important to
society may be realized. The discipline may
be restored and invigorated; the general ar
rangements may be greatly ‘amended; abu
ses may be rectified, and above all, a system
of available means for reforming the prison
ers, must be called into active operation.
We can also state with great confidence
and satisfaction, that after the present politi
cal y ear, the institution may be made to de
fray a large portion of its expenditure.
Among the abuses demanding the most
prompt and decided correction, is the pro
miscuous location ol the comparatively inno
cent and better conducted prisoners, in the
rooms with the more deeply tainted crimi
nals. Avery aggravated error closely con
nected with the preceding, is the mode in
which the convicts are accustomed to pass
their Sabbaths. On that day, except at meal
times, and during occasional chappel service,
they remain locked up in their sleeping
rooms, in unrestrained intercommunication.
Considering the habits and .characters of the
men, it is not difficult, though it is most pain
ful,to conjecture in what manner,and in whose
service the Lord’s day is spent. The estab
lishment of a Sabbath school in the building
for the purpose of moral and devotional im
provement and a supply of appropriate pub
lications, selected by persons whose enlight
ened views on these subjects warrant an ex
pectation of a jucicious choice, aided by re
gular religious exercises performed by a
clergyman of zeal and abilities, and whose
life enforces his instructions; these measures
pursued conscientiously and perseveringly,
will—must be attended by happy consequen
ces.
Solitary confinement, one ofthe most pow
erful and salutary means the penitentiary
system affords of subduing the hardihood of
villany, has been discontinued inconsequence
of the ruinous state of the cells. It is high
ly important they should be repaired. The
frequent intercourse of the convicts with
their c riends and relatives, permitted at pre
sent by the law, being found to operate mis
chievously in various ways, we feel it impos
ed on us as a duty, though a most painful one,
to recommend its being rendered as limited
as possible. Great inconvenience arising
from the numerous visitants, to the prison,
merely for the gratification of idle curiosity,
occasioning bustle, waste of time, and dis
tracting the attention of keepers and con
victs—it is desirable to restrict this also.
We request the attention of the commit
tee to the expediency of altering the law
regulating the transportation of convicts,
(Sec. 4th, Penal Code,) so as to comport with
the resolution of Senate, on that subject,
passed at the close of the last session. The
alteration seems to be necessary, as one of
the Judges appears to doubt the authority of
the resolution, it contravening a positive
law.
It is important, that notice of sentence to
Penitentiary punishment should be forward
ed to the Principal Keener as quickly as pos
sible—neglect or delay in this, being attend
ed with heavy and profitless expense.
It is greatly to be desired that an additional
section, or an amendment, should direct the
courts to accompany the exemplification of
the convicts case, when practicable, with no
tices of his habits and standing in the com
munity preceding the criminal transaction*—
his demeanor during confinement and trial—
and such other particulars as may lead to
some reasonable estimate of the compara
tive degree of delinquency at which he has
arrived. These materials are necessary, as
the means of classing the offender with oth
ers of a similar grade, and thus obviating, as
far as practicable, on both sides, the augmen
tation of depravity. The absence of such
classification, is certainly one of the most
perniciocs defects under which a Penitentia
ry Prison can labourr
We should be deservingly reproachable
with injustice, if we closed this Report, with
out mentioning, that the Rev. AAriiliam Ca
pers, as opportunity allowed, has afforded to
our convicts the blessings of religious in
struction. Animated by that devotedness
to his Master’s service—that Evangelical spi
rit that seeks the forlorn and lost sinner—to
rescue, to reform, and to bless, he has not
forgotton that these too, are his bretheren.
Undeterred by the delicacy of his health,
and the heavily laborious exercises of his
Church, he extends to these erring, guilty
men, a portion of his ministerial care and la
bour. He bears to them in their prison house
the glad tidings of pardon and salvation.—
VVe thought for a moment, of tendering to
him the expression of our gratitude ar.d ap
probation—of claiming for him yours, but we
forbear—we would not, if we could, alloy
the purity of his feelings, with the dross of
human motive—he has, and shall have his re
ward, where human praise is lighter than
the dust of the balance.
We designed not adverting to the admis
sion of the Africans in the State Prison for
safe keeping. But some misapprehension
having arisen respecting the circumstances
of the transaction, we subjoin the Governor’s
communication to us relative to that affair,
and our consequent order. These people
have been beneficially employed in gravel
ling the Penitentiary yard, cleaning the
building, &c. and they have got out waggon
pieces and other lumber, which will next
year in that article, save the Institution, pro
baby a thousand dollars.
All which, is respectfully submitted by,
Gentlemen,
Your most ob’ts.
EDW’D. CARA r , }
WILLIAM GREEN, Inspectors.
, JOHN BOZEMAN, 3
The PEJYITENTIAR F in account with the
State of Georgia.
DR.
For am’t of debts due
’ the 31st Oct. 1823,
in notes, as per ac
counts, $56,055 85$
Do. open accounts, 6,843 68|
Do. stock on hand—
manufactured arti
cles, 5,249 14
Do. raw materials, 2,581 32$
Do. drafts on the Executive in
favor of th e contractor, embrac
ing one of a small balance due
them last year, 3,159 84
Do. drafts on the Executive for
the Ist, 2d and 3d quarters sa
lary of the officers, guards, and
physician of this institution, 5,488 43$
Do. amount paid out by the Exe
cutive to the inspectorsfor their
services rendered the institu
tion, 672 00
Do. amount paid out by the Exe
cutive to the Sheriffs for bring
ing fotir convicts to this institu
tion* 182 00
Do. amount paid out by the Exe
cutive to Thomas H. Kenan,
clerk of the court for the pro
secution of covicts this year, 32 18$
Balance in favor of the institu
tion, 1,383 77$
$531,648 24$
•Upon a more careful examination of the
records of the Executive office and of this
institution, since rqy first report, it is discov
ered that ss33B 37$ is the amount that has
been paid for bringing sixteen convicts to
thepenitentiary, and that for the seventeenth
convict who was brought from Burke coun
ty, a charge is yet to be made by the person
who conveyed him to this place. It now ap
pears that sl§2 of the above sum was paid
by the Executive for the conveyance of four
convicts by the sheriffs, and that the residue
was paid out.of the funds of this institution
for the conveyance of twelve convicts, two of
whom were under the safe keeping of the
sheriffs, at an expense of ss6s 25, and ten
were brought by the penitentiary guard at
an expence of ss9l 12$
CR.
1824.
Nov. 1. By amount of
debts now due in
notes {sß,oll 59
Do. open accounts, 9,360 11$
Do. stock on band in
manufactured arti
cles, 4*482 57$
Do. raw materials,* 3,793 00$
Do. expense of clothing guard
and convicts, 1,489 72$
Do. incidental expenses for fire
wood, candles, stationary, hos-
pital stores, &c. 948 75$
Do. amount paid by the principal
keeper for having ten convicts
brought to this institution by
the guard, 91 12$
Do. amount paid by the principal
keeper to the sberiffsfor bring
ing two convicts to this institu
tiop, 65 25
Do. one well, chain and bucket
furnished for the government
well, 15 50
Do. finding lumber; and building
gin shop for the institution, 68 37$
Do. finding lumber, and building
two shelters for holding tim-
| her, &c. 54 87$
Do. finding lumber, and build
ing a house for the Africans, 67 25
Do. furnishing axes, , ‘
water buckets, and
making sundry tools,
&c. for the work
shops, ss96 50
Do. purchase of lime
and white washing
the building three
times and repairing
the grates, doors,
&c. 82 00
Do. finding lumber and building
a large carriage house for shel
tering waggons, carriages, Bcc. 91 00
Do. tools and implements pur
chased for the use of the work
shops, 269 50
Do. paid Philip Cook this sum,
due him last year on account
of money borrowed byhim from
the bank, to pay part of the 4th
quarter’s salary of officers and
guard, 748 355.
Do. the 4th quarter’s salary of the
officers, guard, and physician,
paid out of the funds cf the in
stitution, 1,882 52$
Do. amount of cash on hand, ’ 30 24
$31,648 24$
Balance in favor of the institution
brought down, 1,383 77$
*ln addition to the above raw materials,
there is about seven or eight hundred dol
lars worth of timber on the river, which will
be here in the course of one or two weeks,
DANIEL NEWNAN, r. k. e.
A TABLE
Shewing the number of Convicts receivedm the
Penitentiary from its commencement to the
Ist day of Nov. 1824, also the number par.
doned, served out their sentences, deceased,,
and escaped, and their respective occupations
and places of nativity.
The number of covicts received, discharged,
pardoned, escaped, and died, to the Ist.
Nov. 1824. •
1817. Received, 16 Pardoned, J
Escaped, 1
“ Died, l
1818. “ 24 Pardoned, 2
Discharged, 2
Escaped, 4
“ Died, l
1819. “ S3 Pardoned, 3
Discharged, 10
Escaped, 4
“ Died, 1
1820. “ 52 Pardoned, 12
Discharged, 13
Died, 1
Escaped, 3
1821. “ 30 Pardoned, 11
Dischaaged, 9
“ Died, 6
“ Escaped, 2
1822. 32 Pardoned, 10
Discharged, 14
;; Died, 2
Escaped, 4
1823. M 17 Pardoned, 27
“ U.S. do. 1
Escaped, %
Died, 1
Discharged, 9
1824. ** 17 Pardoned, 0
“ Escaped, 4
“ Died; 2
Discharged, 9
241 172
The number of convicts in the Penitentiary
on the Ist Nov. 1824, and their occupations*
6 Tailors,
8 Boot makers,
2 Saddle and harness makers,
14 Blacksmiths and strikers,
8 Waggon and cart makers,
3 Carriage makers and trimmers, , -
5 Windsor chair makers,
3 Painters,
3 Shop joiners,
6 Gin makers,
1 Segar and snuff maker,
1 Cooper,
1 Spinning wheel and reel maker,
4 Rough hewers,
6 Hospital attendants, cooks, washers, &c
1 Invalid,
72 Remaining in the Penitentiary the Ist
Nov. 1824.
Their placet of nativity.
46 Georgia,
42 South Carolina,
44 North Carolina,
29 Virginia, i l ?’
10 Nefw-York,
9 Pennsylvania, *
6 Maryland, r
5 New-Jersey,
1 Rhode Island, ,
3 Connecticut,
4 Massachusetts,
3 Canada,
4 Tennessee,
1 New-Hampshire, ‘
19 Ireland and Scotland,
6 England,
2 West India, and at sea;
1 Holland,
3 Spain,
1 France,
1 New-Orleans,
1 Prussia.
DANIEL NEWMAN, r. k. f;
Penitentiary, Ga. Milledgeville, Oct. 31,1824.
Important Canal. —A Carraccas paper of
the 29th October, contains a statement in re
lation to uniting the Pacific t> and Atlantic,
which, it is contended, can be accomplished
by cutting only FOUR MILES: but the spot
is not mentioned, by which the rivers can be
so connected as to open the communication
between the two seas,
No. 49.