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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.