{ title: 'Warren County messenger. (Glens Falls, N.Y.) 1829-1830, January 14, 1830, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031174/1830-01-14/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031174/1830-01-14/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031174/1830-01-14/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn83031174/1830-01-14/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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T ■■fi 1*>; ■ ;.- . I ’ ' .. \ . » I f iU <li >1 S V '-it'.'.i • “ ! PUBLISHED tyEEgtr BY A. SMITH, GLEN’ s PALLS, N. Y., AT TW0JD«IXA.B8 VS* ANNUM, PAYABLE HAMUTEARtY. ' \-p - - - f; _ . \ ... ^ ■- - ■—i-T-i— ■- S r-r? \ *— =2 = ? Sgg . . ! SS5BS: 2 \ - \ ■ ! ... ■ ■■■ ■ 1 --1 F --1 ' 1 ‘ r :*£• 5 VOL. H -I »* j tHURSpXY MOft^LNG, JANUARY 14^1830. l ;V NO. 2 . A i.»'V lOVEKlYOR^S MESSAGE. L « citucfM of th e Senate, I and q f the Jissmbly— L compliance with the constitution,! | \ ed to lay before' you th e condition of EL and to suggest for your consider*? such matters as I deem conductive to E welfare, fl„ looking back upon the past W we I ibundant reason to be thankful to A)- Unv God, for having spared us from the [Les of disease, for h aving prospered L Industry of the country, and lor having Ldeus conscious of our national advahta^ E and content with our condition. I Although in some accliona o ^ t h e State L unusual excitement 1*8 p e v a d e d , I ain L 0yto have i n n my power; to Bay, that Tbs not originated in a d eaire to change L constitution, or iff a d istrust of th e ui- L ity of our laws; b ut in an honest zeal, Iverllowingits proper boundaries, .onsdi- IL a in Its efforts, add carrying into pub- fc'affairs'matters properly belonging to ko- lal discipline. Such feelings cannot long 1 s t beyond the limits of their prQ|.cr I here of action; and ilia a source o i grat ification that m this instance they give on Bence of spedily subsiding into their natu- lil and healthful channel. _ ! -Due of the roost important incidents to a Lvtnimentresting upon the public wilt . Edueculmr to It, is the constant observa tion of the public eyo, and its rigid scruU- L,iite the conduct of public funcUoiiurfes; lending to keep, mem within die bmils of llieir authority, and in the active peiiotra- L e of the duties per'aimiig to their inn- Ertanl trusts. No office is so h'Sh or 30 Lnbie,'*8'»ot to be awed by its presence, L to he made conscious of its power- I bis Lirching operation is prompt to detec a- L w. to.discover impure motives, and expose offenders to tlie corrective tribunal. Out fellow citizens are sufficiently enlighr Lhed to know all the advantages they enjoy udder tlie government o f their choice; ttu y have manifested an increasing attachment toll, and have beeu conspicuously- auxilia- Wni supporting tW W tW arid constituted authorities, and in prolnotiug measures for improving the cdiidition of the btate. Prom the period of the'adoption of th e constitution oi.t-.e United States, w o have progressed in testing the federal system, with cauiiuos steps, tiii'dpr the guidance <> i»jirucieil public imment; and although ddrirines htivc liotn time loWne, been nun eiity advanced, and incipient measures ta ken', at variance itilh constitutional resit c- irons, and deeroud adverse to the true m terests of the people, t they have fou,,“ ’ prompt corrective in the public v.nce. • ring the present Administration, tn e »nu»J sense, enlightened-views, and ardent patn- Otism of th e Executive, leave r,o room to doubt, that the known landmarks ot » Cmftitution will lm respected, that tin sovereignty of the Slates will not be viola- ten, and th a t roeasiues, warranted bj p* a » constructions only, will be pursued in m wet reference to the p u b lic good- Wc are, happily, a t peace with all tne World; and relying upon the spifit oi jus tice which lias ultvaj's dictateduur dealings yritn oilier nations, und continues to iritl.i* dice m r national couaeda,we have g n a t reason (o hope hat ail caub*-*o‘ complain sgttinstforeign powers will in' o«'.»cni>iy t’p •aioved, a n d that »ve shall n ot soon be can edupon upun to rally around m t nation'i; \ t * . .1 . . hbciq I Near- stalp prison^ tiveiny eight convicts. y all those pardons w ere granted in cases, where; first, great doubts of guilt were c e r tified tom e by the ‘courts before whom Hie convictions took place, and those doubts I to me to be well founded, on ex- _ _____ 0 a full statement of the cases; sec ondly, on personal examinanon, and inqui ry of the keepers of the prison and the p r e siding judges', as iu certain convicts for whom petitions had not bi-en presented, I deeiaed them ftt objects o f mercy; and tjiirdly,from warn <>i suibaent latitude of lion intlieco iHs, s«<itcnceB tooi^se confederatejaiiAthe graduate of many itisons, Seciu^eUrrotn observation, and the veie worn necssas ily mrposed. pfi 1m ■The p fnish elu of criminals ^is one of the most interesting subjects w hich can e n gage the attention of the Legislature; and altno’ugfi o u r criminal code h as been recent ly very ably revised, and its features much solteried, y e t 1 consider it my duly to bring it again to jo u r notice. W e have been gradually relaxing the severity of'^unish men is, until pur laws relating to them have a decided character o f mildness; still it be hoves us to consider, whether the great oh jepts of punishment will itoi be better at (aimed by farther iniugaifons. W e derive our classitication o f crimes from the English laws; and many bf their disunetionsbave arisen tromthe state ot so ciety, and the structure and peculiar policy 1' that government, it is a serous ques tion, whether the moral turpitude of crimes oi th e policy o f the government, requires that t <e \artificial gradations should contin ue to influence to their present extent, the puniihiuents p rescribed for them. Out revised ccfde imposes the puiiisbmrin of death fut arson of the tirst degree, and unxponerWhe court to imprison tor h ie, Tor eertaiu kinds o f rape, mayhem, aitempi to 1)018011, arson, burglary, lorgery, robbeij ot murder- J submit to your consvderuuou, .vhetlier the pumstimemby doatb ougut to lie extended beyond tile crouds o f treason ,r»d murder; and whctlmr it is pomic to un- eoii'pelled to.be idle, they indulge in wick ed discourse, and such soqinl vices as are within their means o(. enjoyrnent: H e re, the arts of accomplishing deeds-of vi|lany are communicated, and illustrated by tales of adventures, and aiJithe papiivating minutiae of heroic and eveiitful livps, until the nov ice becomes initialed in the mysteries of crime, artd waits impatient ly for an opportu nity to commence a career ol wickediiesa. ^submit to your consi(h-raiion*lhe propriety o*f enlai gmg the pt;ovisons o f the revised laws, so a» l^e ting a plan to sepefAte oflenaers, conhned in county prisons on sentences, from 'nose who are committed on suspicion; providing seperute dornntoi tes for all; and for the regular daily employment of convicts at some useful trades. By these^ihetma, the county expenses of prison, as well as the amount of crime, would be very much di minished v J ^pT h e expense to counties, u n d er our,pres I n t system ofsupporting convicts in county gaols, is very considerable; and those who had experience i&llie proceedingH of c rim inal courts, know, that very inadequate punishments are frequently inflicted lor misdemeanors, in consideration of' the bur dens which a protracted imprisonment im poses. ' - , The Convictions for petit larceny, second offence, a re very numerous, and constitute a large proportion of the inmates of?qur slate prisons. There a re now in the state prison at Auburn eighty-one of that class of convicts (a great proportion of them boys • m. __ —a.. « f nrrc nnd bln schools, aqd a minister of the .gospel, supportefT by the stufej e'mploys, portions of his time iia visiting ahd converBihg tyitlj thfi convicts, at their cellsian'd performing ^tv- vine service with them colle.ctitrely, atstftj |ed’times, fhey enjoy;: f^qlar suitable alterations of |aliprJand: rest, all tha( cbm forts which are compatible i^Uh their condition. They exbibit a teniark able ap* pearnce of health, and work- with : iiidubtry and apparent cheerfulness. These areHh* powerfui means which are brought to bear upon their reformation, andgproduce B sub? missive and penitential state of feeling. From the old, and long practiced culprit it is vaili tp expecVTeior^ but thejnqyii'ies tWtch |y and extensively tya3e,td'. fisderfaih tna- efl'eets of our prison discipkine upon those who have been subjected to it, h ave resul ted in establishing the fact, that nearly all who were young, and convicted for first offences, or whose crimes have proceeded IIS III - - c> - . j . IS, in most oases, sufficient to subdue l ie iiiotal, mental or physical famines ol me moat obdurate man An impnsoiimen. tor life is rarely Hover, \M.cre u.c W (vie is not near its natural dose, or trout ucctcdly term inated, t inned into L lte public sympathy beemv s awaTenul L h e p m n .c life convict; I conditions ore huddled together in a n a l r « s lil-S,n “ ^ iruru twelve to tw'enty years o f age, and blacks, male and female) out o f s i x ' h p dred nnil twenty-seven—the, whole number confined there; and fifty-seven out o f five tmi fired and eighty-ibur, the whoffi nuqi her ol convicts noiv in the s tate prison at -ing Smg? Pcpons are convicted, a sec- •i ivhrihfM ii is pniiuo ivj «»»\ i -tiuil tor trifling larcEiticsj 9 m d inu rder, a ml wheroe. ^ ^ ^ ihfc prjson> )t 18 bulive{1, to re, pribon 101 life »n J > '. ^ ( m 0b-i liove a neigliborltoofi o f a pauper, or of an oitri couvnctmn. ‘ a,n ,*’V ™ t t j unmU- m,e or-troublesomc person? Should they ’. . - i i f . i . s L • w r v & s . might save the stafit much expense (i ter, in the multiplying or enlarging our mag uilicent and cosily edifices for stale oon- ' The evils bf county gaols, to which 1 Have alluded, are more apparent >n our large ciue*, where great numbers ot all t,.0n, pious and huinami bopr^ate cnlcriain- ed that lie IS a renewed man, and that the aisripline of the prison Iia-, punned Ins ht.ut, and corrected Ins t-m pfopeusmcn '4'l.eve cu' tudiTifiions ore urged with zeal fo- l.is.pardon, after a brief ^pnsonineiit, a . ,i h ive been so ta r si,iccess|W, tlnfi i can &s-nt from an inspection of tne P>isoii bn-'Ks, that there arc nmv in the p i |S0“ ^ \ u - u r n comparatively lew* ol m at class ol com icts, who have served a longer period r ,sh ,« » ,, is II.e ref'irmmio ! ol fi.e offender, it tias hero itie nope of tne philanthropist, and iml itgetbe belief, that it has « mV Luconje ion ceriu m ex c u t , the feasible object o Uio legislator. An nmuunl ol Pu'‘‘\ ' which wiii receive me saiicuoii ol PuJ ‘. f :ftieiliug, t i t u i t e d to Us full extent, will nave um o re salutary effect in ^ ud sS v n ^ i i - ea to rauy aruuiiu i vnnie, man gromc. n,..- , toenV e our just claims, or resist on pen blic 8)mpathy into the 8eiv ice ot most tgguunions. In a Btate ol peace, die Liro■ 1 combm^d omlaws, who make it & P ^ ‘ f - chl mofin-.es ol Hie generm mroi .lalion,: to procure P ^ o n s io. ................. ’ ’ ,,w meir assoc.au's in crime. We can indulge enmity exceed the amount requitm > •* ^ ordinary txp«*'st-s; a n d unrin - itrialeconomy, and wiln a due i>gar m desirable an event, our national debt, trtiw... ..a s incurred during Dm Tevolution- Xtj ai„i late wars, iv til, in the course o f I « or .-i.t tears at roost, be extiugursned. govv, tiueiit will then present a new ‘ to the uiSecttons of its citizens, and to e admiration ol the world, founded upon Die novr-i .pr-cuiole ol a great uauon paying o n a gtT.,i national dfchAT . . In Pie course •>( my administra , luv. A e n repeatedly called upon to► « « r - c.se tin; constitutional power o t par » co..v,cis. The painful duties conneced w. a mat trust, I have endeavored to per fm oi w‘nf, a due regtud to the olyecU o f puiiif'.rntnr; and I have m many bet a ' .impelled to resist the ® « ^ a,ne*' aim aii.joung appeals to my syrnpa y, P poncl alien ti? petitions ni'iaiintelligeni citizens, and t)io ofiieial slat ons Have given lh«u> oppormnuies ot knowing ti>c-un - _ of .be suppliants. Uur.ng th e ^ ; there have been four convieUo.is fo r max dm,in t*ch of which executions have ta ken place: But I have pavdooed irom Lhr but a (amt hope ol referroation m one, who Sll sufced h ern, . f p u m . l . ^ 1 . \ - ^ prison, without correction of ^ ^V P l ensities; and the p u b l i c owes it to the sate » S i k * c t o . , .? .hut and moral effects The experiment tor remedying these evils, might b e made there and the propriety of extending ftlie princi ple toother counties, or several nssociulet counties, determined. So far as relates to the punishment o f petty convicts, the city of .New-York hassalready erected a build ing upon this plan. , I advert with great satisfaction lo tne high state of improvement, a n d prosperous condition, of our state prisons, lb a t at bing-Stng is not yet finished but the p#«on at Auburn has been in operation a sufficient lime to enable us to judge of the influence ot our system ot prison discipline n r relor- ming offenders, and its bearing upon the finances of the state. The reputation which fins syBietn^as already acquired, not only with our sister slates, but in Europe, tsa matter of just state pride; a n d should stim ulate us to further endeavors to aid the cause of humanity at large, by the influence of our example; The radical vice of ol J prisons is corrected in the plan of our build ings, which are constructed with a m m - rate dormitory for every convict. Work shops are buflt in long lines. 1 he convicts are employed, during the d ay, at all the va- rious mechanic arts; and each man ifay oe nut to that business which suits Ins uapacr- * * . _ i , L __ J frtnnian lioliita lilfi *“ from ignorance,1, intemperance W idle ness, have become tiseful roembeiv dfsoci e t y .' .* '* The experience of the prison at Auburn, also shows, what has beep reasonably doub ted heretofore, that the labor o f the cofir victs may be made to supply the expense* of the establishment. During tiie la*t three of four years, the earnings of tlie con v ic t s have produced a jhrplus, after pay ing for the supplies and 'governm ent of Iht prison; and if is fair to inter, that'lierealier he funds oftiie state will be relieved from »at, hitherto roost oppressive burden v • It, however, must not b e lorgottcn, that very much of the Buccess^tlhese Cetabliib- mcnis depends upon the Ability of the p er- pons placed at their head. Thus faV the atate’has been exceedifigly fortunate in be ing able to command me-verviees 'of gefi- ^ i n e n o t the lughcit respectability and taU trots, , , . , • u ‘ ' . To preserve what is good, to correct Whai is evil, to amend where errors liave been committed, fo know (hat the toffict-r* of the prison are faithful, and that th a eom- jnisiiOHers and inspectors are attentive ana discreet in all dung* e n t r u ^ d to dffiJh.f to make the two institution* conlorn, to each other, and to place both on tne best foundations,/conceive there is a manliest propriety in'die legislature appointing, from time to tune, from their, body to visit both insons. 1 recommend it at thin time with he more confidence, becuu'se it is not a nevt measure, two such cominiUees having jeen heretofore appointed, a n d because the brog-Siiig prison will soon be finished, and placed under a new discipline iimst fbr life, those who are returned lo prison on second conyictioi s. A s ?ntunatPely connected »Uh»* earnestly solicit your aUenlidn o the c m dition of o u r county gaols’,? \ f de ments for petty offences. {.he ^ te8; tHte i o n , S » . . e . a c h : 31 s _ , ^nprect this evil in our Cl] ourefior s oi generate rformito- :;* * % r , r “ ocla“ r o l a a l l f o e W f are liort eoa.truo.ed the notice, the youthful tr«a.gre..or, and the with the petty ty'his health, and former habits of life - They are kept in small companies, con stantly under the eye of a keeper, who has charge over them lrom the time they leave their cells in the morning, until they are returned to them in the evening. A secret avenue surrounds the workshops at Auburn where, by means of small glass openings, eacii convict as Well as the keeper over him, may be seen at any tune. Ihrough this avenue, strangers are constantly to see the convict*, and the superior keeper patrol them at pleasure, without the convicts or subordinate keepers being conscious ot their preseuce. The convicts are provided with all the necessans of life, subjected to reasonable hours of labor, not suffered to speak during the day, and returned at night to solitude and darkness, |o reflect upon their past inispent life, and form resolutions for future amendment thin rooms fo aid liiese operations of the mind, Die Led, are crowde tgporant are instructed by means of sffita- convict, the old-marauder, ,>sa°. JlUUbU Utiuwi u —'J*. -------------- . , Aiming the pre'eniivu», *» vCfill as correctives, ot ciimetj, umy be jiluced many ofthoss chsrit*. ule institutions M owe their origin lo Aeen- terprae and Ubcruhty of benevolent individuals, with umely conirtbutions on the p»ri ot the #tato. In these efforts, the city - of No York, e miaiflina within itself, ss won abundant ohj«*cw of charity, *3 * S1C*1 proportion ot the pof-ula- i imi, intelligence, benevolence and fu i M ttic state, is proudly conspicuous. The rnfarit hcIvooU orphan any lum and liousu of retugCj *re ainonst the-most useful ot these insUtulioni. q jie infant schools are ot recent introduction, and although the meansol llie-^odety ate not atloanato to the wants ot that portion of the dw- uiuic whe are thoohji-cts ot their care, jetsutiv , iont has been done to |irove its exceeding use fulness- This noble charity is looked upon with ..feat interest by Arose who feel tor Altering hu manity, and who have enlightened notions of the effects of the early impression upon the humsn mind. They receive inter these schools the chil d r e n o f the poorest claw ol the city population, who would probably bo overlooked in tho gresj mass, bt human beings, «ed be sufferedAo ■ip in ignorance and Vice, but active charity which seeks to do good. Q W g » oceivtd at the early age of eighteen ffiontM, and taken care of during the their mothers as are well disposed, pursue their S labors. None, but thus, who h*v» wffi ne Jed the discipline ot lhese schrxrfs wid it* *f‘ feet* c*n have an adequate idea of Jhe; *mOunt T J m knowledge which can be conveyed, by ISSeoiJu. and novel mode of instruction, into rSa%f.ffi«eBm*llcl«ldreri. It h to be Doped that the attention of faum^ne mdw^uale will be more effectively directed t* this subje<3, mid that they by their contrikufions, and suh*. ule aid from the leg.alsture, the. amiable lad who have these institution* va 'charge,mayb« raubled to extend their care to all who ire m a t'°,B e n e ^ o i^ institutions of tbi* k M prop*r)y tinlonsi to dur great towns. In. the country aiid BmallfrloWns,^Haividual distress md is relieved Uy iiodivTOual eXetUOiw, A <n m aae not usually a sufficic*nt.nUmbt^, ql(peisor)8 at assure, to conduct schookrtt tj¥» 4 ^ rlPlic'Dj..< Oi the same character, and tqpMy hi,, to the ladies who patronise and direct it, aii l m,2v deserving ol publk enCofifagernenl, is T o q C Aseyium itt (He d t) of * OhlWien who nredeatituie of paten's, Inend* A Home, are Bought out and iffaced there, whore \
