Camden gazette. (Camden, S.C.) 1816-1818, January 17, 1818, Image 1
V ^ '
V plume -Ilk)
CAMD]
f, (S.C.) SATURDAY. JANUARY 17, i3i?.
\ . . ,
(Number 02.
J > PRINTED BY*
GJZOF&& irn. Hjnnr. -
Foi TflE PlWDPAlETORS*
7>- jtrite to Smbcriber* is g3 fxer annum
exclusive of /ioitcge ; and in alt caeee Kohere
ytafitr* eMail be ?elh?*ed at the erfienee of
ht publisher t the firjee t yill_ be R* jk) a
ymr, IdtwfiatfiHx month* affrr rubvtrbing*
. n i ? m
THE COMMrrrEE
Jfaotnted at the tio*e.qf the iu?t
... Tq enquire if is ht exflatirnt to. alter
th9 Pehat Code of thin state ; and {f
fref.edUhU* %ek*t a Iterations wcrcrrq uir
idf&friecve to RE POUT-- ^
? THAJ' thep wttjct "jHrrvnted, by'cif
[UJOt?W?> foMp iMtmblitig dur4?t tfc
Sg^SS&asasc
ad romM?rktiOir wtiieg f|? imporwux
wo*jkl aecja to require. Tbs rrnull bow
like prttpnt th*y
B fi> Mm
legislature to determine whether further in
fon^io^^e ntqcqmry to tit ultimata de
\ CBMfr > . :? " ' \
of tlie penal code of the
fU&ft appears, from rt;)t*rate<! executive re
to bave been rnurh de*ir
>' porh^tfqy tfyfibt caution, k is believe^
Kj ip hee? *itfectv notof imysujvpoiied
perfection io our crhuina|law, lull yi'dpiibts
15 to the pqlfcv of adopting t'oc particular
^tcralir)n#4ec6^niftn^tU That some aK
(rftttihi baft neVer bee|?
tUM* ?op? aAcratkm* are now ae*
>*f conviction prow,
are frequently committed^
tfoifewarf Intended fipfag
- ?rc*s> tnd which, K Is bclk ved, can be
;?itypr*pj^fJ,.or very mtfch |ea*eno<V
?vi|% tfo rpm?d\e.u Iwve been
.^UggllKcd. ' The adoption of the penilsnti
ary system, or only A to ahcr our present
4awa, as to increase cor fin nlnish the quqn
tum of puniBt\m<MU now apportioned.
* :?*ehT>f tho^? remedies h*fcih?aflvoCatc*.i
k both in the Opinion of y,our committee are'
entitled to consideration. The ^cnttcntia*
iy Jfateto will be dret examined.
- Jtofaxe }um*nrf we procecd te this ex#
a kw oUicrvations will be bug
to c-itablish eenw?n propo
. without preter.dinvj to axio
OTMrttc truth, ai*e supposed aulKciently cor
rect to induce general acqu*e?cef>ct'.
lu the noealaituafWiH in which the
people of the United States have bee*
tatt rendered the ioMone of ex
(WTW^Wfeu unotvrraal importance here a
an elsewhere* k tolaeve?thrlcH% believed
-ktexn<jrionce here ? elsewhere, will ever
^e the !>oaV source of wisdom, andaur
&mnd*tion of policy. This truth,* tho9
| knot* tmfrcqucntlyfliirgofc
disregarded.
iumnportw% on tfib ac
ta frond that memorable
'ttaUtfettf t1??'f?Mncy <jf tmrAan wWom,
Dpon^i'l and gatevn
i the early annals of eur
& w? ?fc? pr.?^u"<1
IpllN (Vm itemed ?
. ana iystem of lawi
?BPjl "Mr. Lockc'a govnra*
meat and lawa are knoim to have failed m
till o( lge? We
ka dxigtncica of
r lessor* of cxpa
? "Speculation,
urgus hare pasa*
i tod civil law* ;
*1U probably con
>COtil^^v' ^
g.h*;anly proper objecjif punish
Meyeptienof ia a pn>
m* ttfiflNtrtnlty admitted,
rt in the ? stiiv.fetiohof yottr
t#i: dUtiainuri ? Tl*
iOfjfcel^Ke latv
v^^mr0 nioit
notip^vitM^
m trafci 0m Vkw'
I r X' fc" i
ia regarded a?(amt
society camiojt bo rotri-N
fbr { I crirnr f fv (SR*nW t?<
Wo? kcd^nt? ?? IRjfclmiy could he warkeh
?Hit, \t must al wars c**Ht more labour* ui
'-?what if e^uivaknvto lobour, to tfeeufa tha
labour*# a criminal, than lyslaltuur can be
> r Anf other proportion
ment and crime, thou Ua.
. tha <*upprta?lon of the crime?
fcA v Vionary. Vould the smaltei
t ?u|>*t>ra?s<' 4 by the greatest pan*
* ?jiy a atgfct to ho attached, lfwl w
e*t f4iifo"scan\<4 b j pUvctitci ; by
i f9ii flliiHithmurts it ought to I >v apportion
f. ad; could (he same penalty. prevent ever)*
tVimc, there thontd l>? but one pi-unity.
, To ^portion the ponVslrnents wiih any
?agree ? #Typrec^\on to the crime, wookt
?. *;)^fnr to Vitvolvathc following oiftteuKtait)
l:\ tlv |i?r*t place* the sensibtfu# uf ttie
/
j{.
criminal oti^htfo J>e ascertained ; fo^ the
same punishment would effect very differ
cnUygfr>?roof diffeirerrt. (kjmn of seuei
bitiXtfTto one, that punishment might t>e
torture, which to another, would be little
more than unpleasant
2dly. The effect or each crhwc on soci
ety ought to be ascertained; and tfira, itis
t caw fliyty m%
very remote degree. To kill A* T*t?o
a virtuous intelligent, add active jqrm
bef of society, H much more injyuous
' than lo kill B, who W u worthless vagrant ;
on the lile of the firtt, the |tappinc?i of
Micicty may materially depend ; the death
of the last may so far beocMUK at to
(list nenmber society of a drone. No law
K?ver however, has ever ventured indis
criminate between these cases. v fcxUcme
ly dangerous would it be to c^iti iuanafc:,
and yet without sod* dt&rhinnatroh, what
preteniron can there be to proportion ?
jl 5dl^. Diftkuli as it ?e to ascertain with
any precision, tfie ?*mib?hty.rW{ the *ri-<
nw>al and the effect ot the camie. wore
1 4i^tut must it be topenetfate tbo motives
*of the criminal. Manis seldom infetteoced
bye simple motive and y el when so io- ;
; flu?nced, tt is diQicuIt ot' detection* The j
more conpUx his motives* the mtye dif- j
ficult is the ta?k of fixing his tr?minsluy. |
and yet if piopottinn between punishment
and crime, mean any (hing^riibrt than the
quantum ot punithtpent necessary to ilie
'suppression ojtMie cHnse ; it, would seem
to reler to Hie sensibility of the^ criminal,
the eflVct of l ho crime, and the motive^
witiv- which it pe?i>ci rated. But if the
exact proportion coutd be ascertained, it
is difficult to perceive the ben^nl that
jpould result. We admit e proportion in
architecture ; the mrtid is grantied When
all the pai h ol a building appear n? culuted
to e&ct the purposes lov which they were
intended. ? ftotl crim nal huwe>ay liai
been punished exactly in proportion to his
sensibility ; the effect of nis cr ime ami the
motiVea w th winch he ^>erpctrate?i the
ctiinc* would afford no pleasure* it is apr
prthended, unconnected wuh the hope
Hbatthtrcrlme would not i?e repeated, t )n
the Other hand it would appear fastidious
r In rite extreme, tn object to m punishment
which snppretted the crime, ontv because
it w^s n^t in exact proportion to it* aenst
bHityNof the criminal* the eftcct of \he 1
ofTctice, and ihe motive* with which it had
been perpetrated* \ v * .
'With tlit*? obset v*tion% vowr commit
tee will proceed Mi the consideration of tit*
penitentiary *ystejnv > . sj-l
'I he relurtance'wivh whV.h tHH Subject
Tuts always been considered by the
Jaltire. when greeted upofl their attefuion
by executive recommendations, w-ik ik
effect, It is believed (us before styled) of
greet doubt* a* to the practical effect's ol i
theory, which vlimi h brilliant hud not
been lully tried, and upon which the grow
ing experi^ce of other sUUrs, WQu'.rl lilt ;
no protracted length ol lime, shed a liglU
which \VouUl duMpatc ull doubt, and pio
uure a tiec?e*on< In every respeof satisfac
to y. It is U?? the experience of those
mates where the penitentiary by stem has
been longest tried, that your committee
now propose to look h>r thai li^W; which ,
shall confirm or dissipate those doubts
which have hitherto cxilted on this sub*
j? < t? . * ? ' v ?
In Pennsylvania I where the firs^Ame
riean penitential y house was erected, It
appears from a recent publication entitled, v
4* A suitisltlal view of the operations ol
lUc penal code of Pennsylvania*" that its
operations hud "been extremely beneftcW
al for the first two years after its establish
ment t that of two hundred persons who
[ had been pardoned, osily Ibui halt return
ed/' At that period a appears further,
that " the number of convicts wit* so small ^
in proportion to the building, that the a *
Wrmenrs inv the prison and the prison
yard afibrded convenient and urtipt* room
for the separation and entployment of; the
convict*,* k v ' >>
. ^ The prand jdry of Phi 't?delphi*i In a
reetnt presentment eay, 'Mhat wh(i*-they
%otiCe with pleasure, the high degree of
order aild cleanliness, they ate compelled
by a settte of ddty to prejpnt ae an evil ol
considerable magnitude, the pre*en\ ve#y
crowded stale nf the penitentiary t the
mimbet of prtstofers, of si) chiseee, con.
tinue* totocroatie, so thit from to to <u>
fcaf* lodged in room?|lS feet aqnerw* so
*?efly ire thus crowded together* that the
institution alrea >- ?>egirf# fo eeepmk tlie
character tf iaf Ebrop&n prison Irtd'i ? J
minat y for every ttee? in wfcich the uirfot
[ lunate being who commits a f?;*r otlfcnee
ami knows M?te of thearjf of methodised
villainy, can sctrety avQWj^tolttamihlr
lion which MB* to cYirfctyfc depravity/'
? * 'It appears, farther, frdmth* name pub
location. u that of 4M cboeiels nnw hi the
pehUemisrf of l*ennsyt+an)a, 161 huvr
'Jbeen confined there h*fore?" *
The t^mmisfctonofs appointed to exa
wioe into the ettoeof the New- York pri
son, nvjkhci? rot met oha?*?v?:. It Has f<^
1 tnMsf ?ffcc*.?
infc tl?e object cliicflv in wt?r, btrt hat sub
jected the tre^suvy to u scries of disburse
ment* too oppre^ive to be continued <if
they cm in ihy Mray lw prevented*** The
cause of this failure is said to be the crowd
in* together-lhe^prisoneis, antl a relaxa
titm of discipline* It appears, . futther,
l hat a Wry latge ptG^oriio/v ot those who
havffTSeO* committed foy the last five or
^ ix yearf , hid been confined there before.
The commissioners appointed to exa
mine the Stale prisoh of Ma*?t?husetts, in
thehr report coinpiam 41 that the prison Is
so crowded as tit defeat the object fbr
wh;ch the insiiiution w*a erectcd,'' They
state, (briber, u that the only tc!^nrauvs
which the Commonwealth appeals It) de
rive from the estahH*hrf?en\ are ?
1st* The protection attorded the com
munity against the crixniDa's during their*
confinement.
> AM.rSk*. value of the earnings of this .
OMiviclfe winds may l?e supposed to oc so |
^mochgaini since live greater pari ot thia
class of men when larye, vert )U the exjr
pevtse of the community without labor.
BmrtiiiaipjkatV sa> these commission
ers ^pjfe^t treason to suppose that (he ad*
vantage first mentioned is more thlm coun
terbalanced by the grtAet hardihood and
more settled corruption which- a promiscti .
ous association amonu the convicts mus I
produce* particularly the young** /-- - j^|
It is thought unnecessary to make fat*
(her quotations from these publications, as
they are in the possession of the. legisla
lure, and can be procured by all.
^The most aUenitvc exumtnaiion-of these
documents^ on ?he >ait of the committee,
has been followed by a thorough conviction
that the pehitconaly system* ?*' ** *1
has been, jet tried, has failed. It is not
howeVer to be concealed, that some hope
yet exists; t!i?t solitary confinement maj
be mi apportioned, us to restore lu the sys*
?jf g- ? ? v j?%**s% ss? si rv J J tr?
ie?n, the confidence which it once posses
sed, bui of which, for some time pastt it
has been deprived. ' ' , "?
Should U Succeed, It Will be gratifying .
. to humanity |o ?ec-H? Vnefita emended i$_
every portion ot nhe hubitablc world and
it is nol doubted 1 haijit such an e.vent< the
legislature ot this stare witi avn;l i self of f
the earliest fppor&fiity of adoptmg (he
system ; but uiudlt Ums been wtll tried and 1
has fuliy %an*\tertd, yolir committee car*
nol but behuve,. it \vvtitd be unwise in the .
ktftM>ftiir?e to aticm)?t it.- "|%ho *j^*:niuvotV
a hearty CiWiin.enre^l \Yt*r jH numeious, and
^wtil pt ohuhl v he conducted with so much
I afnltly, as. will leave no doubt a* to tlie re
suits M?at niay be afforded* h ^;ty, in*
' deed, be necessary to a full a>iyfatr ev
pcrtnient of the systefo, that some sta e*
should n??t aoopi it; tor. to ascertain its
i value* j ft niay be necessary lo (yot>o est it
Willi other .*y*t*tt%*? and this caniHjt be
cWmt witji .ulv.ii i ta go it ail the steles were
' t*> *2g)* it.
It ?f> ay not be unimportant, even on tin
present occasion to contrast l he operation*
fuul vfl'cel* of the ptrtuentuiy sy?uvov
with the operations and e fleets of the
um of criminal law nu\* of force (n th'm
title* . To effect t his ol> j c?, return t of
I We conviction*' which' have taken place
41 nee 179 V, have been procured from
moil the cleft* ot the district courts*
It it 10 be Uo>enied tlmt all tile tleikt
r have not complied with 4 he % requisition*
, made upon tUcOiiu August latc.~~A *uf
ffaeni numlier 1?o*e**r ha*e bean procu
red, ft it believed, to ptvv**r thep'trpenea
intended. The com pari ton wtll fe? fon?
fined to the Ta*t If year* an prior to * 800,
the eowuty court tyrem \ra* of force, un
cles which, justice wat not only imperfect
ly tdndnitured, but the rt cmcf* if wh?$J?
Were fco badly Ttrj# at 10 f?u nith it *hi?
riod no date fronr which ^TVc number ot
conviction* cun be ascertained. V
Tlte penittntiary $y*tenrof Penotyl
vapla hat been telecfeel (ofr comparison, as
it' it tuppotod to be the 6ldest and ^ liett
tinayaged in the U. Urates, nnd VUb lb*
operatnme and effect* of wlaloli Wt are bett
acquainted*
It WUj^ppear on a reference itl? the tta|
ti sties I 'View of thcoperatioftf of tbfe pen
al code of that Ktat*, that the oonfflRicmt
frdtn ! 6O0 in 1 809, hoth inclusive, (for pen
itentiary offences) wrre 1,045, Riving ud
average for e*cH year, of more Chan 1CM.
The population of that tmte in 1800/
fat appear* bj thecetiahtihefi*akt*.) wft
602*545. lit I8I0, the population had in*
create y to 8JK0/W U Much ufVordtafl nnnto
al increase ot about 3o,tl4, end an average
population opfi2 VM, for tlie tan ye^rt bri
or to 1810. for thit period therefore
Conviction* were to population at 1 0^* are
t t?4W8 a09. ?r. aa l-4o5?#9i^Vr *-?
Fmro 18 TO to 18) s* inclusive, the eon
?ktiont Were 890, gmn* ?h average 6f
more then 148 for m&yimrJ r
* prababfty ^ Wrraeed In
eachyeef finm IftlGto l(Mf? in greater!
numbert than froi^ 1800 to 1810, but at
the exact ? ncwe ate cannot be ,aec*vu,tft*d?1it
will be COfipUted at the\am^ the dlfliw
rnce r.sini he ;ffry fcrest i TVtrt "ifrOUlit
' tnuke the ?tttfijpj poiroKmon iroru 18 to
w ib i 3, anoul 890, 845.
''For i his pe t iod ? therefore* convtetfofts
wti c^o jxmulutioo as 148 to 850,84 5, tr
*9 I to 5,61 S.
It would *ppf ar from ;hi* statement that
criihes l*tid not only increased numerical
ly but ih a graater ratio than ^opuiatiotu
; It frill appear further on'reftrence bein?
had to the ttatislicyi view that tl* num
ber of untried prisoner*, relumed on the
c ?!tiidtrs at the diflereiH sessions of thfr
city and quarter ?v?uoivs of the county of
Philadelphia, wav?
> l or the year I813? ^?16
. 1814 538 *
1S15 829 >
1 1816" -v% 105ft
Had these prisoners bfcen tried as usual ?
the n^n^ber of convicts would have >b*en
greater for ihese years ; *rhich ttoU'd con
veniently h*pe increased the avtrafc*
piimbci oT conviction* ft om 1819 to 1845,
and thereby intieus* the "ratio -of crimen
for the Uat pet iod selected fo* comparison.
Why a greater number o^ prisoners wttc
,lcft umited for lives* yea o9 than u^mI* is
not explained. It la < dlVtault irot to At
tribute it to the system.
In* stated in ihvfmfcticaftJon above al
luded feMhat the ouol^r of c^dion*
1/otM 17 f 9 to J 786 both inclusive* :*tie
greater than fiom 1789 to | and - that
the penitentiary ay atcm wa* hot cum men4
red before 1788. This statement l? made
to *6e# that convictions diminished' uhder
the., penitentiary system -?? Thta* eHVct
however may have b*en product d by othet
adequate causes which existed at the t^rnei
Iftom 1779 to 17*3% th* UniffcH States
,wete cn^a^ed in ? blood y civil war, the
PQHt prolific parent of crlinesiand altho*
we were enjoying mamr of the btestrfng* of
peace from 8 if to *86 yet *it- cannot be atib
pased that during this period socUxy ^M
iiol ouutiuoo to feet mimy frf the'tevils whlfcH
the licentious habits of civil war arc oalcu4
lattfd to engender. ? T o ? compare Jthcse*
two Periods then, i? to aid tbo ? pepitcntHiiV
ay stem with all the advantages of peicO
order and pood ^oViiligufenk ami to clop the
?rmt r penai code of Pennsylvania with u it
tiio crimen of a civil war. v Out objeef tttfw *
-oigr* i&iiot- to: umiy aft the PciuM,ntla? y
syjitctn <4 Pennsylvania -with he- torrtkfctf
pfBfti code of .that state, l>ut to compare U
,1*$ W Jhc pwuil xo*l*-of tibia irtate^ >* *
By tlit.- returns of convictions from |JK>p
?W^NI|U, both inclusive* it aty^ats them
F^rfenrth thhrsiau, JottVictiona lb? {nrn
tentlc*. y offences, which gives an avcrag*
; jaV j' , . f ? ? . ' ' ? ?. >
of I i per ytur.
Front \ 300 to I 8 l>? * the Convictions were
89 which ftivc* an avitage tif i'J per yea?%
Pht population of this sutie In .llO'Jr
19D.4-.Oi in 1 8 10, the population had In*
cftw.eO to ?18,750, Which affords a smal
iirtiai iifcHW. .. O