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the prisoners will also be constantly engaged in some
mechanical employment, which will produce a profit on
their labor. When their number is increased to thirty
five or forty, if well managed, the prison will be no
longer a charge on the State. It is believed that its
clear gain will cover the salary of officers, and all
other contingent disbursements. This conclusion is
sustained by the experience of all well conducted
penitentiaries. The proceeds of the labor of the average
number of about one hundred and fifty prisoners at
Weathersfield Connecticut, exceed the whole expense
of their support, including the salary of the officres more
than five thousand dollars a year. At Baltimore for
the last seven years, the average profits at the Peniten
=tiary has been upwards of ten thousand dollars
annually. Other institutions presnt the same favor
-able results, and there is every reason to believe
that we may soon calculate on similar advantages.
Even now,at the commencement of its operations
the prison is less expensive to the State, than was our
old system of criminal law. A few years ago I
adddressed letters to the clerks of the county and circuit
courts, requesting an account of the expense of the
confinement of criminals in the country Jails after conviction.
The result of my inquiring was that it was little short
of twelve thousand dollars a year. From this
charge we are now entirely relieved. The present
criminal code may be defective; if so the power of