in earnest consideration, which I know by experience is not always the case. I have the honor to be, Sir, your Excellency's Most humble and devoted servant, ALEXANDER VATTEMARE, List of the Documents contained in the case transmitted to the State of Michigan by M. Vettemare, in the name of the Secretary of the Treasury: 1. Budgets des recetts et dépenses pour l'exercise de 1843, 2 vols. 4to. 2. Compte général de l'administration des finances pour l'année 1836, 1 vol. 4to. 3. Comptes rendus por les Ministres pour les exercises, 1836-37 et 1838, 8 vols. in 4to. 4. Reaiel des lois de Finances pour l'année 1841, 1 vol. in 8to. 5. Tableau du Commerce de la Frances avec les puissances étrangêres pendant les années 1837-38-39-40-41 et 1842, 1 vol., grand in 4to. The above case will be shipped on board the Havre and New York Packet of the 16th of this month, recommended to the care of E. Thayer, Esq., New York City. I have not received any thing yet from your State, such as books, documents, &c. I trust that your Excellency will be kind enough to inform me by what conveyance these objects will be transmitted. The moment the intercourse between France and Michigan be regularly established, any thing that may be wanted for the use of the Legislature or the University, you will only have to ask for it, and if such objects exist in duplicates in any of our public establishments, it will be immediately transmitted to you; for our old sympathy for the people of the United States is as strong as ever, and we shall al-` ways be happy to embrace every opportunity of strengthening the bond of brotherly feelings it is so desirable to see established amongst all the men of good will in both nations. A. VATTEMARE. No. 3. 1845. REPORT of the Agent of the State Prison in accordance with a resolution of the House. To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: The undersigned have received a communication from the Clerk of the House of Representatives, containing the following interrogatories, in obedience to a resolution of that body, adopted on the 20th inst.: "1st. The length of time which the labor of the convicts are concontracted for the following branches of mechanical labor, viz: Shoemaking, Coopering, Manufacturing Iron Machinery, Stoves and Castings, Wagon making, connected with Blacksmithing, and when said contracts expire. "2d. If the contracts by which the convicts are engaged in mechanical labor, are so made that they cannot be annulled at the pleasure of the State. "3d. If the convicts in the Prison cannot be employed in some branch of business other than that of the mechanical trades." To the first interrogatory, the undersigned respectfully beg leave to reply as follows: There are now five contracts in existence for prosecuting the various mechanical trades in the prison, by virtue of which about eighty convicts are at this time employed, in the proportion, and for the several prices and periods of time herein stated. At Shoemaking, sixteen convicts at 38 cents per day; contract made the first day of April 1842, for three years; and the same has been relet for five years from next April, at 40 cents per day, and for the same number of convicts. At Coopering, ten convicts at 38 cents per day; contract made the first of April, 1842, for three years; and the same has been relet for five years, from next April, at the same price per day, and for the same number of convicts. At manufacturing Iron Machinery, Stoves and other Castings, twenty-one convicts at 30 cents per day; contract made the first of November, 1843, and to continue five years. At Wagon Making, connected with Blacksmithing, ten convicts at 33 cents per day; contract made the first of April, 1843, and to continue five years. At manufacturing Woolen Goods, twenty-three convicts, at 10 cents per day, for aged and infirm, and 25 cents per day, for able bodied convicts; contract made the first of April, 1844, and to continue five years. In reply to the second interrogatory, the undersigned would merely state, that the foregoing contracts were made by and under the provisions of an "act authorizing the agent of the State Prison, to lease for a term of years, the labor of convicts in the State Prison," ," approved 17th February, 1842; and that said contracts contain no reservations or conditions, by which either party is allowed the privilege of withdrawing from the same, without the mutual consent of both. To the third interrogatory, the undersigned experience some difficulty in framing a suitable and satisfactory reply. In our opinion there are no branches of labor at which the convicts can be profitably and advantageously employed except the mechanical trades and manufacturing, whether directly for the State or under contract for individuals; although there may be some branches of business which can be prosecuted with the labor of convicts and which do not come in immediate competition with the mechanical industry of the country. The principle involved in this inquiry may be considered in three distinct branches; in the first place, whether the prison shall be wholly supported by appropriations directly from the treasury of the state, and at the same time apply the entire labor of the convicts towards the completion of the prison buildings, or in the second place, whether the convicts shall be employed at such of the mechanical branches as the convenience and facilities of the prison may afford, and from the prosecution of which the greatest amount of revenue may accrue to the state, or in the third and last place, whether a portion of the convicts shall not be employed as last mentioned, and with the balance, expedite the construction of the prison buildings as fast as the accommodation and safe keeping of the prisoners may require. The undersigned are aware that the foregoing positions have their opponents-the first is objected to by the farmers and tax payers, as a system by which the taxes of the state are greatly increased, and they advance against it many arguments which cannot be considered altogether groundless. The second is opposed by the mechanics of the state, and more particularly by those in the immediate vicinity of the prison, and they urge against it reasons which are worthy of consideration. And the third, which is the plan now pursued, meets with its friends and its enemies among all classes of community, though generally it is considered the least objectionable. In managing the internal affairs of the prison we have always en"deavored to apply the labor of the convicts so as to advance the general interests of the people, and to avoid as much as possible, direct competition with the mechanics, and at the same time entertaining the opinion that the present embarrassment of the moneyed concerns of the state seem to demand that some of the ordinary mechanical branches should be prosecuted with the labor of convicts, as those branches afford the greatest amount of revenue to the prison. In all probability the time may come when the number of convicts will be so increased that their earnings will defray the yearly expenses for their support and maintenance, by introducing the manufacture of such articles, the chief supply of which is imported from foreign countries, at which time the prosecution of many or all of the common mechanical trades can be abandoned without serious inconvenience to the Sate. In concluding our remarks on this subject we feel no hesitation in expressing the opinion that to change at the present time the system of conducting the labor department of the prison, would be extremely detrimental to its financial transactions and to the interests of the state, and would also be attended with no little embarrassment to the business of the contractors. All which is respectfully submitted, by your obedient serv'ts, J. H. TITUS, Agent. STATT PRISON, JACKSON, IRA C. BACKUS, LEVI BASCOM, Inspectors of State Prison. |