CONVICT LABOR.
The tendency of the cheap price of convict labor, as employed in our two prisons, to diminish, unjustly, the price of articles manufactured alike by free and convict labor, has naturally, produced complaints from free laborers injuriously affected. The two leading political parties in this State, in their last platformss condemned the present prison contract system, and the last Legislature having to agree upon any chance in the present system the Senate appointed a committee to present a suitable bill at the present session. Having felt interested the subject, I entered into correspondence with several persons who, I supposed had given it consideration, and shall transmit it to the Senate Committee, to whom was committed the preparation of a bill, the form of a bill prepared and sent to me by a gentleman in another State, who has given to the whole question of administration prolonged reflection and study.
