SLAVERY AS A PUNISHMENT FOR CRIME.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1250, 11 December 1882, Page 2

SLAVERY AS A PUNISHMENT FOR CRIME.

The recent do of a negro info fore, norary slavory in Kentucky haa surprised many persons, wlm were not aware or had forgotten that the Constitution of tho United States distinctly recognises the lawfulness of slavery .-r-'uvoluutav-y servitudeas a punishment fi.Vcrime. "Neithor slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, party shall have been duly convioled, shaft place subject to their jurisdiction." says the Thirteenth Amendment. There i is nothing in the oonstitutional-prohibi- % tion to prevent a State from makipg ■ slavery the penalty for ; very trivial ■ offences. The foot that this has not been more generally attempted in the Southern States shows how the sentiments of the people have grown away" from the ojd slave system, Besidos, if a law was paise'd imposing.slavery as a' punishment for., black culprits, it would have to apply >, white oulpri's also, and the possibility «fc- : a negro owning a white slave would Kern., unpleasant to the ordinary Slavery to-day is maintained as a penalty ■ for the non-payment of debt, in.one of the . native Slatos.under British 'protection 01^, Malay peninsular T'ie British .official, resident at Perak acti> ; .lly signs; warrant*..for the arrest of fugitiveslaveß wlida^onry-. orime is that they have run away feom a,., perpetual captivity incurred by the failure ~ to pay an amount which may not exceed. five dollars..' "While, we still tolerate slavery aa a' punishment for.. crime in the Iliiijed l States, tWpj'arrnotquite aokotal as Great.Britain;)-We da ,;.. not permanently enslave poor debtors who. ■.' are innocent of FrtneiitHt. paper, : >. ~;.-,.