The Jail

It oftcn times comes within the province of a newspaper to teil disagreeable things, to exposé irregularities, to con(lemu evil practices and cali for reforms. These are not pleasant duties, but as duties they demand space. This week we liave been requested to lay before our readers a letter written by Levi Barbour in his official capacity as a inember of the fc . ¦ il vL v' !¦! lulVq lllKl dl ICI.ll"..,', Ib is in regard to the condition of our county jail, and it is in such a condition as would disgrace a prison-pen in Liberia. It must be almost as bad as were the English gaols when Dickens wrote his " Nicholas Nickelby." Indeed, it seems as though we needed his scathlog pen to wake up our Supervisors to the pitiable state of aft'airs existing at the "NVashtenaw county jail. At the tinie of their last meeting the Coürier urged the matter of erecting a new building, but even after a visit to the " pen " the board was contcnted simply to hold their individual noses, and return to their council room maintaining a pusillaninious silence In fear of their constituents, should they go beyond expenses for bare necessities. Just think ofit! No sheels, and even fresh straw grudgingly supplied. Filth, vermin, and a horrid stench. Herded together in vice ; the hardened criminal, and the youth who becomes his pupil. No bathing ; no washing of clothes ; no pure air. What a school for crime! What an existence for human souls! It is humiliating that even outcasts as they usually are, they can not have the humane treatment we would be guilty In refusing to a horse or dog. The citizens are guilty if they allow these horrible things to continue.