The commissioner or the commissioner's agent shall, once a month, or more often if the person thinks it necessary, visit the penitentiary for the purpose of determining whether the laws, rules and regulations relative to the operation and maintenance of the penitentiary are duly observed, and the officers are competent, vigilant and faithful and the inmates properly governed.
Code 1858, § 5458 (deriv. Acts 1829, ch. 38, § 12); impl. am. Acts 1895 (Ex. Sess.), ch. 7, § 21; impl. am. Acts 1897, ch. 125, § 1; impl. am. Acts 1915, ch. 20, § 9; Shan., § 7472; impl. am. Acts 1919, ch. 39, §§ 1, 2; impl. am. Acts 1923, ch. 7, §§ 3, 42, 60; Code 1932, § 12067; Acts 1980, ch. 913, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 41-117.