The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-12 00:00:00

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the most lively strain upon the correcting influence which
the separate system was calculated to exert over the life
and conduct of the frail portion of the community sub-
jected to its operation. Thy was, however, a quality
connected wit scription of discipline to which
neither the Chaplain nor his present correspondent had
adverted ; but he would, from the blue book which he
held in his hand, supply that great omission, and show
to the Court the attractive side of the picture, as
his brother Magistrate had indulged in describing
only its darker shades. That blue book, it
should be remembered, was not a romance, or a novel,
but a serious and pious document under the hand and
seal of the most grave and Reverend Prison Inspector,
which, as the title of the book ostentatiously stated, had
been " presented to both Houses of Parliament by com-
mand of her Majesty," for the instruction of members,
and printed and circulated for the edification of the
public at large.—(Hear, hear.) The letter was addressed
to the chaplain of the Preston Gaol, but, as was cus-
tomary with the correspondence in these reports, the
name of the writer was not given. It ran thus,
familiarly and kindly—
" Dear sir,—l hope you will excuse the liberty I take,
as a stranger, in writing these few lines to you. I read an
account of the new Penitentiary at Preston a short time
ago in Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, and my reason for
writing this is, that I wish to subject myself to the dia.
cip!ine of the prison for twelvemonths, without commit-
iog any crime.—(A laugh.) lam a young man of very
respectable family ; my friends are wealthy,
and lam myself possessed of a good property ;
money is not an object to me, comparatively speaking,
but I have unfortunately within the last two years got
into a habit of drinking too freely, to my very great
injury, and distress to my friends, and I am convinced
the only plan to break myself is to cut myself off en-
tirely from it, but unfortunately I have not resolution
enough as long as I am at liberty, and I have, therefore,
made up my mind to shut myself up.—(Laughter.) I
wish to be in a separate cell, and have a handloom to
weave at—(Great laughter,)—which I understand,
having learnt it a few years ago for my own pastime ;
and I intend to pursue the cold bathing system with the
water supplied to the cell, and the drinking of cold
water also, as recommended by the Hydropathic estab-
lishments now in use in England and on the continent.—
(Laughter.) I feel very anxious about it, and, as I said,
money is not an object. lam willing to pay. down 201.
as soon as I am admitted, which will insure the institution
from any loss; but I do hope you will take the
thing into consideration, and let me have a favourable
'answer soon. I hope you will not refuse me suddenly, '
but if you think a personal interview with any of the
inspectors or managers of the prison would further my
views, I could come over to Preston on purpose, to make
an arrangement as for certain. Nothing can lure me from
my purpose, though I should be sorry to have to commit
crime for the purpose of getting in, as it would so much
distress my friends. lam twenty-three years of age, of
a good constitution, and have never suffered from sick-
ness at all, so that I am certain my bodily health would
be good and I should give no trouble, but stick steadily
to my work.—(Great laughter.) I shall feel very grate-
ful if you will be kind enough to drop me a line by re-
turn of post, and, as I am a stranger in Preston, please
send me word how I can be admitted to see the interior -
of a prison, and whether you would have conversation
with me yourself, if I were to come over in the course
of a week. I shall be very anxious for a favourable
answer as soon as you can make it convenient.—And I
remain, Sir, yours truly."
As soon as the Court recovered from its fit of laughter,
Alderman FAREDROTHER proceeded—The letter, as
was proper amongst gentlemen, received a speedy
answer from the worthy chaplain. The contents of that
answer were modestly withheld, but it might be inferred
from the tone of the next letter, that the authorities of
Preston held out to the youth of twenty-three, some
hope of a domicile within the sequestered bowers of
Preston House of Correction ; but in order to make as-
surance of admission, a sly hint was contained in the
next letter, that if he could not be allowed to show its
benefits without committing crime, he would consult
an attorney, who would doubtless provide him with a
passport to the great object of his desires.—(Hear, hear,
and laughter). What had been the result of that
flirtation between the chaplain and his unnamed cor-
respondent did not appear, but the following letter closed
the correspondence, which the chaplain had deemed a
sufficiently important voucher of the merits of his pet
system of solitary confinement to get embalmed in the
inspector's report.
" Dear Sir—l received your letter on Saturday last,
and am much obliged for your promptness in answering
mine. As you say, my requ, st is extraordinary, but
my determination has been long formed, and I am not at
all inclined to change it. I feel very anxious to hear
from you again, and hope the visiting magistrate will
decide upon admitting :me, as I wculd much rather
make my journey across the country to them two ;
however, if he make any objection I shall come over to
Preston, call to examine the establishment, and consult
with an attorney about the affair, for nothing but 12
months in a solitary cell, with labour, &c., will satisfy
my mind— (Roars of laughter)—for lam quite certain
the benefit I shall derive will far more than counter-
balance any inconvenience I may suffer. Anxiously
waiting your reply, I remain, Sir, yours respectfully."—
(Laughter.) From the foregoing specimen of the con-
tents of the prison reports, the public might learn how
the time of the prison officers and prison inspectors had
been wasted, and the public money consumed, by get-
ting up such trashy stuff.—(Hear, hear.) He trusted
that the public would have their eyes opened to the de-
lusion attempted to be practised upon them by repre-
sentations respecting the solitary, or, as it was now
called, the separate system. The change of names
did not change the nature of things, and it would he
found insufficient to exchange the name of solitar
ssznittse caoneLfinemmaecittrulgess
itshoeiztidoesn.t_
(Hear, hear.
The theory upon which the advocates of the sepa-
rate system relied was, that men would be deterred
from the commission of crime by the anprehension of
the dreary solitude to which they would be consigned,
so frightfully injurious to both the mental and bodily
health of the victims of that system. Had that de-
scription of solitude proved that an abundant supply of
officers was required, in every gaol where it prevailed,
to avert, by frequent visits at the cells, those fearful con-
sequences ? —(Hear, hear.) If that relaxation of the
system became necessary to the preservation of mental
what would become of the argument
i'Aeation of the system rested—namely,
to deter the prisoners from the
--(Hear, hear.) He should
because he felt that if
iaotnns dpwbollos isd,cehi power ytbhylleeijatusldissteverlty"
ceeh.eeeermalyission of crime -I-
ement in the City sUoport themmisorntif4:
pri-
sons,there it
ttiolul The prisons were all of
t at the time upon
ention had been
an ancientgerdiatattete— date—they rectified.
had been bui
to increase
pthaeidbebs3t, mthoodelcs,ouarntd
frthome grtiemaetesttosa:.time
their accommodation and amend their
rpos, was
unlike anydiscipline.
e
Theganolitst w
objects a
p laanode
of
otherN
ew
gp
prison i n
confinement of prisoners i
from the metropolitan countieg,
preparatory to their trial at the Central Criminal Court;
The arrangements and discipline suited to prisons for
Pfuor the strict
convicted criminals were unsuited to that gaol. He re-
peated, he was not inimical to substantial and rational
improvement, but be was opposed to the system of soli-
tary confinement of untried prisoners, which it was the
purpose of the inspectors to force upon them. The
country would, before long, find out the enormous cost
which these experiments would cast upon it. Besides
the cost of constructing the gaols upon that system,
the annual expense would be immense. It might suit the
purpose of the promoters of the system to keep down
the amount for a time, but the enormous staff of officers
which would be required to teach and talk to
the prisoners to chase away the depressing COD-
sequences of solitude, must add to the country a 5
overwhelming nominal sum.—(Hear, hear.) - The nomi-
nal cost of persons subjected to that system of 'canfine-
between 301. and 401. a year. To what sum it.might ;la-
ment, in the early stage of the business, amounted to
crease, when the system was fairly established, it was
impossible to state. The Alderman concluded by ex-
pressing the strong indignation lie felt at the ingenious
attempts to excite sympathy for the most abandoned
criminals, at the same time that the poor and the help-
less seemed to be wholly left to their own resources, as
far as the interposition of Government was concerned.
Sir J. DUKE said it was quite impossible to alter New-
gate in such a manner as to adapt it as a gaol for the
separate system. It would be better to pull down that
prison than to attempt any alteration of the kind.
Alderman LUCAS declared that he was a decided
enemy to solitary confinement, as he believed, upon un-
questionable authority, that it was calculated to produce
insanity in the unfortunate creatures who were subjected
to it. That was one of the parts of the system in the
notorious Bastile, which was the abhorrence and detesta-
tion of the Christian world, and which every friend of
humanity rejoiced to see utterly destroyed.
Alderman SIDNEY having, at the suggestion of several
Members of the Court, withdrawn his amendment,
Alderman WILsoN rose to propose an amendment to
the effect of holding a conference with Sir J. Graham
upon the subject of the necessity of constructing a new
prison, as comprehended in his (Alderman Wilson's)
motion 'upon the day the Court was adjourned, on account
of the small number of members present. He ably advo-
cated the view taken by Alderman Sidney upon this
subject, and contended that not a single argument had
been urged upon the other side calculated to weaken
the effect of the inspectors' report, which represented
the existence of evils which, if not soon remedied by the
City authorities, must certainly find active opponents
in the Aministration. He considered that the magis-
trates of this City betrayed a strong tendency to the
very desire which they foolishly supposed was a neces-
sary consequence of the separate system, when they thus
pertinaciously adhered to a mock discipline, which all
society pronounced to be ruinous to the morals of the
people.
Sir PETER LAURIE suggested that it would be ab-
surd in the court to go to the Secretary of State,
thnwithat
-
out having examined the inspectors report. I
report arc several statements which had not the least
foundation in truth; and nothing could equal the fully of
the inference drawn from the alleged consequences of
the separate system, that it was calculated to prevent
any attack of hereditary mental disease.
Several members entreated Alderman IS 'Non to with-
draw his amendment, as they considered unanimity of
however most pesitively refused, and upon the questioss
great consequence on such an oecasion. The Alderman
being put, there were three hands held up for his amend-
ment, and four against it.
The inspectors' report was finally, according to the
motion of Sir Peter Laurie, referred to a committee of
the whole Court.

The directors of the Eastern Counties Railway haie
given the liberal donation of 25 guineas to the testimonial
to the widow and family of Mr. W. F. Pierce, the superin-
tendent of the H division of Metropolitan Police, who fer ten
years rendered every assistance in hispower to railway com
patties and their officers. We hope Ow ,m 1e will be iml
tated by OW ompapieseralkilwag #toniard.