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

wkleh
the life
sub-
quality
-which
~ent had
adverted ; but he would, from-the blue boo, which he
held in his hand, supply that great omission, and show
to the C ,urt 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 lt,verend 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.—(Bear, 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 tl.us,
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 Chamber,' Edinburgh Journal, and my reason fur
writing this is, that I wish to subject myself to the dis•
eipline of the prinon tor twelvemonths, without commit-
ing any crime.—(A laugh.) lam a young man of very
respectable family ; my friends are wealthy,
and I s:n 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 v. ry great
injury, and distress to my friends, and I sin convinced
the only plan to break myself is to cut myself off en-
tirely from it, but unfortunately I have not resolution
tl
eorl I
t o
enough as long as I am at liberty, and I have, therefore,
wmiadshetuopbemiyn mind to
ptoarashteuteempr
andeli' up.—(Laughter.)
hn
Laugnhd
weave at—(Great laughter,)—which I understand,
having learnt it a few years ar.o for my own pastime;
and I intend to pursue the cold bathing system with thh
water supplied to the cell, and the drinking of cold
water also, as recommended by the Ilydropathic estab-
lishrnPnts 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 ray 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 :Lie 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 lam 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 laughtei',
Alderman FAREBROTHER 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 WB3 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 bad been the result of that
fii:tation between the chiplain and his unnamed cor-
respondent did not appear, but the following letter closed
the correspondence, which the chaplain had deemed a
sufficieatly important voucher of the merits of his pet
system of solitary confinement to get embalmed in the
inspector's report.

a Dear received your letter on Saturday last,
and am much obliged for your promptness in answering
mine. As you say, my requrst 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 would much rather
make my journey a_Toss 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 lab Our, &c., will satisfy
my mind—(ll era of laughter)--for I am 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.) prom the foregoing specimen of the con-
tents of the prison reports, the public might learn bow
the time of the prison officers and prison inspectors bad
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-
lieioa 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 be
found insuffioi, nt to exchange the name of solitary for
separate confinement, unless they destroyed its crushing
solitude and maddening isolation. (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 risits at the cells, those fearful con-
sequences ? -(Hear, hear.) If that relaxation of the
system became necessary to the preservation of mental
and bodily health, what would become of the argument
on which the jus:ifieation of the system rested—namely,
its power by its severity to deter the prisoners from the
re-commission of crime ?—(Hear, hear.) He should
cheerfully support the motion, because he felt that if
there still existed any mismanagement in the City pri-
sons, it ought to be rectified. The prisons were all of
an ancient date—they had been built at the time upon
the b 'st models, and the greatest attention had been
paid by the ourt from time to time to increase
their accommodation and amend their discipline.
The gaol of Newpte, in its objects and purposes, was
unlike any other prison ; it was a place for the strict
confinement of prisoners from the metropolitan counties,
preparatory to their trial at the Central Criminal Court.
The arrangements and discipline suited to prisons for
convicted crimina's were unsuited to that gaol. He re-
peated, he was not inimical to substantial and rational
improvement, but he 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 con •
sequences of solitude, mast add to the country an
overwhelming nominal sum.—(Hear, bear.) The nomi-
nal cost of persons subjected to that system of confine..
['sent, in the early stake of the business, amounted to
between 30/. and 401. a year. To what sum it might in-
crease,pr,ss impossible
when the system was fairly established, it was to state. The Alderman concluded by ex.
the strong indignation he 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
h u
Am
ladnei
rtym
ar
ne j (SAICDeNdEtoy
raeviuntgt
:seeralty t
hes
suggestionder. of several
Members of the Court, withdrawn his amendment,
Alderman WILSON rose to propose au 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 washes
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 th_lol3:l3
pertinaciously adhered to a mock discipline, h
it would be ab-
pesocoipieety. pronounced to be ruinous to the moralsw
of the
Sir PETER LAURIE suggested that
of State, with.
surd in the court to go to the Secrt
p ertas'ry report. In that
out having examined the
m the alleged consequences of
ilsunomontitseiwityitho-f
the inference drawn fro
t was calculatedto prevent
any attack of hereditary
report are several atatemenhitnins-gwe
couldchioch
equal
danl othtethfeoil leapy
foundation in truth; and not
the separate system, that
mental disease.
derWed
un
d Several
his .
amendment,mem bersentreasattehdey Aldermanoo nei
however most positively refused, and upon the questiraewat cosnsequence on such an occasion. 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 Coed,

The directors of the Eastern Counties Railway hams
given the liberal donation of 25 guineas to the testimonial
to the widow and family of Mr. W. F. Pierce, the supezin—
tendent of the H division of Metropolitan Police, who fen teen
years rendered every asiistance in his power to railway con
panics and their officers. We hope this example will be iilll
fated by other companies.—Railway Standard.