Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-07-24
on Prison DIsCiPLINE-

ON P1uSON DISCIPLINE
numerous and Respectable s,ssemblare of ladies
md gcat!emen took place on Saturday the ot of
June, at the Precursors Tavern in london for the
purpose OF receiving the annual report from the
Sonnitiec OF the coc,ey for inproritg prison dis
Spine, andJor he rejoraa,tton ot itrenIe oG,ndrS
II was attcndcd by the Duke of Gloucester and
e'any persons OF rank and distinction. Mrs Fry with
considerable number of the Quaker persuasion, WAS
also present
The Report contains account of the present
state Of the prisons, and of the improve that had
Been introduced. Ii stated that instruction was now
afforded, mora! habits supcrnducet order and deco
rum established and the most beneficial CONSEQUENT
ecs Ike ~ To result, that since the
OF the visits ot the Ladies Committees mt Ncwuote
ana inc borough counter, the number of female pri-
snno rs recommitted had decicsed NO less than one
nit, and that the awful extent oil juvenile ,en-
Ses".' n'a iGu NE committee TO recommend that
PRISON SHOULD lie built solely for tho confinement of
boys, Who required different discipline from men TO
ysclaiin them from viccvs habits.
Inc hcpor; thea alluded t the formation of similar
socieucs IN foreign countries, and the happy cl-
reefs winch they lidproduced in France, Russia and
Switzerland.
The meeiins was add, essed by Lord Cahorpe and
Lord joan Russell, each of whom made lorciLle an
peal To the meeting in behalf OF the benevolent oi.
iects of the Society
Our limits allow us To furnish only the following
apie ana eloquent speech OF Sir james AIackimtosl
lie observed that in rising TO perform The task al
io'tcd TO MN on this occasion, he might with sui
greater truth than his noble friend say, that litle
was lett by which the discussion of this subject could
&c Proracted 1t was nevertheless with nccunr
pleasure that lie felt himself called upon TO serve rs il
were under the command of his ROYAL Hiehncss un-
'icr whose auspices lac had long labored IN another
cause-he meant the abolition of the African slave
trade; that greatest moral and political evil which
ever ahlcted human society. The miseri..s however
Which they had now contemplate touched tbcm
more heafly-ihcir motive 10 cNer,ion were aninat-
ca by tue reflection that il behalf OF the own
lehow sh'Jccts, tie members of that beloved commu-
MY, 10 which; after all, the sphere of their princina
eolgauons must be limited. He had himself been
GATED py the peculiarly of his public lie, to intro
uucc 10 tue notice OF Parliament certain bills for a.
GSauhS the severity ofpunis!ncnt in criminal cases
oh me Other SIDE he was told that, abolshing the
punishment ot DEATH he had provided no substitute
'ho as therefore proposing 10 leave society en-
Foscu 10 inc commission ofcrimcs, without any ade-
quate means OF suppress sing them. He called up
On 1ht institution 10 supply him with an answer
ihey had, indeed, furnished him with an answer and
one mat must shut the mouth of every gansayer Ii
was remarkable that attention the state of pris-
ons was almost peculiar TO modern times: and that
only one hundred and fifty years ago when this coun-
ny wus adorned by the most eminent statesmen and
Phio cphcis II was found necessary to pass an act of
parliament to prevent prisoners from being left to
perish CT hunger. MIR. Howard was the first person
"!o caused the stream OF sympathy flow in this di-
fection Tor, before his time the matter was either
overlooked, or the only sentiment entertained was
KIND Of stupid adherence of every one who was
merely accused of "A crime
ii was not till then that the true principle and OBJ
J'cloi all penal infections was acknowledged TO be,
MOI te grat,icatio of human vengeance nor the an
tciPaiIon OF eternal justice, but simply the prevention
ol CRIME lie agreed with what had been said by
ms noble friend, that punishment should be limited
hy ITS necessity and, considered with regard 10 the
PUNISHMENT oil death, that every life taken without ne
ccssity was taken without justice, and that such
necessity could exist till the inadequacy OF all other
means OF prevention had been proved The progress
oil this Institution, described in the Report gave
nm sincere satisfaction: he doubted not that il
woHid speedily check the cfusion of human blood
te learned, on the authority of friend that, so re-
eentlyas 1918, only tweutyt out of FIVE hundred
ana eighteen prisens were regulated according 10 law
FRAT NUMBER was nov greatly increased; and what
he was chiefly DESTROYS of mpressing on their minds
vas IN schemes like these, to grow weary of well
DONG, not 10 be damped by failure in their first eli
tCris not TO be provoked by unreasonable oDposton
hut to be content with perhaps the little that could be
attained. Thus engaged and directed, they might
;usly ieel conscious of accomplishing good than
hadbecn effected by all the conquerors who had daz-
lied the world with their exploits. Among the Sec
nndary advantages of this association might be es-
teemcd that OF its bringing together for the purcst and
uoblcst objects, individuals of different ranks and
religious persua5ions Whie each regarded his own
religious system, with peculiar vcncration, he was
mere taught TO recognise moral equality and 10 act
upon principles that belonged TO every religion He
here learned to think candidly of all who, in course
luxe this, participated in his feelings, or cooperated
in his activity
Never before had there been known such com
A1nauon oil parties and of sexes. That sex iudccd
which was naturally fitted for offices of eenteness
and compassion had not been satisfied TO remain mere
spectators. They had here formed "a good work in
which, without laying aside their modesty, tey might
take an active, useful, and becoming part 4 road
TO fame ( SO a thought was admissible on this
subject had been opened to them, in which they
might surPass men without exciting jealousy, and
IN which they had actually surpassed them AD-
pointed by Providence 10 soften as we'll ms to adorn
society, they we're not its ornament than they
were the depositary oftha class Of virtues which were
most essential to its happiness and welfare lin the
arrangements for Il reformation of female offenders
they had taken an active and elfecual part Tire
success of prison discipline, and the efficacy of
secondary pnnshmcnts, had been doubted happily
FOR 4he argument, and honorahIy for the sex-hono-
fably, lie would say, for the British natom-this
question stood no longer reasoning il was
now decidedby experience, by incontroyerble facts
hf the triumphant efforts of rat more than female
Howard (Mrs. Fry) and the baud of sister hcrones
whose conduct inspired him with feelings far beyond
tnosc OF cold admiration, and who had diffused a.
menoment and reform through the most crowded and
polluted prison in the empire Eaclish p1per.
4 .sl.lAa -I.r.r-