The Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1822-1822, 1822-05-23

shew che propriety Of their application 70 the
| shb;ect now under consideration.
it IS an incontestible truth, hat the Jail OF
this county is in every respect badly fitted for
the accommodation of those unfortunate and
unhappy persons, who may be there confined.
Its locality Is Immediately on the river side,
where the destructive fevers incident to sea.
ports usually break out. 1t is on a level piece
of ground, and SO surrounded and barricaded,
that scarcely any ofthe winds OF heaven permit
ted to visit it. 1t has no yard, where the pri-
soners may exercise their weary and unsound
limbs, and breathe the refreshing atmosphere.
1t is in the neighborhood, whose alleys, bye
ways and docks are generally crowded with
filth and %poinsonous miasmata so admirably
suited to communicate pestilence to the lnhabi-
tants of this contemplate building. Its rooms
are entirely too small, and such is their pauci-
ty, that the debtor is frequently compelled to
| associate with the confessed felon. There isno
mode of vsntilating the prison or emptying its
| pestiferous vaults. It rather resembles a mo-
! nument of Gothick barbarism, than an edifice
for the custody of prisoners in a christian ma
| ton. 1t may be true, that in some respects it
| possesses more advantages than the old Jail,
| which in all probability would not yet have
| been demolished, but that its existence was no
longer durable. Humanity blushed, and the
genius of virtue was eternally assailing its
| walls.
IF Fam not mistaken, this Jail has been pre-
scented as a nuisance by the Grand Jury. IT it
has not, it ought to be done instantly. 1 should
| almost be inclined to be of opinion that the
right of abating a public and notorious NUS
| ance, such as this is acknowledged to be, re-
NAMED in the people. / do not pretend to be
positive as to the law on this subject. Certain
it is, that a nuisance of the most fragrant and
violent nature exists, and if it he not the duty
of the people to remove it, it ought to be the
duty of the court, for a competent authority
must be lodged somewhere.
Suppose this Jail was pronounced nuisance,
| and that of the most dangerous character by
! the Health Officers of the Corporation, and
upon proper notice, it was not removed, would
not the Corporation have the right to remove
it? Suppose they would, considering this one
| of the soundest maxims of law?-Suprema lar
est saAus populi. One would imagine that the
peculiar department of providing for the COM
fort ,heaAh, maintenance and protection ofthose
who are cast into Jail by the operation of laws,
belonged to the government of the United
| States, under whose jurisdiction we are. Bot
Congress, in this respect, has entirely fogotten
or abandoned us.
The next auth sritv which ought to be con-
suited is the Levy Court of the County, who
from want of ability or inclination, have not
turned their attention so precisely to this point
as It's great Importance demands. ] am dispcs-
co to believe, that this Court has been rather
too delicate in its notions respecting the guam
/ tum Of money, which might be necessary 10
| erect a comfortable and healthy prison. This
objection ought not to have any weight, mas
much as we have been for many years exempt
ed from taxation. They have a Court House
already provided for the use of the County.
The only Public Building which IS wanting,
and that need not be a very expensive one, is a
commodious, decent and comfortable Jail, 10
Gated on some salubrious spot. In that partrc-
| ular, the counties of our parent state have far
\ outstripped us: for to the best of my knowledge.
| all their old and miserable iails, the remnants
Of royal oppression have been DESTROYED, and
new and handsome ones, have been erected in
their stead. Let the Lew Court then devise
the ways and means of giving to this Countya
! neat and salubrious prison, and render 1t not
only a comfort, but in the language Ga warm
hearted Irish emigrant, an Kramer to the
town and County.
Let them instantly impose taxes orthat pur-
/ pose, and dare say, that with a moderate tax
! alton and other means which may be suggested,
sufficient money NAV be raised. In order 20
assist the Levy Court in this praiseworthy I'm.
| dertaking, 1 would endeavour to enlist on their
side christians of every denomination. Instead
Of charity sermons and subscriptions, for the
| purpose of sending money out of the country,
I would call on our pious and holy Ministers of
the Gospel and their cations to assist IN
this truly christian and divine work. L would
endeavor to convince them that the exercise OF
charity Is as bright a virtue at home as abroad;
and that we should strive to accommodate the
residence of the prisoner to his unhappy con-
dition, as the Lord tempers the wind to the
shorn lamb. When they survey and peruse
the actions of a Howard, plunging into the
r~ecesses ola damp DUNGEON, and his labours in
devising plans to render the situation OF prison
ers more comfortable, and the construction OF
prisons more conducive to the health and hap
piness oftheir occupants, they will only follow
the example of their advocate and wise MAS
TER, who ssatso uuent about dong good"
SO often has this subject been the theme of
newspaper publication, and the frequent ami
madversion of Grand Juries, that the heart is
almost sick at the repetition, and hope would
seem to be forever deferred But I call upon
the ermined Judges, the respectable justices OF
our county, and the Ministers of our holy relig-
ion to give an attentive consideration to this
deep and interesting matter. The people, the
mass of the people, are invoked to aid in this
charitable demonstration. Let some means be
instantly adopted for the purpose of executing
this laudable work. 1T is one too striking and
awful to be passed over in silence. When the
stranger makes the enquiry, where is the pris-
on of your County? The man of nice sensibil-
/ ;ty &c almost ashamed RI shew II. hut if one of