Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-06-14
For the Alexandria Gazette.
THE ALEXANDRIA PRISON.

THE ALEXANDRIA PRISON.
To the Citizens of .Alerandria.-lnfu-
enced by motives OF humanity, last week
visited the Jail Of this county; and il the
philanlhroplc feelings of man could e.
yer be touched, il is, when he sees his
fellow creatures. immersed in miserable
dungeon, where the breezes of the hea-
Yens are not permitted 10 enter; and the
atmosphere they inhale, has the most fe,id
and offensive smell.
This Jail was formerly the back part OF
warehouse, and was converted into this
receptacle for persons sentenced either for
their rnisiortuBes or their crimes. The
entrance is on the south side; the prison
being de5srred from receiving air, on sc-
count OF the jailor's house being situated
directly in front; thus totally excluding
both light and air. Ii is bv narrow pas
sage through the jailor's house, nearly
blocked up with barrels of fish, (tbus add
Jug to the fetidness of the place aBd OBJ.
structing the passage) that you enter a
very small room in the prison Of about ten
feet by twelve; in which there are three
doors, one on the left op'ning into the apart
ment OF the whites; one on the right to
tbe blacks, and the third, directly oppo-
site the entrance door leads up stairs
in the chamber Of the whites there is but
one window, which is on the west. and
they have not only entirely prevented them
trOm looking out OF il, but excluded all
air from entering by having erected We
~ bign fence directly against it which ex.
tends nearly TO the top of the prison
Thus is this chamber entirely void of air,
which is indispensably necessary to pre-
serve the lives and health OF the prison.
soners Ii is impossible for them even to
look irto the small yard in the rear of the
prison. for there it IS entirely blocked up;
aDi the attempt 10 see from the place
where they have made a window is as
useless, they only see The high fence di.
rsctlv asain-r them, and they have The me-
Iancboly reflection in this miserable DUO
geon Of being not only deprived Gas is al.
ways the case IN prison) of the little enjoy
ments that life afford, but are even deDied
that clemency, which 10 other prisons is ex-
tended to the vilest criminals. TO add to
the horrible situation 1t this room, the
prisoners informed me thai it was so ex-
fremely warm that il would be impossible
Tor them to support existence through the
summer; and indeed having merely put
my head for moment through the door
into he room. the heat which aasailed me,
added TO the unhealthy vapour which ap-
pearet to be there, quickly compelled me
10 v IthdIsw; not without sigh OF COM
misserslion, for the poor prisoners conhn-
ed, and a reflection on the cruel parsimo-
ny OF ouT government, in not feeling more
tor our situation and furnishing US with
better Jail, for this would actually be
disgrace among the most barbarous nations
OF Africa Or ASIA. The room OF the blacks
Us situated IN be same manner, except that
their compass,0n towards the inmates OF
that chamber, has exceeded that which is
extended TO the whites, as they have air
from one window on the north, which
looks into the yard. The heat is here too,
very excessive, and the window against
the yard admits the most pauseons smell.
The two rooms up stairs are situated in the
same manner, iD one of which the debtors
are confined. We may nuw look at it. 81
tuation, and show how little comfort can
he expected from its external appearance;
II being part of warehouse, the front is
occupied as q store, which is on the east,
and thus both light and air are prevented
from entering the prison. On the west is
the high fence as before stated, thus pre-
venting the same from entering on that
side Of the house. On the south is the
jailOr's house, which also keeps off both
wind and light; and the only side on which
the slightest portion Of wind can enter, is
on the north. which is the backyard of the
prison, from whence there issues a.smelI,
which while il is obnoxious to man OF
delicacy, cannot but inJure the health OF
those confined, for the yard extends back
about fifteen feet, and is the deposit of e.
very rufhsn that may please 10 contamin-
ate the air. as foul and putrid as it is, and
the fence is about the height Of f5 feet -
There being but four rooms, while there
ale debtors, il will be necessary 10 con-
fine whites and blacks together, as il fire
queutly happens that there are confined
males aud females of both colors. The
above account OF the prison of this coun-
~ IS correctly stated, and those OF our
community who are at a loss to conceive
that such can be the enormity OF the case,
are requested TO call and examine Tor
themselves; though the writer would go
move INTO a detail OF facts relating there
TO, did not correct sense OF delicacy pre-.
vent him from laying such nauseous facts
before the public
Is II IN such place as this, that the un-
Fortunate debtor should be ;con6ued? IS il
10 such place that are to be Immersed