Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-01-19
From the Baltimore Patriot.
MARYLAND pENITENTIARY.


We havr just had the grathc alton OF looking
over thu repor, Of the directors Of this inslilu-
ton, To the Executive Of this State: The de-
tails are altogether Satisfactory. They are such
as 10 furnish abundant evidence, not only 10
the usefulness and value Of The system OF gov
ernm nj, up0n which the affairs Of the insutu-
ton are conducted, but Of the care and indus
try Of the board, 10 whom the supervision oil
its concerns has been entrusted, The result is,
indeed, pleasing; and not less So can well
believe, to the board of Directors, than 10 the
public at large
Il is not in our poser at this lime, To live a
retail at length, vf the institution, as set forth
in the Report Of the Directors. But we cannot
refrain from mentioning some Of the prominent
facts And first, we have The unusual result -
in general reference to those establishments
-nf nett gain, during the past year, Of 49,,
So4i6
The humble, Of criminals confined amounts
TO sly. The cost Of food, clothing, and Incl
dental expenses. for these has been s s,7o5 SO
The expenditures for salaries OF officers has
been SS. 100 IS. And S2,5e3 SO has been dis
bursed, out Of the gross rec, ipts, on account Of
loans. Noiwit hstsnding these expenditures, not
leh. IN themselves, 20 have realized nett gain OF
80 8O4 l6 is a result, which ii is well observed
in tn Report, the warmest advocates Of the
Peniteuliary system, would not, a few years
since, have vcn,ured to predict, under any
arrangements that could nave been pro posed
The Police regulations, for the suppression
Of immortality, have for the most part succeed
ed. The Young have been separated from those
more advanced IN years aud crime; and the
LATER classified in manner indicated by their
relative grada'ions OF vice. Religious exercise
es have been performed with zeal, and, 10 all
appearances, effect
A serious objection TO the details Of the pre-
sent system, exists in too great freedom or in
tercourse permitted 20 conyicts, while al la
bour. The regulation or prohibition of this,
is deemed necessary. The expedlency Of es-
tablish,ng general Sunday School is suggest
ed, after The manner of that, al the auburn
prison
Religious instructions are inCulcae and
moral ana religious books are distributed among
the coEvicts.
The cos of the new building, inclusive Of the
labor of prisoners, has been S36,o86 ~. The
latter i,em amounts in all; 10 S6O7l 5o-and
for the year ending 30th November, to S52I6
IS.
Appended 10 The Report on the affairs IF the
institution is one, in its nature very interesting,
by oommiItee, which had been appointed by
the board Of Directors to visit the Pcni,eniiares
and prisons in Philadelphia and The Stale Of
New York. We have but glanced al this
and 6nd that il contains body Of infor m ation,
highly useful TO those 10 wcom may be COM
mitted the authority fregulsting the concerns
of such institutions. We close this hasiy no.
tice, by recommending the pervsal of this Re-
port, TO ,hose-and we hope they are many
who take an interest in the subject The great
system, which has for its object the prevention
Of crime, and the reform alton OF criminals, and
their consequent restoration, after fit ordeals,
10 society, must in the nature Of things, make
a strong appeal 10 the public consideration.