Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-23


tenriary for the District Of Columbia, having
prepared their Annual Report TO Congress,
oeg leave 10 submit tn. same to you ana 10 re-
ques, shat you will transmit il 10 The honora-
bic Congress, in such mannsr as is usual
Very respectfully, your ohsdienr servsnt,
HENRY ASHTON,
President Of the Board.
Report Of the Board Of Inspectors of the Peni.
ten,iAry for the District Of Columbia, 1880.
The Board of Inspector, Of the Penitsntary for the
District If Columbia respectfully report:
That, son al ct their appnin'ment, the
Beard was orgarizcd, aud took possession Of
the public properly committed TO thsir charge.
The act of Congress, under which they were
commissioned, appropria ed S27 600 for car.
rylng that act into eifec', and for completing
the fsnilenliarv. and preparing it for the re-
eeption Of cOnviCrs."
The wrgy connected with The main build
ing. and designed in the original plan OF The
archit1c', one Of them for The residence OF the
warden, and the other fr hospitsl for the
sick and other purposes, were found to tie
suffering ION The collection OF wafer in the
bassncn, stories. To drain ihcSe, and he Pri>
SON yards, and TO render The main building dry
ard heslthfui, /, was deemed necessary 20 con-
struc; sui, able sewers. The plan and Expense
! II his work appear 10 the ateomp aging pa E
per A We hsve also cSus, d to 80 rreo ed ad>
di,iopaI walls fer The security Of he prison
yard, VIII # for he llndins ,s supplies CONS
| ing bv water, and some m,nor improvements
,rr particulars and cost OF which Will appear
| in the sauIs paper A.
| II has been thought advisable 10 delay the
building OF he wo kshcrs ill cpavlc,s are re.
cewed as much Of the expense Of l:sir con
bs'ruc ION nav be nvoiisd BY APP lying to hat
obi CT the skill and labor IF he conviLts them
| selves.
Three s,smbcrs of the Board were directed
| pe, sonallv to Famine the , incipal penil'n-
iisries in Maryland, Pennsyl /, ania New fo' k,
Jnd New England, TO guide Us in our t"'ure
building .p,rA ians aud To acquire rhr neoe.sa'
ny information for the government and dlsci-
pline Of the ins'i,uuon
| Thu warde, arrived in May, and has since
resided IL he house INTENDED Tor the acc ON
mod ton Of himself aud family. The balance
| IF the apps oprialion, un, expended, and suoJ'c'
to he order Of The lBsptc ors Tor The pur, 'oses
Of the act Of the third Of March last, IS 8l3,
GIG 81.
The inspectors feel it their duty TO state, tina,
III. hous, occupied oy the warden is, from lis
DOS, ,on Il ose her unsuitable Tor The residence
Of his family Ii is located se,rny feet within
the * .rior prison wall, adjo'ns The prison
building, and fronts and opens inc the
| prison Yards, in which The conHicts VIII We I'm
Move at labor. L. is believed, no man with q
! family worthy TO FL this responsible trust, WIZ
! b., found wiling 20 subNc, nj. wife and ch'i-
sren 20 The personal risk md danger they
! must encounler, To the dtmoraizihE
associations TO which they Will be expo
sed We. therefore, suhm,t an eS'im''r
OF the cost # a new building Tor the war
den. marked B Thc same pap.r contains d"
estimate Of such further improvements ana *
! pcnd torss as nil be necessary In ;hS presr"'
yssr,ard shows The sum rrqui'ed TO meet zoe /"
in addition 20 the untxpenaed balance OF last
vars appropriation
The Peni,en ,ary IS now ready 10 receive
con,ic 5, and 80 hing rem in' % BE- do"e' o
TO bling !, in ,ff'cu,e opera'ion, bu soch a
revision aid am.na mem of n criminal laws 'i
hi, D,.rict as snail adap i to the improved
system o. peni:rn lay puoiahmen'
| | i the Ubi, CT Of tn, ,y.'cm Mt only To pro-
,.ct >oe,e,y rom the reoe 'iion OF the on nee,
and TO d. or, by The force OF example, ou' 10
| ,,ro,m he offender 20 separate him as much
as oo,sihl- from corru2nng ,n'er,ourse win
mare fl len, and rardcne fel!ons, 10 give 10
him he b,nef, Of moral aud religious ina'ruc
nan and 10 teach ann s,me usefui neohahi'
art. which may fu,ni the mean 81 one''
Inv gIhood after MS disc harge,as well as indem-
rfy he publ" for the expense oil 'heir sup
nor, while he q, suffering he sentence oil '"e law
The criminal law h, re remains aimoN un-
changed as i, existed upon the session o' ,"l'
Diuric, By the S a,es Of Maryland and Vir'
gioi,, and par,akes Of the ssngu'nay eha1s.
Or oi the statute and commons law punishmen''
Of England. S me OF it's feroeious ense:"en u,
have been heretofore brought 20 The not,ce o'
congress. by lave Rsprr,sn'A''vr from , a,
: Sc Of p.nnsyl. ania. 10 whoss zeal and exrr'
lon, m, p,onlr OF the Dis, riot owe a lasting
debt Of gratitude. ,,,,. No,
les, than fourteen capital offences; and In ne
county of Alr1audria, they are still more nu-
.,.,,s The humane and Mig tened leg'sla'
| ion of modern ,imes, confirmed by the results Il!
Of Experience, ha, esisb,hrd The ?r,nsips in m
that n til. more m,s" sei en-"
49, s.r,ri,,, in restraining and preventing
.r;1n, and orera,ipg ravoursbly by example.