Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-02-06

what counteractlng mental habit can he
build up under such despotic discipline as
is necessary in an institution, in which are
offenders Of every character,
and grade. murderers only excepted
except in1he most limit
ed degree, cannot be allowed TO hint is
inconsistent with the safety of the institu
ton; and, by working in sullen silence,
eating and sleeping in mute and gloomy
solitude, he soon becomes dissocialized.-
The highest faculties of his mind, the best
affections of his heart. have no occupation,
and become weakened by disusetude. In
his lonely cell he may resolve reform
but the enemy is not near, and his moral
courage is untried. Thus he lives for
weeks, till even the very taste Of ardent
spirits be forgotten, sand he cheats himself
with the belief that his hateful habit is
cured. Then comes the long wished day
of delivery, and. with little bundle in his
hand. and perhaps the gratnity of dollar
from the superintendent, he leaves the re-
ceptacle ofall uncleanness but scarcely
gains the main road to the city, before the
slckening consciousness comes over him,
that he is disgraced and blighted man
tainted with the moral miasma insepara-
BILE from the dissolute and Infamous char
acters of many of his late associates. To
meet this humiliating and dishearening
reflection, has he acquired the selfrelying
power, which enables a man to defy the
SCOTS of the world or the averted glances
and chilling reception of former friends ?
Can he molly exclaim-
"What matter sohere, if I be still the same -
and act up to the magnanimous sentiment
| Rather, will not
| j" the arrows of thought scar and blind him -
aye, crush and overwhelm him. The
struggle within him is unseen, and none
may know of its existence, or offer relief,
and, IN order to esca pc this mental misery,
he resumes his recourse 10 the fiend which
he knows will instantly change the troub-
led current of his thoughts, for the mo-
ment, and thus his ruin is complete. Each
successive confinement in the House OF
Correction regularly robs him of the at
tributes of humanity, till Death, in mercy
makes him
| -" a brother to the insensible clod.'
Entertaining these views, we have nc
| hesitation in expressing the opinion, tha
the practice ofsending people to the House
OF Correction for mere intemperance, is
in general, fatally injurious to them, anc
not In the least calculated to prevent sub
sequent indulgence in the pernicious vice
! Yet we would not be understood as relax
fling one iota from the strict, but sound am
sanitary principle of 10 ", that where par
ty commits crime, when drunk he Shout
e be made to suffer for it when sober; an
0 this leads US to another remark, on tn
: practice Of complaining of men as CON
e mondrunkards, because, when drunk, the
/, are habitually addicted to acts of violence
e This mode frequently keeps out the ev
Il den:e Of wife, who may have been a
most beaten to death, by an intemperat
husband. There is no reason why a brl
tai assa;G:....ee:: sshnuld be reached thus ind
e rectly, any more than robber, or incel
Il diary; nor do we see any reason wh
the Police Court should not have powe
TO send common assaulter to the Hou;
of Correction, as well as a common drum
= ard. That power, however, it does n
l. yet possess.-BostOn Press g. Post
N Why do not the foregoing remarks, settir
1t forth the inefhciency of the" house Of CO
lie rection" to reform drunkards, equally sho
lie the ineficiency of the house of correction
D. to reform other criminals? Most certainl
y, y if there be any truth in the doctrine tn
=, the incurableness of drunkenness by SUI
IN means arises from the mental habits"
A. the victim, IL has vastly more truth in rega
to other kinds of criminals. For no crimi
d, ais whatever are further from being subjec
le of mental discipline, and nearer being go
~ erned by animal propensities, than drum
= ards.
re 1t is high time that philanthropic a
rt christian people look into this matter.
e, there be any connection between the co
We rectioHa now in common use for crimina
- and their reform alton, let it be shown ach
- and ho1o it is. On the contrary, if the
or be, as is rather clearly shown above, t
e. connection of cause and effect, between I
~ present treatment of criminals and tn
he confirmation in crime and fiaal incorrigib
ne ty, let the important question be rails
~ whether the present system is either chr
he tian or philanthropic whether S,
he stitute cannot be found, more congenial
Vi the spirit ofgenuine philanthropy and chr
sis tianity.
be ------
- j. @. ADAMS
~. A Washington correspondent Of the
IT. ofA journal Oh commerce states That J.
Adams has recently declared, in the m,
e.rpLicit nlQRner, that he Is not nom. d