North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-09-11
EDITED BY CANADIANS & AMERICANS

sfAE E'Net1s @tAN Nat tstC ttAtE fONA SUI
emntty Of the Catholic Church. Is this
not new proof that heaven is for the
pictors! When a new Instruction takes
place in Canada, hope that the Canadians
will bear this in mind.
osrd May. have already said that we
are not allowed TO see our friends nor
even our Attorneys, though we have law
suits pending before the Court. It's
painful sight to see mothers and wives ira.
Yelling 30 or go miles for the mere gratifi-
cation Of seeing their children, or their
husbands, through iron-grated windows,
remaining oftentimes the whole day around
the walls Of the Jail, and many a time
without the desired effect. In such con.
duet nothing of criminal character, / sup
pose, can be found; nevertheless they are
forced to quit the ground from the harsh
treatment they receive; and this very day
they have confined to jail two of the friends
Of one Of the prisoners, because they hal
nodded to the rebels from the street
in passing by the Jail. Shall it ever be
known by what authority these men are
incarceratcd' The regulations of the Jail
give US the right Of seeing our relations
and friends twice week. Mr.. l.. M.
Viger and Mr.. PeItier having summoned
the Sheriff to allow their friends TO visit
them, Mr. De St. Ours took immediate
pains to have that part Of the regulations
recalled.
| 18Th May.-Another OF those regula-
tons gave leave to the prisoners to go into
the yard Of the Jail. However on this
day we are allowed for the first
time to inhale the free air, out of our nfec-
ted cells, which favor was repeatedly beg
ged from the Sheriff. The regulation does
not specify how long tbs prisoners can re-
main in the yard, but Mr.. De St. Ours
has ordered that it shall be from ten O'Clock
Am. till noon, and from two to four O'Clock
PM, a.e.--durng the most excessive heat
Of the day. He has also ordained that no
n han tie ten y 9qca Al We fnasobero 50
state prisoners, it may be seen how long
each of us may enjoy this promenade, TO
inspire fresh air at noon-dayS in a
place too where there is not single tree
to shade us, Great numbers of the pri-
soners have disdained to accept of this
gracious offer from the Sheriff.
Nevertheless little air and exercise
must be necessary to the prisoners, as the
greatest number of them are lodged in cells
which differ from the dungeons only in their
location. A part Of this Jail has been
built for penltentiary, and the cells we
inhabit now, were destined to solitary con-
LfnemenL. The prisoners thus secluded
! would have been we'll secured, and their
health would not have been impaired, as
their work would have employed them
during the greater part OF the day in the
work shops, which were to be erected
in the yard Of the Jail. But the want Of
air and light, and the infection that comes
from the privies, the inactivity to which
we are condemned, must in time destroy
: the health ofevery prisoner who has beer
confined in them for six months past.
: Its an atrocity worthy of the dark ages
to keep shut up in such places and unde
! such circumstances, people who are bare
: accused, with those who were found guilt,
r of the most odious crimes. As long as
t prisoner is only accused OF crime, common
justice requires that he should not be treat
1 ed as guilty until convicted, and conse
!. quently no punishment can be inflicted Of
t him. II a man is found guilty Of an infrac
I ton Of the laws, let him be punished &C
e cording TO the sentence pronounced agains
e him I; but for justice and humaniiy's sake
e if he is TO be deprived OF his life, let it b
t done speedily, and not by tormenting hir
: most cruelty and most numerically, with a
s the sgonies of six months confinement i
Il loathsome and filthy dungeon, whilst
i few minutes on the gibbet would answer tn
purpose as well as thus long and paint
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