Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-06-23

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OF the past year. there were CSC inmates !;
at the close Of the year 857. The whole
number connected with these asylums
during the year was 1407. During the
year. 4l5 were cured, 238 were mprov-
ed, Is died. The whole number of the
inmates of these Institutions since they
were established, is 9,849, ofwhom 8,843
have been cured.
The first asylum established In this
country was at Wiiiiamsburgh, fVa1 be-
lore the Revolutionary War. The Mac
lean Asylum at Charlestown, was estab-
lIshed IN l8I8.- Between the years 1920
and 1880, three asyums were founded :;
between 1880 and 1910, eight and with
10 the last two years, provision has been
male for eight more. The cures effected
In recent cases, average about 80 in 100;
10 old cases about 35 in 100; deaths, 9 in
100, small proportion compared with
the ylums ia Europe. In relation to
Causes OF Insanity, 1t is stated that IL per
cent arc insane from Intemperance; rs
from III health, &C.; l6 from disappoint-
ed affections; 4 from loss ofproperty, Sc;
4 from religious anxiety; and per cent
from secret vice.
The tacts and remarks relating to Pen
itentiarles, are full aud Interesting. The
increase Of prisoners in@thirleen Penten-
tlafies during the past year is So, being
an increase far less in proportion than the
increase of Population, The mortality
has been only l in Sc, showing a state of
health more favorable than in many coun-
try villages in New England. This cal
culatlon includes the deaths in the Phila-
deIphia Penlteniiary, where SOLITARY con-
JtHement is adopted, and where the deaths
were to Is. 1t is also stated that in the
New Jersey State Prison, conducted on
the same pan, several convicts were par
doned in consequence of the inroads of
disease, and died soon after they left the
prison. The number of Iunaties ia the
prisons are stated al 80, Of whom rs were
IN the PhlIadel phia and the New Jersey
Pententiaries where more convicts be-
country, established on the Auburn plan.
Imprisonment for debt has been abolish
ed in several ofthe States, aud in others, a
beneficial change has been wIoRght. In
Massachusetts, the number of commit
mentS has diminished one half In Penn
sylVania, the laws have undergone a ma
terla cnange-and in New York State,
the number of commitments last year We're
less by 10000 than it was in one wear, 10
years ago. The number Of annual COM
mitmeDts in the United States are dimin-
lshed about $4,000 since that period.
The County prisons are spoken Of at
some length In the repor: The whole
number is about 42O-sad the whole
number Of prisoners, annually $4,000, OF
which 10000 are in the prisons of New
York, Philadelphia aud Boston. With
regard to these PRISONS the report asks
whether they shall be schools for vice or
reformation whether they shall incu!cate
lessons OF virtue or teach habits of idle
ness ddissolu.eness whether they shall
support themselves, or be tax on the
comEunity2 If the latter alternative
should be adopted, it would make a differ
ence Of toCo millions Of d0ttGrS,-an i'm.
portant point in political economy as well
as in morals. The report dwells on the
value TO these convicls, Of II oral instruction
and regular mpoyment-as exemplifiec
in the Hartford (Ct.) County jail, which
mole than supports itself by the labors o
the convicls-and which was built in par
by the surplus earnings Of the convicts G
the State Prison.
), After reading the abstract of the Re
port which was accepted, the meeting wa
addressed by Rev. Mr.. Holt, and Presi
dents Humphrey and Hopkins-Mer
Journal, abr.