New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-10-20
For the Tnbuac.
For the Tnhuac.
THOUGHTS on THE STATE PRISON
QUESTION

avail myselt. Alr. Editor, OF the courtesy wit
which YOU offer ne your columns, 10 correct you
mi,spprehen-ion Of q portion Of my former re
mark. and to suggest one or Two more ihought
on The State Prison Question
You ,b.ervea that though my argument again
keeping felons in :d!eness wa very strong, "
tina, it was unnecessary, and that my ammunition
was wasted : inasmuch YOU had never met
three persons Who were in favor Of keeping teon-
as gentlemen Of leisure and supporting them >,
rax on hone,t industry. That Is The most un-
worthy and di,ingenuous mode ofconducling d con
trover-y, which atudou-ly avoids stating neces
-ary result and -; coserily urges every argument
tending TO it. Such is the position in wi.ch tie
opponents 81 The present Prison System place
themselves before TIE Public. Whilst they 10 no:
openly ayow Themselves opposed 10 all corapulSoiy
labor, they Yet assume POSITION, which. il sus-
tanned by the community in it, Iaw-naking capa-
city will inevitably result in return 10 the sxplo
ded system Of confinement without labor al the
pense of the taxpayers 1t is for thi. reason tha,
an uuan,wetable argument on th. very poinr,
should be Brought 10 the notice Of all who whether
indirectly a. voters or directly l, LEGISLATORS. may
huve occasion to act upon the question What,
then, are these positions
First, That all employment Of ielons in me-.
cha,cal labor Is olous; subjcciing the trades to
contumely and degradation. 1t is not needfu to
adduce quotations, to show that th- i. "a common
appeal to the passions, by mechanics in their al
dresses, Sc Every sne of them whose eye flll-
upon this. will ADM, the truth Of the statement.
Second, That the mechanics now support the
Prison embellishments, cannot fad that Tie Re-
Dor, or Addres, Of the recent State Convention Of
Mechanics has been We; pub-hci; but in the
Tr.buae Of Sept 9th, the receipt ofitis edtoriaIly
acknowledged. la your account o; lyon say. Mr.
Coinmerford asserts that the honest mechanics sup
port the luboring fclons.' Now though Mr. Com
merfoni may have been The writer Of the RcPorr
yet it was adopted by the Convention; and of
course speaks the sentiments Of, at least, major
ity thereof. So, then, the great body Of the me-
chanics. if truly represented by their State Conyen-
ton, claim that they support the ielonS
Third, That Prisons are established Tor tie pro-
lection of the ich and therefore that they should
pay for their support. The second Resolution ot
the State Conventions above referred TO, reads thus
q" Tina, as fve-sxths Of the inmates OF our State
prisons are under punishment Cor dcpredations
committed on property, and their continued
imprisonment renders property more secure,
- therefore property should pay their support.
This is quite plain and distinct and the syllo-
gi,m is perfect
Fourth. That fcons foriei, the nigh, to labsr by
the commission of crime must be- INDUCED IN II
few rather long quotations to establish this. There
was very large and respectable meeting OF me-
chancs held at the Apollo, Broadway, on the 2S'h
of June last, who published their proceedings for
the benefit of the public. | extract from these
/" No citizen injured by its consequences De. state
" Prison competiiou) should so tar forget what -
" due to him freeman, as 10 quietly sIt cow
land allow egi,nl to continue system o' pc
''licv which virtually declares that men who nave
forfeited all claim TO the respectful consideration
OF society shall be permitted by statute to become
"ih. associate. and equals OF those who labor as
s;,luou,y and honestly &c; which, done lato
psin English. means that felons should not be per
mi,,ed 10 labor. Again: in their analysis OF the
elements of the Constitutional rights OF the peo-
pie Of this State" O. ther second position assumes
.s fundamental truth that " no perccPuhe DIS
.tincion or exception in the operation OF the laws
vas mean, (heiwecn the members OF the Stale
save when an individual forfeit, hi. standing and
his liberty bv the communal OF crime, thus s'pa-
&" rating himself from that participation IN the be-
nefs of the compact, rs 10 thereby canoe the eN-
ercse of ever, function OF his former privileges;
which has no meaning n applied To the SUBJECT
under their consideration, unless II convyS the ae
thai The f.lon tnicits the privilege OF labor Once
mar, the meeting SAYS d" Bessie looking upon
..,he convict as relinquishing his ight dur'og TIE
pcriod OF his confinement. to keep W, through
q. the distribution of his labor. connection win
- the community whose laws be has Violated &c
So, TOO in their fr-I re'o luton" Legislators h"'e
no righ,tul authority 10 sanction The N'Ht'h OF
- the principles OF government. 10y 'He chac''oh "l
laws to prevent men from the commission oil az
sressions on the persons on property OF All mn
-. yidual and nj The same umc asrcc that those
"who subject themselves TO imprisonment S''..
be whirled about aud instructed as tradesmen'
&c; the simple idea here meant Ia be conveyed
being that teons ought not be- permitted TO aoor'
II j. ,rne indeed thai the a>, thing said IN these
proceedings is. ,ha, Eve express decided prefer
=. enre for a system of solitary confinement "ii'
labor" which. the rea1rr will probably sSE'
amounts 10 Just uothing-uulcSs, indeed he mas
wit enough 10 see the mighty difference, m Poin' oil
principle, between bringing the solitary iaoo' %
ielons and their labor IN gangs INTO conPe'lAoN
with that OF honest men. So much TOT The AP"~o
meeting
Let US now travel to Albany. Al the ConVen-
ZION Of Sept Isl, Nh Plat Of Duchess VINO
seemed 70 take a prominent part in Ike donss OF
III. day. said what the Legislature had TO do
:. was 10 abolish mechanical labor IN the STAT
q. Prison: and ,ha, too wholly irrespective Of ana
di.,inc. from. anv substitute" Tins i, plain tan.
The last quotation on this point with which
- y. -. 80. ~ r.alnr i. from lh.