The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-07-27
htLApELrHiA,
August /, loi3.


SrKucE SrREEr, Pm pELrBIA,
August /, lsi3.
DrAR Sir | have at last found time to comply
with your request and send you the following hasly
sketch OF the origin and rise OF the Penns yania PEN
iteniiary System, Of which you may make what use
you please.
For this system, which is eaeelng so much good
are chiefly indebted TO the "Philadelpha Society
for alternating the Miseres of Public Prisons which
had IFS origin IN i776, and the parent Of all similar
societies throughout the world. Unfortunately for
the cause OF humanity the American war Of indepen-
dence immediately follow ed and put an end for
lime 10 lis labor. Soon after he peace however Gin
1870 II was recognized under the auspices of the
venerable b hop of the Episcopal Cburch in Amerl-
ca, William w bite who continued It's president from
this time until his dea in 1886 the advanced age
of IS years. The efforts of the members were al first
applied 10 the mitigation OF the criminal code of the
State, OF lher success In which the law enacted in
the State Legislature at this time Will ever remain
worthy monument. They next applied themselves
TO procure more humane treatment Of the convicts
IN the existing PRISONS and So successful were their
endeavors thai Hoicad wrote TO them that if he could
form such society IN England he would glue $500
and tequeat as much more.
As The finances OF the State would not al this time
permit of the erection of penitenaIy, they were
Obliged TO content themselves with trying ex perments
on The different sysens then in existence, 81 as to
form judgment whether any or which of them was
worthy OF adoption when funds should be obtained -
ln this pursuit they pared neither trouble nor ex-
ptnse. With view OF gaining accurate infor-
nation, one OF then most devoted bers, Samuel
H. w God, Esq subsequently, 30 we'll known as the
warden OF he Eastern or FIRST Pennsylvania Peni-
ientiay) was sent Europe. The result of their la
bors was the conviction that all the existing systems
Were vitality detective. In that though they provided
for the convicls' comfort aud health they gave little
hore OF his moral improvement, and they bee ame
dairy more liked IN The belief that this paramount OBJ
Jscf was only 10 be obtained by IN, isolation Of the
prisoner Solitary confinement niU0ta labor had al
ready been tried In Europe and in several of the me
mean States, and failed the effect upon he convc,
beng ioas OF health sometimes ending in nsaniiv
and death But separate confinement at labor had
neper been Jariy tried, and they believed possessed
gfea advantages over every other system. They
therefore induced the State erect Gin 1907 num-
Der oil cells IN the old town jail and although their
means were very mperiec', the effect upon the con-
vlcls confined In them fully confirmed them in the be
lie OF ITS being the only syst M and only re-
CURED to perfect it adequate religious in struction nd
properly constructed pentenlIary. II was at this
time that my attention first drawn TO their effort.
had but lately arrived from Russia h,ving pas. ed
year there IN the house OF nv uncle, Admiral
Count Mord~inoh, nobleman not more distinguish
ed as statesman (having been Minister of the
crown under three successive sovereignty than as
Pfhan hropisl II was In his arms the good Ho,uard
died. and such was the Counts esteem for his char
acter that he had a monument erected at his own
expense, over his remains In his society the char
acter and opinions Of Howard were frequently the
subject OF conversation. | was thus enabled To oh
tam The views of that good re alive 10 the prop
er construction OF prisons, and the study became
iavorlte branch of my profession. Upon an exami-
nation of the cells erected by them, was convinced
that much Of the evil effects from confinement in them
arose from their very bad construction. | therefore
made design Tor penitentiary, IN which kept
particularly IN view those essentials in all buildings
oil TINS naue-entire separation of the convlcts per-
Jec pe,f tdtion and easy supervision My designs were
regarded by the members of our society as the most
perfect and original they had ever SEEN and the Lee
gisiature having about this time decided upon the
erection OF Penenliary at Pittsburg q ey used ev-
cry effort to have them adopted but without success
onottuhately tbey mad not only 10 contend against
the efforts OF those individuals who still believed in
the superiority of unmitgated solitary confinement
without labor, but similar society the "Prson Dis
cipne Society OF Boston," had for some time been
enhsupg public sentiment in favor of a modi6ca alton
oil the Ghent system, as described by Howard on
winch they had had prison erected which they held
up as model, and which was undoubtedly superior
to the old Jails but unfortunately its advocates Gear
RED away by a favorte theory have been found
from that time 10 this most virulent In their attacks
upon all other systems and when truth failed to SUD-
port their method they have not hestated TO use the
grossest misstaements. Pennsylvania, however
was too well convinced Of the superiority Of physical
separation to adopt any plan Of which it did not
form part, but was IN this unfortunately per
suaded by few individuals TO adopt unmitgated sol
itude, only, however, TO prove, (after the loss of
seOo It's inieriorIty to the separate system on
which was employed by the Government 10 recon-
struct this prisop IN 1888 Three years after the
erection OF this penitentiry, l62l) The Legislature
determined upon the erection of at PHILADELPHIA
Tor the eastern division OF the State and this time
though violently opposed, the Society was more sue
cessiu, and an act passed - for the erection
tnr fha ..T.l
yicts at labor The labors of the Society towey
err were but commenced for the enemies of the
system were enabled so to retard the work by oppos-
ing The necessary grants of money, that it was egh
years before the building could be sufficiently com.
pleted TO receive inmates but from that moment.
progress, though slow, has been uninterrupted as
will be seen by the following:
List, &c u the STATE and County Prisons ,r,ei,d by M
Hduiiand, Of Philadelphia the plan keoion as the
Pennsytpdnian, shoioing the progrea of that system
In 1890 the first cells were erected on this system
IN the Philadelphia Town Jail, by the Philadelphia
Prison Society.
In 1921 the Philadelphia or First Penp,ylyania
Pententlary Tor 900 convcts was commenced; pri-
soners hr-t admitted IN 1899
In 1893 the Pittsburg Penitenary was reconstruct
ed for 236 prisoners
The same year Allegheny county, Pennsylvania,
erected EQUITY Prison of 40 cells at Allegheny.
III 1884 the State Of New Jersey adopted our s,s-
ten, and erected their Trenton Peniteniar for 400
convcts
Thus year also Rhode Island adopted the system,
and erected the Providence Penitenary Of 100 cells
The same year the English Government sent out COM
nissioners to examine our prisons they Outlined de-
signs y ON me, and on their return reported to Parla-
mem unat ,he pennsylvania sJstem was greatly supe.
nor 10 any other. Since then # has been ado. ted
throul bout Great Britain.
In 1885 The Prussian Govern ueni followed the ex.
ample OF England IN sending out commissioners, and
the result IS the erection at the present time Of four
immense prisons on the Pennsylvania plan
Thus year the Halls Il Jus ice at New York were
erected Tor 1873 untried prisoners on our system.
In 1886 The Canadian GoperHmeni sent comipission-
ers, for whom made plans, and who reported in la
vor Of our system.
This year Esser county, New Jersey, erected
County Prison of 40 cells at Newark
In 1887 the French Gortrnmeni sent Commissioners
who reported that the Pennsylvania system was the
only corr i sYsiam In The ..nrIA