New-York daily tribune., 1844-12-07

their Inmates, was held last evening at Inc
Aoollo. Notwithstanding t1a inclemency OF the
weather, e large and highly intelligent audience
assembled at the appointed hour, thus sto'eins
gratifying evidence Of strong puoiic lsc'lng III
favor of the movement.
JoHx W. EDMoSDs, ESQ. rose few min1tes
after seven o'clock and nominated as
Presilest-vlCE CHANCELLOR MeCouh.
Yics Preiiasn,Sr
Rev. Dr. SfFirG auG Gea .. II. sTkrsoEE
Secretaries:
JorS /. O'SuLLrvAs and JouE JAY, Esqfs
The Chairman, in brief speech, nouced the
object ana purposes fot which the meeting hsd
b:en convened, and read the call published IN the
public prints of the city, which was subscribed
by some sixty or saventy of The most resPecta-
bic and distinguished men in the community.
JoHs " EDMoxDs, Esq, President Of the
Board Of Inspectors, rose, and for the purpose OF
giving direction to the purposes OF the meeting,
offered the following resolution:
Resoirei That j, IS expclent 70 form the City OF New.
York Prison Association. and that Committee DO appoin
c.a,lo 10 and noninatlon Of suitable Officers therefor
Before putting the question epFoposcd to say
few words en- the motives which led the OH
| cers of the Prison and the benevolent gentlemen
whose names were appended 10 the call, to make
this appeal to their f,llow-ciIizcns IN behalf OF
the outcast convict He then went into an able
and elaborate review of the causes of crime. lie
examined at length, with cose and earnest sctu-
tiny the progress OF crime in England aud Amcrl.
! ca, ard then drew careful and well digested
/ lof,- fbn Sauprat systems ad01tG q
| in England and in this country, proving lncon-
tcstbly by figures, which cannot lie that the hu-
manc ard rnercfu! system adop'cd IN this coun-
try was productive of better results, than the
| harsh and cruel one which until late years ex-
listed in the Prisons in Englsnd.
About six months snce he had been appointed
ono Of the Inspectors Of the Sing-Sng Prison,
and in his observations since thcu he noticed that
many of the discharged convcts lett the prison
under an earnest and sincere desire to repent OF
the evil of their ways, and to bccowe useful ana
respectable members Of the community But
most of these discharged convlcts had not the
means of obtaining an honest livelihood; Tor The
allowance granted by the State was often tunes
too scant to enable them to reach even the town
from whence they had come. This allow
ance is limited TO SO othat OF the two hundred
convicts discharged in the year. the allowance
GRANTED to them from the State is but Sb0U, TO
be divided proportionably among them, accord
irr to the distance they may have to go 10 gam
the spot where they claim friend. Those mcn
90 iorti, destitute and unprotected, and II Is
lamentable fact that, some for want OF employ
ment are driven again into the commission OF
crime, and again are returned to the cell oil the
Prison. 1t is the knowledge of this fact which
has influenced the officers OF the Prison III rnov-
ing in the case
Mr. E then went into detailed history Of the
| present condition of the Sing Sing Prison, for
the purpose OF showing that New YORK and
Brooklyn had an imperative duty 10 perform III
the matter Of reforming the unhappy convict =
Out Of the number of SCI males anu 73 females
nav confined there he stated that 462 males and
| "a females were from the city of New York and
| Brookiya-a number more than one half all Of
whooui, after they have been discharged, come
hilher TO seek an asylum, as they naturally c5n-
slider it tLei. home The remainder it may be
said also pass through hsrc on their way 10 their
various destinations. Nov as 200 10 $50 are
discharged per year, the monthly average of DIS
charged nvicls in franSitn in New York may
DC set down at from 25 to 80.
| Ii was certainly an important consideration as
10 what should be done for this class. Shall,
said he, they be sent back into tho commission
of crime, or she'll they be made honest, virtuous,
aud respectable Shall ANY aspirations to vir-
tue they may possess be encouraged or dlscour-
aged 1t became subject of serious moment
to ell who had the power to decide, what should
become of this number Of their fellow creatures.
Ii was believed by the Officers of the Prison,
and by others who had given the subject sc,
rious consideration, that many of these unhappy
beings can be reformed, andled back to good aud
vituc, andt was to carry out this belief that they
had conv cned this Meeting.
| He then took up some of the objections urged
against the efforts Of such society. 1t was
generally objected that many OF the convic 5
were old men, whose habits OF iniquity were fix
ed, and could not by any efforts OF human phi
lan.hropy be regeneEated. True, said he, we have
some whose years are past slxty-aye and women
| too, and OF these indeed we have but little
hope. But exclude this class from the calcula-
ton and there was left yet another class well
| worthy of consideration. Out of the number
now in prison 335 are above 80 years of age.
Let it be believed, if it will crafty The opponents
of the society, that this number are confirmed
criminals, second comefS re-convlctcd) are
beyond the hope OF reformation. Some, even Of
those who had preceded Mr. E. in office, were of
upulinn lnhL 0Hte CoHNlcttoJ dii DOpe Is gone.
| He, Mr. E. did not coincide in this belief, and
he thought he was borne out by the facts which
he would state
Out of the 954 in prison now, 1874 only have
been in prison before, and adding TO this nun.
bcr the 335 over 30 years OF age, and what a re-
mander was left ? OF whom can we have hope
if it is not Of the young in life, who possess some
education and arc OF temperate habits-lnany of
whom have been sent to prison for crime to
which they had been driven by want or neces.
sity, by dcstitu,ion and starvation 1t is of such
remainder that there exist in the benevolent
heat, hopes of reform and Of returning vittus
that they shall miDgle in The stream Of bu-
manity, aud under the protecting hand of kind
ness and bencvolcncc, become respectable citi.
zens.
OF the present inmates OF the Slug Sing Prison
| 90 which Mr.. E. chiefly confined his remarks
throughouO 27 were committed under II years
of age 1872 were comuiited under > years OF
age (about Is ot the whole 500. or about two
thirSs, under 80 years Of age. Oi this number
| 40 were males and % females. Most of thom
can Rad. OF the males 357, and OF tie females
| IS have been of tcmperatc habits OF the males