Weekly national intelligencer., 1845-11-22

Turning aside even for brief interval Of time,
from the contentious of party, the runors Of war
and strife and the details OF outrage and suffering
u IS purifying and ranquillizing to contemplate the
union OF exerlion and benevolent endeayor n dmin-
ishing the amount Of human suffering, and distress
ing consequences OF human error, folly, and crime.
Such refreshing half hour has been afforded us
by the perusal of Miss ID. l.. DIxs g Remarks o.,
Prisons and Prison Discipline IN the Tinted
oiates." We owe our thanks TO this aniable and
intelligent lady, not one of the family Of man,
end grateful to her for the unwearied phanthropic
exertiops which she is making to better the condi-
ton OF the most abject and degraded classes Of our
species, but also for the Information and the glow OF
satisfaction which her publication has impaired 10
us individually.
Miss DIX has visited or made herself intimately
and mnutely acquainted with the condition OF the
State penitentiarics and PRISONS throughout New
England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, the District of Columbia, the State prison
at Richmond, and the Ohio State penitentiary at
Columbus ! and we have her opinion as to the ef-
Iecs OF the various kinds OF prison discipline which
she has observed, accompanied with much practical
suggestion. The opinion and suggestions of so ex-
cellent person, able and selfdevoted an nslruc
tor, SO pure and dsinterested an observer, cannot
be TOO widely disseminated and too closely and dill
geHuy peTuSeu. we SnOulu like 10 see a copy oil
this publication upon the table OF every member of
Congress, and should rejoice 10 be assured that each
and every one of them would possess himself Of
the Information which it contains, and would imbue
himself with its principles, and that on his return
to his district, he would become an earnest and in
dusirious aborer iii the same field Of utility and
benevolence with this amiabe lady.
| We are pleased to find that Miss DIx's few and
short notices of our District penitentiary are almost
entirely approbatory.
"The prisoners and prison Washington she says,
s'exhih throughout, in this respect '-auJing TO
personal cleanliness.
"The ventilation in the penitentary at Washington is
free than in The New FORK prisons, but is far from per-
feet found the cells clean and deceny furnished and
marked general neat appearance in the eatng-hal.
''he wing appropriated the clean but the
occupants, having maon neither distinguished for
silence industry"
.The penentary Washington has chaplain officially
appointed who is interested in his duties the arrange
men,s of the prison do not permit sufficient for the
strucon Of those convcs who read and write !,
though this department is not wholly overlooked There
services on Sunday and Sunday school, but cannot
mend the custom Of making portion OF the convcs teach
for the others The discipline of the prison may be
called close, compared with others the stem
1t is due to the State of Pennsylvania to give the
following brief extract which Miss DIX quotes from
letter Of Mr.. HAYILAND
cit the Philadelphia Prison Society that the world
is mainly indebted perfect system Of prison disci-
pine the wisdom of has produced and to the State
of Pennsylvania for fully, and great expense testing
Merits, mankind owes debt Of gratitude.
srhe county PRISONS" says Miss Dix sof several
hundreds which have visited and revisited in the Northern
and Middle States which claim notice for their good
at South Boston, Massachusetts,, Hartford and at New
Haven Connecticut and three established on separate
SYSTEM seyeray at Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Westches
As contrast to these establishments, we extract
her observations respecting prison which has
gained bad and undesirable eminence in a city so
full of the power and the desire to do good that its
existence, even inits comparatively reformed
condition, is equally matter of sorrow and of
wonder:
m sincerely believe that La Force never admitted more
widely influences Negafe greater and
destructive ones, than disseminated ne 7obs Ca pr-
in the city Of New York; refer entirely TO the moral
condition, especially in The mems prison. Wholesome
changes have been introduced into the womens apartments
aud cells but the moral miasma diused throughout: free
association ncuralzes all efforts instruct and reclaim
g TIE Halls Of Justice, CD famliarIy known
The Iobs, in the city Of New York. mpcatycy demand
speedy and thorough reorganization and reform. As
ceyng prisons they disgrace TO the civilized and Chris
tan community which instituted them and schools Of the
most shocking and dcmoralzng influences, none
more dcbasng an unhoy be designated and If these
facts notorious should pause here upon as
serions."
The importance Of judicious selection and a
continuance in Office, at least for considerable
time OF the superintendents and officers oG peni-
tentares aud prisons, is well insisted upon i'm the
following paragraphs:
"Horetoorc the exceeding importance Of selecting officers
by their moral gifts and 6cs merely maintain outward
prisoner has been often overlooked regarded secondary
consideration But that character is not general social
acccptaton lost sight Of is revealed in the fact that for
least fifteen years past the standard for the choice Of The head
occrs Of prisons in the United States has been ng and il
il mainly this that the progressive improvement, in PRISONS
gradual il has been, may be ascbed In proportion
these Offices made honorable and rcspcciabcI
ony the Offices Of chief warden, but those Of second and
third rankin both the penientares and county jaIs will
competent and respectable be found TO conduct these
siutions would not have the officers ccoc preachers
would not have them much Interfere with the religious
teaching, Called Of the prisoners but would have them
all moral guides and while would not desire to them
always very oen, engaged in dscoursng formal lee
turing, would have all they both say and do produce
couagng, awakening, and cnshtening effect upon the p
soner few words are more likely do good than to-
dicus lesson; the little regarded influences of manner
ers, whether amongst tho SILENT .hc separate or the
Ie,.c o.fc1 r.. a. - n