The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-10-23

forming process, and substituting for II
confinement in the county jais-in SOM
cases, with the alternative OF the paymen
OF lines into the county or town treasures
for non payment Of which, Imprisonment
necessarily follows.
Whether confinement in the county
jails is inflicted as punishment, or results
from inability to pay fines, it obviousy
has an effect entirely the reverse of refor'
NATION. 1t is impossible TO visit a convic
thus thrown into county Jail, with LITTLE
or no attention to any except his mere an
imal wants, without feeling painfully i'm
pressed with conviction, that it Is an un
natural and moustrous perversion of the
power of punishment. Wilhou! employ.
m"nt or exercise, The convict is left 10 thu
corrodng and maddening infdtnce Of the
reflection that he is an onlcast from the
charity aud sympathy of the world and
tina: the law and lis executioners are alike
his enemies. Every moments conunu>
nnce of such confinement tends 10 weaken
his purposes Of amendment, and prepare
him for abandonment 10 the commission
of higher Offences. There are cases in
which this is not true; but they consli-
tute the exception and not the rule. Ii
the history of oil The State prison convicts
were fully disclosed, it would probably be
found, that large portion of them have
been tenants Of county jails, punishment
Tor inlerior offences.
The remedy for this evil is obvious
Ii is the application Of the principle of
penltentlary discipline 10 minor offences,
by means Of Houses Of Correction in each
cQunty-to be made comfortable in their
structure and accommodations, and TO be
connected with such arrangements for the
profitable employment Of the inmates, and
the exercise OF such firm and steady disci>
pline, as sound wisdom, and The spirit of
Christian kindness may suggest. By such
means may offenders be made useful to
the public during the necessary continu>
ance OF their confinement, while the high
er purpose shall be answered, of impress
ing upon their minds, by every thing they
shall See around them, that they are men
bound 10 society, moi BY the law of force
merely, but BY the higher law of moral
obligation, as well as by the sympathes of
our common nature.
Such course OF treatment would doubt
less, have very happy influence upon
"vagran's and idle and disordery per-
sons for whose restraint and discipline
or laws make no provision, save tha, Of
the town poor houses, which, by the 2lst
section Of chapter II of The Revised Stat.
utes, are constituted houses Of correction,
but which, while they involve the evil of
an unnatural ming!ing of the aged and in
firm poor with the res!ive and troublesome,
can seldom be made to accomplish, 10 any
considerable extent, the purposes Of cor
rection and reform.
The bearing upon our whole system Of
criminal justice, of such a process of dis
cipIne as may be carried into effect in
county houses OF orrection-especialIy in
he cases Of juvenile offenders is obvious.
LIS sautary effects would, in due time, be
visible in diminished drafts upon the State
Treasury for the expenses of criminal
proceedings; in diminished num-
yer of convicls in the State Prison,
md in increasing peace, order and obe>
Hence to law, throughout the communi-
=.
have received the ninth annual report
II the Trustees and Superintendent of the
Vermont Asylum for the Insane, which
presents very gratifying exhibition of
he condition and prospects of tina, instiiu-
ion, under its present excellent and eff {
lent government. :
During the pas, year 294 have been ad !
lifted into the asylum, 80 have been dis =
harged, and 263 remain. Three hun :
red and sixly.th rec have enjoyed the ben.
fits of the asylum, within the entire wear. :,
VI the 90 discharged, 50 have recovered. =
If the 48 recent cases" discharged, there !,
ave been 43 recoveries In the !,
| chronic cases discharged, the re- j.
overies have been but Is. The great y
Importance of Obtaining the benefit of the e
'yIum 10 the early s'ages Of insanity, is :,
Ius rendered apparent. 7
The annual Safe appropriation for the ii
,nefl Of the iosane poor was increased n
the last session Of the General Asscm> O
y, TO $4,000; in consequence Of which Al
g number Of patients at the asylum has
creased during the past year, so as to 81
nder the erection of additional buildings v
9cessary. Additional buildings, to con-
in about so rooms, are partly finished G:
I'd occupied, and will, it is expected be Ii
mpeeG by the first of November next, S,
hen all the buildings will be sufficient b,
r the accommodation of about 800 patients tn
"a number deemed by the Trustees, to q,
as large as is desirable in one asylum. of
The report safes that such an amour! of 8,
nds will be received from other sources, az
to supersede the necessity of an appi,
ton 10 the Legislature for assistance TO sn