New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-02-04
E,oaa,ng In Prisons.

The recent decease OF an lnulale Vi VIC TnUo1i-
State Prison. under circumstances which appear 70
us,ifv the belief tina, bis death was fastened mol
d;-ec,v caused by severe Hogging, viii subserve
the cause of Humanity if i; shall prove 10 be the
means of calling public attention TO the long neglect
ed but vastly important subject OF Prison Disc'piine
and Of suggesting 10 minds hitherto indiiefeH' n
cuestion Whether this brutal method OF securing ne
obedience of prisoners ought not 10 De ei'ney US
.,,oa ,,;,b n NAV vet turn out-so al ieas' we
- tho, the statements which have appeared In
Ito, N the affair Of Auburn are exaggerated
indeed this seems not unlikely, when 1t is renern
bered that the present officers OF the Prison came
into power not only against The WISH oul ~ 'ie eoe
of the ierces, opposition Of portion OF the po'ai
party to which they belong, and that the contest Dc
tween the ans and the outs has continued 10 rage
with undated fury until the present tlmc but
after making all due allowance for e1aggerat!ons
prompted by prejudice or set afioal from lnefes'eu
motives, there is still much reason to lear 'ha'
there was in this degree OF cruelty ior WHICH
there can be no adequate excuse. we nope no"
ever that the investigation ordered by the Legis'a
,ure will not be restricted the comparatively ui'-
important object Of asceraining the precise iac's III
TINS particular Cdt1, DUl Oc cFNsS"O
ton which has begun to awaken the attention Vi
thoughtful and humane men, whether the "no'e
tenn of Flogging in Prisons ought not 10 DC ui''''N
ed as brutal and degrading
We do not purpose now TO discuss tnis qee''0N'
though our Judgment in respect TO 1t mas oeeii
formed in view of principles and considerations
which seem TO us TO leave little room for doubt that
Humanity and Expedieney unite in demanding
,bo,oucb Reform. The law hitherto has been
framed on the assumption that this mode OF punish
nent is indispensable a means OF enforcing ooe'
dence. and hence no provision has been made In Inc
structure and internal arrangements OF our Prsonsio
mlder discipline In addition 20 this cannot shut
our eyesto the fact that too Often the men who have
charge of the prisoners are !amentaoly dehcient III
those moral and intellectual qualifications winch are
Indispensable to proper discharge OF their RESPONSE
BILE duties. 1t has been thought that any man, how
ever deficient in intellectual cultivation and seltcon-
troll, would answer keeper for criminals ana 100
often places which should be filed only by men oil
high moral principle, quick insight into the work
ines of human natare and q genial temper. nave
been conferred as reward for party services upon
class of men of whom we will say nothing worse
than that il is great pity that they could not lind
some employment better adapted to their capacities
and qualifications and in which their influence would
subserve better end than their own and others de
basement The lash in the hands OF such men must
always be an instrument ofcruelty, and is our firm
conviction that the Prisons ofthe Country will never
be any thing else than nurseries of crime until this
insignia of degradation is banished from their walls
and their management confded TO men who have
wisdom to govern by means in better accordance
with the nature of man, better adapted TO secure
the reformation of the prisoner, and through that
reformation, the safety of the community.
But we must stop here for the present only eX-
pressing the hope that wise and thoughtful men
will turn their attention TO this subject more and
more, until some plan shall be devised whereby our
Prisons may no longer continue to be Instrumental
ties for sinking their inmates to lower deep OF deg
radiation and wrechedness, but may be transformed
into institutions whose aim and tendency 1t shall be
TO repress evil passions and strengthen the nober
elements with which God has endowed the human
soul.
-g-
H..