Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-12-04

liant but kind authority, less obvious important man
who has been for years trained the performance OF daily
task under circumstances which make regularity and consa
cy in uninterrupted labor established habit has already
proved to himself that he is morally capable of performing
any good resolutions which he has formed and with more
than half or even threequartes of mankind this moral
viction is than half the battle.
Mr. Gray has confined himself to comparison of the
experience of Pennsylvania and that of Massachusetts, He
examines that of New Jersey and of Rhode Island in both of
which the separate system has been tried and abandoned
greatly modified He then discusses the state of opinion
in Europe upon this question: and the experience upon which
that opinion rests and he shows that England Develop
men have already been made which leading the same
results at which had previously arrived in America He
thus sums up the results Of the whole matter
II not pretended that the system established here is per-
Pect Far from It, IL is hoped that It may go improving
from year TO year. and still be regarded experiment
system upon na and not whose invarabe we
are willing to vouch for the future support of which we
are in any pledged The system which will produce
complete reformation in all convicts, in of them is
yet TO be discovered.
Still less is it presumed urge its adoption on other
countries, or to express the slightest regret establishment
that they do not prefer to their 1t may well be that
mode OF prison discipline fitted for Massachusetts, with its
few hundred convicts, inappcabe England with her
thousands 1t may be that France with her immense re-
and her sisters of charity, and her brothers charity
furnish every of her convicts with constant success
sion of vtuous companions and that other nations of Eu
rope have special reasons unknown for establishing
different systems Of these things they Judge for them
selves But without the slightest disposition dictate to
Them we do not feel called upon in relation this subject
submit TO their dictation. =.
considering then that, from the experience of our own
country hitherto appears that the system of sepa
ration estab hed here, when administered with the
utmost humanity produces many of insanity of
death to indicate most clearly that its general tendency
enfeebe the body and the mind considering that the
suits of labor under different systems where both are best
enforced, abundany show that habits of industry and skill
in laborous occupations may be speedily and eecuay
acquired by working in company with others the con-
slant inspection of MASTER than they usually are in entire
sotude considering that system of social labor found
to afford sufficient qualification of the natural instinct for
to prevent any frequent arrangement of the health
OF the intellect in prison than takes place the community
large and considering that this system may be maintained
and is maintained among without frequent cruel pun
shmen may be concluded that ought to be persevered
until stronger evidence than has yet been produced shall
show other system be better adapted condition.
Amiabe enthusiasts among ourselves may tell that the
benevoence of the people of Massachusetts, will supply the
State Prison Charestown with thirty forty gardens
beished with flowers and refreshed with fountains through
out the year and that for every four convics committed it,
there will be found enlightened, accomplished, and dis
Greet who will gatutousy icarcerate himself with them
TO afford them the benefit of his society But the sober udg-
ment Of New England will not be deuded by such deams
And if possible to admit such mpossibites,
any system, however modified and improved, which allows
but solitary labor though provide abundant means and
opportunities for exercise and for society," still exposed
this great obecon-hat such labor interrupted for
the purpose Of exercise and for the purpose of society,"
always liable to be interrupted and made desuoy by the list
essness caprice of the convict and that therefore will
be that dgen labor from which Alone according John
Howard honesty is to be expected without which subsist-
cannot be earned industrious community and which
be made easy other way than by being habu-
that, under such system, only portion of the day
be given either of these three essential objects whereas
they all combined together under the system of social labor
in hall time hu
and thus the prisoners general have at one and the
time every day. eight hours of dgent and useful toll
eight hours of manly exercise eight hours of social existence
and time enough left for penence and for instruction.