Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-07-24
NEW york CORRESPONDENCE.
New YoRK, July 20. 1917.

soclauon great and palsewohy phianhropic move
men destined, Think to do vast of good in
truly benevolent and Christian spirit.
This Association has been formed but or three wears
and incorporated by of the Legislature year ago
last May The third report of the Association has just been
published making large volume Of about five hun
dred pages, and embracing greater of prison
tics, and useful information concerning prison discipline and
the of meoratng the condition and reforming the
character of prisoners than have before collected
together.
1t has been much the practice of the world regard
the punishment of the convict for his crimes all that
required of society in his Behalf This Association takes the
ground that society has higher and holier duty perform,
in seeking out and applying the most eecual for
forming the convict and restoring him his standing among
his fellow Surely this is noble, truly Christian
charity, charity that seekeh not its own" charity
worthy Of the followers of Him who seek and to
save that which was lost
From small beginnings two or three years SINCE this As
ISOLATION has rapidly risen strength and influence till now
it has become Of the valuable and important chart
table institutions in the country Many Of best citizens
have united its abors and contributed its treasury aid
its operations The Legislature, granting its charter,
cognlsed the utility OF It's plan, and not only granted the
right but made it the duty of the Association, and clothed
with ample powers, to visit and inspect the prisons of the
State and required make annual report of their
diion to the Legislature.
OF the present officers of the Association Vice Chancellor
McCoUS is President, and THEODORE FRELrNGHursES,
ABRAHAM Van NEST, BENZ. F. BUTLER, and Judge Ed
MoNDs, Vice Presidents Gorham A. Worth, president of
the City Bank is Treasurer Joseph McKeen Recording
Secretary and Dr. John d. Russ, Corresponding Secretary
All the operations of the society under the direction OF
Executive Committee, which consists of the officers above
named, together with four standing committees, viz Com
mttee Finance Deentions, Prison Discipline, and
Discharged Convicts. Each standing committee has
agent who attends constantly the duties of his particular
committee and the Executive Committee meets
month receive and act upon the reports and transact the
general business of the Association.
About twenty distinguished foreigners England, France,
Germany Prussia Switzerland, and Italy, corresponding
members of the Association from of whom there
interesting letters embodied in this report particularly from
De Tocquevile, of France, and Doctor Julius, of Berlin
Amy person become member of the Association by con-
trbuting any annually its funds. contribution
of five hundred dollars constitutes life patron, hundred
dollars constitutes the gve honorary life member of the
Executive Committee, and twenty five dollars life member of
the Association. do not observe the of any life patron
yet the list but there life members Of the Execuf
tive Committee, and large number of life members Of the
Association.
The contributions to the Association for the year ending
December 90 1916, about five thousand dollars; which
expended in various ways aid of the great OBJ
jecs OF the society 1t is difficult, in brief notice, to give
any adequate view of the broad and extensive field Of labor
upon which this society has entered and which they
be pursuing with devotion and benevolent industry de-
serving the grateful regards Of the whole community They
have visited all the State prisons and many Of the county
prisons the State of New York. They have embodied in
their report the prison statistics of about twenty differ
ent States of the Union They have kept super
he ne
a and wachfu the great numbers Of pr
soners always be found in these establishments The
of their abos in this last respect may be judged of
in degree from the fact embraced in their statistics that
the number of persons arrested from July ls45 to No
vember l. 1885, orty-serea thousand co hundred and
ninety-fUe
The Association by their charter authorized to build
and uperinend tcorkhose in the city Of New York, and
they have applied the City Council for carry out
this provision of their charter An establishment of this
kind extensive scale, will enable them, by giving
poyment to the poor, to prevent many from falling into
cme and also, by aordng the discharged convict oppor
tunity get honest vng when feeling himself to be
from society and epused every side he knows
which way turn, they may thus prevent many from eap
ing into crime. They may do they may raise their
fallen and degraded BROTHER and, srming him with renewed
vuous strength, give him standing of responsibility and
usefulness among his feow-men What the society," vet in
do in this respect affords great encouragement for its future
usefulness The Committee Discharged Convcts say, in
their report cit expected that all to whom
extended aid should reform, and always calculated
that Of fondes and sanguine anicpatons
would not be realized but calculated upon the
which has actually attended efforts Out Of 272
male recipients OF bounty, in the OF two years,
only five have yet returned to the State prison"
The whole number Of discharged convics male and e
male relieved by the Association since its institution up
the time of making this report SOC. Of this number
the society obtained employment for 205 and returned
their families 40. They have received good from
1885, while males and 40 females have again fallen into
crime
The female department Of this Association, though under
the general direction Of the Executive Committee conduct
ed in its immediate management, by committee of ladies'
Of whom is well said that could scarcely have
pected to find the delicate and accomplished ladies',
customed only to the society Of the pure and the refined
UNFAIRLY renquishng their private occupations and zeaousy
devoing much money, time, thought and personal
ton to the offensive details Of this humane but many
instances revolving undertaking. But all history shows that
share.
The female department has house Of refuge the upper
part of the city for discharged female convcs called The
Home, where all who manifest desire reform and regain
their lost character received encouraged boarded
nished with employment and looked after, with all the con-
servatve influences which their condition and character
require.
The report contains may individual cases. both Of males
and females, full OF deep and pathetic interest," that have
under the of the society," some of which should