New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-06-23
LIFE OF SARAH MARTN-PRlSoS VISITING.
F,nm The Edlrburgh Review.


Law and Gospeihad each rs representative among
,bsn Their sanctions and their penalties were
b-ought home 70 every mans own door. ben
men sinncd. the Church assessed compen-
sstion % Heaven, ia the shape OF peaahces ana
insisted upon exteruG. marks OF cDltrtl0n before
he offender was permitted o resume bis standing
in the visible c1nyre cation OF the faithful men
men committed crimes the Law mgIcted them 90
necuuiarv tues. deprived them 90 their .iDrf---
sequestered them from kirk AMI market o1-' o.
stead Of aiming AZ reformation. or even penlLehc"
sought only punishment secluded them ln ioalh-
sor,a rlacss of confinement subjected them 20
the tyranny OF irnsrant and often brutal keepers
who were responsible only for their sale CUSTODY
aud herded them all together. whatever tleH
agas stations or offences. without occupation.
without instruction and sometimes even unied ana
uncad. save by the poor proceeds o. & begging.
box the rattling OF which invoked the charity OF
passers.by. Strange as this now seems. II contin-
ned for centuries The Church was the first TO
awake She discovered that her outward pen
ances were unayaiiing toward the rect'hcatlon o.
the heart and following out that principle eHeclel
all the changes Of the ecclesiastical Reformation
There for time. the course Of social iinpro,
meut seemed STAYED. The Law. in spite OF ms
glimner Of right reason ia It's sister Institution
still held is ancient way. Jaiis were thought 20
be places by means OF which men were % De ln-
undated from crime bat % was not seen, of tAe
fact was dsregarded, that such laiis were mere
academies OF crime and that through their lnstfu-
mentality the Law Itself was the principal teacher
Of the science OF iaw breaking.
Yarmouth was one Of the last places in the king
dom 20 become convinced OF this fact The town,
however. increased in size and importance
suaci0us quay afforded accommodation Tor the un-
merous fleet which carried the produce oi IA.
mouth fisheries and the manufactures OF NorWlch'
10 the renotest quarters of the globe noble man
sions testified % the wealth Of arm0uth merchants
while no less than four hundred narrow anes locally
termed r0lrs by which the principal streets are IN
tersected at right angles demonstrated the exist
ence Of the dense population. Inc Wnoie place
looked prosperous. cheerful busy and gay vlsltors
fitted about in search OF health or pleasure upon
that very beach on which the men OF the Clnque
Ports had spread their nets. Still there stood that
Jail with its long succession OF corrupt and ever
corruptng inmates Infinite changes and improve
ments had taken place around 10. but within. the
system OF msmanGgement renamed almost uh-
touched Generation alter generation passed a0ne
that narrow street aul looked with the outward
eve upon that hideO1s abode OF misery and quit
but sher feelings were so thoroughly engrussed b.
their own affairs their merchandise or their farms,
their pleasures or their grles. that they renamed
mentally unconscious OF the guilt whch the contln-
ued existence OF such building and such system
was entaing upon society at large. And TINS con
tinued down % the year $40, and even much later
There was no schoomaster, no chaplain. no attempt
at occupation OF reformation. The doors were
simply locked upon the prisoners their
time was given % gaming, swearing. playing,
fighting aud bad language and their visitors were
admitted from without with little restriction.
There was no divine worship IN the jail on Sundays
nor any respect paid 10 that holy day. There were
underground cells" these continued even down
10 -3G) " quite dark and deficient IN proper ven
tilation The prisoners described their heat IN
Summer as almost suii0catlng. but they prefer them
for their warmth ia Water their situation IS such
Ill. nrNl NIHa.HH w.. Fr
for the confinement OF any human being. The
whole place was filthy, confined, unhealthy aud
its occupants were infested with vermin and SKIN
disease Such state OF things could not continue
for ever IL is the great comfort and consolation oi
all persons who seek after social reformation that
the abuses Of society have within them a principle
of decay under the influence Of which no power
can long uphold them against the peaceaOie as
saults Of advancing civilization. human impa'
thence has often caused premature reiormet4h.
after many n hard struggle, 10 stop snort oil the
point which might have been attained with ease 10
the over hasty hand could have been stayed until
the arrival of that "fulness OF time which the
laws under which al human things exist are surely
bringing about. AZ Yamouth, that iulness OF time
was allowed to travel onward at It's slowest pace
but arrive it did at last and then these inlquues
fell before the touch of apparently the weakest IN
etrument that coad have been raised up 70 WELD
a lance against them.
In August, 1919, woman was committed % the
iail for a most unnatural crime. She was mother
who had forgotten her sucking child she hai
not had compassion upon the son OF her womb,
but had cruelty beaten and iliusedlt The consid-
Grafton other offence was calculated 10 produce
great effect upon a female mind and there was one
person in the neighborhood of Yarmouth who was
most deeply moved by it She was poor dress
maker, a little woman OF gentle. quiet manners
possessing 10 beauty OF person. nor, as u seemed
any peculiar endowment OF mind. she was then
lust eight. and twenty years OF age, and had, Tor
thirteen wears past. earned her IyelihOOs by going
out 10 the houses of various families IN the town As
q day aborer in her business OF dress making Her
residence was az Caster, village three miles
from Yarmouth, where she lived with an aged
grandmother and whence she walked 70 Yarmouth
aud back again in the prosecution OF her daily toll
This poor gir had long moumed over the condition
of the inmates of the Jail Even as long back as m
$50. while frequently passing the jail, she
saws " felt strong desire 20 obtain admission %
the prisoners TO read the Scriptures 70 them Tor
thought much of their condition and OF thsir SIN be-
fore God how they were shut out from society
whose rightst they had violated and how destitute
they were fthe scrptursl instruction which alone
could meet their unhappy circumstances. lLff.
Dill The case ofthe unnatural mother stimulated
her 10 make the attempt but " did not, she says
make known my purpose OF seeking admission 70
the Jail until the object was attained even 70 my
beloved grandmother. sensitive was my fear lest
the project seem visionary one. God led me, and
consulted none but Him. -, lid P. l2) She as
certsined TIE cupnt name. and went 20 the jail
She passed into the dark porch which overriding the
entrance tit emblem OF the state of things within
and no doubt with bounding heart and IN timid.
modest form OF application. uttered with that clear
and gentle voice the sweet tones Of which are Yet
well remembered, solicited permission 70 see the
cruel parent There was some dthcuty-tbere IS
always a lion IN the way Of doing goddard she
was not At first permitted to enter. To q waverlng
mind. such check would have appeared Of evil
omen but Sarsh Martin was too well assured OF
her own purposes and powers 20 hesitate. Upon
& second application she was admitted
There has been psbhshed an interesting account
Of Mrs. Frys first entry into the female ward Of
Newgste. Locked up with viragos. among whom
the turnkey had warned her that her purse, her
watch and even her life, would be In danger she
addressed them with dignity. power and gentle
ness and soon swed them into compliance with
code Of regulations which there was a committee
Of ladies' resdy 70 aid her IN carry ing into execution
All this was very admirable. and IN It's results has
/ been most beneficial. But Mrs. Fry was a woman
OF education. and had something Of the dignihed
bearing Of person accustomed 70 move in the
. hr.~k.- Of IA YES q 40 olaFff =