New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-02-04
Our state Prisons.


ures which are operating within the walls o. oI
Pnsous either 20 debase or reform their inns's''
since by this means alone can We qualify ourselves
for sp sgen, and faithful discharge Of the d.
ties we owe 70 the fallen and degraded We ss
happy 70 discover around rs evidences that 'ns
community are beginning 70 see this subject u ia
true lizht and We regard it as the high and sacred
duty Of the Press 70 contribute Us aid IN me ''
NATION Of q ,ooud and heslihfol Public Opinion
which can firnish the only sure guaranty against
those abuses Of power by which or Pfso's nave
TOO often been made the Nurseries OF we 'eiy
crimes they ~ere intended 70 suppress Ine "'
NATION ia oar midst, within very recent perioo OF
Prison Association. BY nea Of high standing and
ioauspce Is Of itself cheering indication that ina
reform which every humane and rejecting m'na
must admit 70 be desirable has been commenced :
and when we look az the immense good aTsaoy
effected by that Association, we may wen e0e'isH
ths hone that under it's auspices or Prisons may
vat become 70 a great extent the means Of redeem.
inc their unfortunate inmates from the paths "
yice and Crime and establishing them IN the ~sys
Of Virtue and Happiness. That sucn resoi' u. !,
atta;nsbe, and that in the progress Of time " VIZ
be realized. we cannot for ore moment ocoO'' Inc
porer Of Christianity 70 soften and suodoe hesr's
hardened by crime is 70 be exsmpliAed IN oar Pas
IN. il q manner which shall gladden. the heart OF
the philanthroplst and pat skePtcisru TO the oiusn
We have before Us the Annual Reports OF the
Clinton and Sing Sing State Prisons and propose
10 give our readers some idea Of their contents
I That Of the Clinton Prison we shall notice now
/ leaving the otherfo future examination
The Clinton Prison is under the care Of hASsoN
Cooy ESQ. both In is financial and disciplinary de-
psr,ments. IL no. two years since he wentinto
he wilderness. with We believe, one hundred con
vets and began 70 prepare for the erection Of the
prison buildings Since that time the NUMBER o.
convicts has been augmented By commitments TO
l3l.
The design in erecting this Prison was TO afford
opportunity for employing the conycts IN inc man
ufsctnre of Iron, an occupation which IT was
thought would interfere less with the interests oil
orr mechanics than the business generally carried
., In the other Prisons The wisdom Of the mea-
sure we shall not now consider bat whatever may
be thought Of it in that aspect, one thing IS very
certaip-the cost of erecting the necessary boiid-
inc. and setting up the Iron manufacture was
greatly moderated aud it is difficult 10 ioresee
what the whole expense will be. This has been
ground of complaint in certain quarters, and con
adorable impatience has been exhibited at the de-
Law In commencing the manufacture OF Iron. On
this point Mr. Cook says;
The inierroga,ory Is frequently put with msnifestm
patience Why have you not commenced the nsnuiac'
lure of iron II Is believed. however, hist niue
inquiry the time necessarily consumed IN erecting
State Prison together with the incidental buildings
and xha &c for the manufacture OF
iron will remove much OF the impotence exhibited on
This subject Notwithstanding their superior sdven.
tages location. from five TO seven years were con
suned IN erecting each of The other prsons with their
incidental buildings while II IL but few days more
than eis been months, since the first convicts were
brought into tiis wilderness since their arrival
heavy growth Of timber has been removed. the sumps
dug out and foundations sunk in hsrdpan one-haf Of
the prison has been built and IN more substantial
Style OF workmanship then either OF Ia others Inc
iucideutal buildings also erected. eno IN ADDITION
thereto machine shop iron foundry. steam saw mil,
brass foundry dwellings. Offices ore building &c.
Tools implements have been obtained TO enable US
10 manufacture steam engines and other ma /
chinery The personal property belonging TO the state
here on OF OCTOBER last estimated al more
than twenty thousand dollars. The mine has been I
opened aud drained water has been brought into the
ward and large amount Of grading and excavation has
been performed. Nor have eny losses been incurred
through errors in plans. curing recopsrucuon or
even r,arrai cement of any buiGipg or mschinei but
all have fortunately beth found right On the hrst trial
Tue couvict- have toilsd remarkably vel no time
has been uuu~cesssrily lost but every energy which
could commanded his been pat In reeuistion 10 Tor
ward the cut, rprss No wish i entertained avoid
comparison OF The abor performed here with the force
employed, the time Consumed. and expense incurred
OF win any similar work in our country"
Mr.. Cook complains that the appropriations for
the Prison have been made at SO late a period in
the session, that the great benefits to be derived
from the snow in Transporting materials, have
been entirely lost By a promp, appropriation,
and judicious application OF the sum Of $4,000,
he believes the manufacture may be commenced
during the present year and be thinks there Is
no reason 10 doubt that when that manufacture is
established, the Prison will be able TO sustain
itself and when the convicts shall have reason
able practice therein handsome surplus viii be
realiz ed from their earnings
We turn, however, with deeper interest to those
paris Of Mr. Cooks Report which relate to the dis
cipline and moral instruction and elevation Of the
prisoners.
The sum Of $500 was appropriated by the las,
Legislature for the purchase Of Library. With
this sum 65s volumes have been procured, cata.
logue Of which is given in the Report. The selec-
ton appears to have been made with Judgment
There slso In the Library nearly 900 volumes mostly
bound volumes Of tracts and ether religious pubica
uors Each convict also has Bible and Prayer Book
With but few exceptions the corviets employ their lei
sure time in reading with avidy some who at hrst
could read but little and looked upon al reading
rksome tssk have been led along until they
dent general readers who could not read AZ oil
are under instruction and making good progress. The
majority engage in The study OF history, biography voy
ages and travels and quite respectable number in the
arts and sciences Mr.. Cook says
AS sn ard to discipline the library of great service
Without book the leisure hours OF the convict the
mos, unhappy OF any he spends in prison He then
oroods his miserable condition and contrasts bis
lot with that OF those he considers criminal thsn
himself and who yet 20 unpunished. He recalls 70
memory the real or imaginary wrongs be has suffered
and IA state Of mind bordering distraction be is
called from his cell bis abors Irritable and
impste OF control be breaks into open violence
enG is then led away punishment But when be rises
from the peyusl of Interesting book he comes from
bis cell With cheerful counenance. and Resumes his
| lsbors with alscrity
| And then the happiness which library Gispensss
among the convicts is almost ncslcusbc. Instead OF
eommuning only with his own unhappy thoughts in his
lonely cs he becomes one of the company introduced
By his suih0r He embsyks with Robinson Crus0e IN
his voyage shares In his Pers assists in his sbors and
REDUCES with hn when the Friday added 10 their
4 t.sn IL. ~. xe1f-.