New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-08-23
Ry,onu TuE ygw.Y0RK PRISONS.


this mornirg.
REBORN THE NEw-YORK PRISONS.
We would tain hope for the cred, of humanity, that
tie exposures II le condition Of the City Prisons tina,
have appeared IN ur columns within the past few days
may not fsD entirely uni eedtd upon the oortie aal
the pubic. We won't TO suppose th4t ia
iierteutd q metropolis hb utdiOg 10 newspapers
chuIche- cieIsymen snd Oene VIOLENT societies, che
P,obs at lessr must BE 10 a torabe srate while the
fct is, that if Howard sce alive, be might here fnd
an ample sphere for Lis philabthTopc labors. Here
are filthy aud peiou's cells IN which men killed
by poisonous gas.s; here are jais crowded beyond
their capeci'y; here are Old and young offend.
ers Lu3dcd together in seminary Of vic 6edness
here ar innocent persons detained Witnesses fed on
insufficient ard unsuitable food AID exposed 70 the
c niannn8 IGN vi hoary villains here w0me0 aud
elIs sbut up vteJe they svod hearing the H.
futug md louuptDe rbsJry Of the loves, Outcasts;
md here are unfortunate debtors whose crime IS pow.
rIy. and VITO are only allowed 70 conuunica.e with
tier iiitIds or c'u Sci by va! ra fom to three
dos,s the aor for putting letter ia the PostOf
fee In shor though DO not suPpoie The prisons Of
NewYork are bad AZ rhe repulsIve dungeons whose
odous features gave rise to Prison Reform We do no.
here IL erc a'er or les perec n nor ia there prison
in The city which does rot !ayeratlyey require be
radically ebbue,d either in IT'S Arrangements or al oiu-
itraiion, ard 'bat Tor asons to which man sth
hcort il LIS bosom can Coz momen, bs insensi5ie.
We are nor urging any hes 'heoy Of punshmen, or
pfhon discipline We SIMPLY insi.t that what isgeoer-
ally admitted 90 be the +, stem hall be ,gnz,d
in New Nork, md that al not 20 back 70 thc bar
bsfous pscces o cnury arda hall $50 Persons shut
Up nasfr ery cause sLou'dHo be stsr7ed they should
I0t be- Tut 70 oeath by aspby t1e} should be
turtd With excessive quantities Of citionc acid gas;
t,cy should be made worse by She enforced NINA
G, 81 uose men thsn VA, mse'ees the, should no. be
forced % sound pcs depths Of l-prad'y and acquire
new degrees IN crime nor snold hey be msie the We
tins Of ,xnrr aud pu1d,r on the psol of 1htr keep
/ Cs The prisons s.osd stand on sau5rious grouud
sud he clean We, ventilated and sufficiently warmed
10 winter. VII such arrau- nfs, aud such surse.
lance Tat the ydIous asses of inms'cs SHOULD be
ent.roly free irnm each Others con animation. The
fed shoud be plain. but wholesome AID suited 10 the
b.sh Of the prisocor He shond plenty ofwa'cr,
for Washing sud cc4uirg should be compulsory virtue
AlVos,ibo mental moral aud rel gioUs influences should
be- employ tor hs improvement. aud labor Of suit4-
III. character shou be provided for his patton.
- is should be done equally vhe her the o'ec be 20
toni or 10 ref I'D. NoiLius is more disagreeste 20
the yc., thsn tie rrospecr Of work hing is more
painful and nOIious 10 the prisoner than the necessity
ofidicness
Indispensable as tie furnishing IF regular labor for the
inmates Of prisons appears 10 be- Tor those confined
Tor short periods well those who have 10 stay longer
we are aware that there difficulties IL the way
vlich may properly be respected But with regard 10
,hc other points OF the there is difficulty which
.loud be allowed 10 weigh a moment We may post
poue jhc introduction Of industry at he TOnbs. but not
tie removal of the prisoners from the fatal vapors ex
lare from that marshy locality, nor the arrangement Of
the cells so hat those confined cannot ecy comnun
cate vlth each other nov. We NAV put OF convert
re the Essex Prison into manual labor establishments
bu, vcnut no. delay TO enlarge it, 20 separate from
each Other the inmates OF different AGE and sex. We
may continue to shut up debtors ct Ellrdcest, pro-
yG,d those who prose them viii bling an accusation
Of fraud but let Lot delay compel she place 20 be
made t for habtaticn the 70 toetablc and the rates
ci postage less tlsn dollar ill gle letters
We know how difficult it is to enli. public feeling in
favor Of changes which tie public dc directly ee TO
be rocessaIy II any considerable number Of inAaeut,
ciizcIs could be made 10 spend few days and nights in
tie cells Of the Toub or at the Essex Prison or urler
SiLCuttS OF Eigll'ss We cpups hut Tue! Would come
out jealous reormer and the work woal presently be
done Bur as l.lg IS only the poor. tie unfortunate
and The criminal are the sufferers. it IS nobOiy's
business in particular. and PEOPLE wait for Unusual
event o Tie death Of TIE four meu IN he cells Of tie
Tnts last spring drec ther attention he subject
Aud even tlCE nothing Is done, beyond discussion ia
one Board and vote n another after which the matter
IS allowed 20 drop. Si change 50 Necessary must in
tine be effected and VIC trust tia. our present eyos
tios Of the state Of each Of the prisons may have al ca.
something OF the influence which such facts should MT
fs'l 70 exercise in q community Ike this