New-York daily tribune., 1854-05-11
At Sing Sing

r.,
Now if ever the design OF statute was clear and eH-
pcit is certainly is, that the prison authorities
Should be restricted the ncon of solitary confinement
as the punishment OF refractory prisoner Perhaps the
khd-hearted men who dspOrt themselves with shearlng
showerng bucking and claiming Their ylcIms' may reply
that the does not in terms forbid The shears ana
water the iron bar and chain does the lash Neither
does il inerdct the rack the humb-screw the grdiron
Have the days OF nqui'loal toriuTes returned or nave
We az people become calous that pubic ofcers can
thus parade their Illegal cueues before the lawsvers of
the land without check or rebuke .
"A Ia these barbara devices for subduing the dlsObe
dient tley are far than the lash when It IL admins
tered under the restriction of judicial sentence Ana
every consideration OF humanity and sound philosophy
demands that such sentence should precede aud govern
all deliberate punisi ment. Punishment thus administered
affects the moral well as physical nature Tins doctrine
does not touch the question of seeiense IN emergencies
The Committee then alude the Reports of the Chap
ans Of Sing Sing and Auburn by which II appears that
divine worship is held IN the prison chape only on the
sabbath and at Auburn, not always on that day The
Committee contrast this wh the d0Iy services at the
prison at Charestown, Mass They also remark on the
iact that there connected with Auburn Prison keepers
as guards 2C-toal A. with chaplain and two teach
eIs. At Sing Sing, there are keepers So guards %
total III with one chaplain and TWO teachers Eni'-
nently Indicative are such facts of the nature Ot the
discipline which the inmates OF our prsos are subjected
Were they 10 be cared for in accordance with the hypOb
ess that they have moral faculties well those outside
prison walls it cannot be doubted that the number OF
keeper aud guards would bear diminishing much below
the needfu increase OF moral and intellectual teachers
In closing their remarks and extracts on the subject OF the
tworomnent prison systems of country the separate
and the conegate tie Committee say in most manufac-
tories there is what called Finishing Room, in which
the article undergoes the last manpuatiOns
and polish before is sent TO market. Somewhat anala-
gous to this finishing room are our prisons. The cuPr
under the power Of the law quietly may be, but
crime perChance by poverty ignorance sudden
emptaon prov enticed TO by evil associations
In The prison he flushed! And when he leaves it he
starts upon hs career adept the arts OF yilany
ohooed deprayy by society itself These sad and
monying truths. Would that we could awaken attention
10 them.
~. ffor I'D
such relief their restricted means allow to criminals who
apply to them on their discharge.
IL is source both OF modification and embarrassment
that the contributions OF The giving pubic are doed out TO
us 80 scantiy. The Committee well aware that many
look upon convicted Of crime almost with loathng
and dread Those who labor among prisoners, however
well know that feE are men still, with sympathies
and affections, well a. mans depravy and lust Aud
that they be redeemed the experience OF the Assoca
| ton for nine years attests.
self-preservatiOn were there higher motive, should
enlarge the charities OF the benevolent toward these
fortunate, though they be guilty men, They return
TO society either pirates or penItents And It mainly
with society itself to say which they shall be-.
1t would be wrong not to make honorable mention Of
those discharged convcts who having themselves been
restored by aid to friends and comfort and respecta
biy, call US from time to time with their tesmo
nss Of gratitude III contrib for Others who are
Ing through the ordeal from which kind Providence has
delivered them Others again, themselves employers
cal and inquire for discharged men with Offers Of work and
wages.
During the year 1853 the Committee have aided in var
ways l37 discharged convcts. OF these, there
/
Dong gve...............23 tie Home for Female
Horefu Discharged Prsoner.....
! hetITIfd 70 Prison
The contributions 10 the Treasury for the year amoun
only tie Of s2 900 out Of which besides aid 70 dis
charged conycts the Committee have been obliged pa
! their agents, rents and other current expenses.
Mr.. ABRAHAM BEAL next addressed the meeting. III
ssd that he the Agent of the Association and his prn
cipel duty visit the various Prisons in the State
| He had seen many hardened cases, and many hopeful
ones When he came across man whom he though
to be innocent, he relaxed not in his efforts unit
be had effected his release. Upon such cases coming
his knowledge he Immediately went to work and when b.
had procured uneqBiyOcal evidence Of the innocence
the p5re. he went before the proper authorities aud
Iresentsd the matter to them. In this way he had sue
ceeded in gaining the release Of many who had bee
arrested and committed 10 prison when innocent Of IN
charges preferred against them The speaker, in concu
sion relaied several interesting cases Illustrative OF III
principal objects Of the Prison Association