Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-11-17


sec by this morning Spy an ARTICLE in regard
TO Mr.. Spear, and his address, sc. Ir. Spear is
q good man, that know by my own experience,
but be misses his mark when he lectures in
regard to reforming men who have been in
Prison. / knew that he does his best but he
never has suffered, and therefore IS not : Judge.
He never has suffered twelve hundred days in
prison-he never has been subject to the rule Of
petty tyrants, who delight in termenting the pris-
oner under their charge He never has been COM
PEELED to live upon five ounces Of meat day. and
90 to bed at night without supper. HI never has
had his back torn to pieces for telling an officer
that he did not have enough TO eat. He never
has been through horrible imprisonment If
he had, he would present MS soul to his brother
man. He may lecture upon prisons in Europe,
and point the way TO prevent crime; but still fail
in his object. The public mind must be convert
ed to one object first, that is, how men should be
treated when they get out of prisons Nine tenths
OF the men that pretend TO be friends TO. pris-
oneT, would not employ one or give him house
room over night; they would point the finger of
scorn at him, and kick him out OF good society,
the very moment he got into il, and would won
der hOw he dared 10 have the impudence TO intro
duce himself into society The writer OF this ar
tIcie has been told that man that has been to
prison had no business to try to get into good So
ciety. So long pablic opinion is against the
prisoner, and he is treated as an outcast then
our prisons viii be full, and crime will increase.-
People must do something themselves. in order
to bring round the desired object, to reform men
who have been IN prison.
There is another thing that tends IN prevent
the TefoImat on Of this class Of men-thatis this,
If they should happen TO do anything that socle
~ does not approve, no matter how honest mis- in
tention is, he IS forthwith condemned without a
hearing, no matter how false the charge is. or
how deep and damning the lies, it will be believed,
and people will say 1t must be true, because he
has been in prison. What a state OF society -
Men condemned without hearing, and without
the least shadowof proof. Was there ever a more
contemplate set Of hypocrites who see every
body else false but themselves If Mr.. Spear
would take hold OF the subject Of reforming this
class Of men, when out OF prison, he would ac-
compllsh mis- object but so long as he pursucs
the course that ne now pursues, he never will &C.
complish much. FOO many irons in the fire will
not cause much reform. The writer OF this arti.
Gle has been through scenes of misery, and has
suffered horrible Imprisonment and knows what
Will reform men, and what will not He knows
what will touch the tender chord Of sympathy and
bring tear to the eyes Of the most hardened man.
There IS but one course to pursue, anu that is
kindness, forgiveness, and to give them work,
food, and clothing, and to look after them. and
keep them always from temptation. saw man
who had been in state Prison, out OF work and
out ofsciothing. | gave him my mite, and told
him 70 70 and sin no more. Tears Of gratitude
ran down his cheek and he said that had made
him iecl happy. " A friend in need is a friend in
deed" Touch mans pocket,and get into trou-
BILE, and then he will see who his friends are. Let
no one suppose that this or that man is his riend
wait and try him first before you call him friend.
may, on some further day, speak in the City
Hall upon this subject.
FRON PRIsoSEH's FRIEND.