Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-04-13
NO. ST..
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
How Prisoners FOR DEBT ARE TREArl

How PRISONERS FOR DEBT ARE TREATED
IN ENGLAND-A most extraordinary letter,
signed "a Debtor in the City JAIL" appeared
in the Manchester (England) Guardian,
which shows that the system of prison dsci-
pline in that enlightened country is scarcely
less barbarous than that practiced in the
dungeons Of Naples In referring to the let
ter the Guardian saws:
The writers aver that the prisoners for
debt are treated like "the vilest aud most de-
PRAYED felons." They are not allowed to
Sing, whistle or laugh" and are liable to
solitary confinement for several days with
bread and water diet, for the slightest offence
against the regulations. When the debtora ar
lives at the Jail, he is asked his religion, and
told to sign book, which he does, under the
suppositior that he is merely registering his
religious belief; but afterwards in declining
to attend chapel he is told that the signing
of the book was an undertaking to attend, and
that he must be punished for refusing to do
so. No matter that he alleges that he is
Nonconformist and objects as matter Of
conscience.
At this time of the year the chapel (which
is the same attended by the felons in the
jaiD is intensely cold, but no excuse for non
attendance is permitted. "An old gentle
man, during the present intense frost, begged
in beseeching manner, to be allowed to
stay away from chapel, stating that he was
seventy-iour years Of age, and that the cold
current that he was exposed to was too much
for q man of his years and infrmity. LIE was
taken before the Governor, who told him to
hold his hands by his sides while in his pre-.
sence. The Governor told him that al
though he stated upon entering the prison
that he was a Presbyterian, still, as he had
signed the book, ne should sentence him to
twenty-four hours solitary confinement for
refusing to attend chapel On being taken
to this intensely cold cell, he found that he
was only allowed small piece of bread three
times day with cold water"
The solitary cell is quite dark, und debtors
are sometimes confined there for three days.
On Sunday week several of the debtors were
confined there for twenty-four hours for not
getting out Of bed till quarter Of an hour
after the regular time (seyen o'clock, though
it was quite dark and no clock was allowed.
One poor gentleman, who suffered terribly
from rheumatism, and was frequently COM
PEELED to use crutcbes, begged that he might
be permitted, while thus imprisoned, to pur-
chase, with his own money, such food and
warm drinks as his health required. This
was refused, and nothing but bread and cold
water allowed, One prisoner passed three
days in this fearful cell for giving his wife a
small piece of bread, in order that his chill
dren at home might see the quality of the pri-
son food. Another on seanty allowance, took
and ate an onion beyond his share, for which
he had solitary confinement on bread and wa
ter for three days.
Such are the allegations made by the wri
ter of this startling letter, besides other COM
plants Of most arbitrary regulations as to
visitors, by which not only relatives, but
solicitors, are to Il great extent debarred from
necessary communication with the poor deb
tors. We quote these statements as we find
them in print. Let US think fora moment
of the terrible cold of the last few weeks, and
then ask whether, supposing the assertions
are uncontradicted, it can be permitted that
man should have the power Of committing
persons to unwarmed, unlighted cells with
out proper food, whatever their age or state
Of health, for triAing breaches OF arbitrary
prison rules? This is England, not Naples.
Itseems from this that the pleasure ofincarce-
ration for debt in England is about equal to
that enjoyed in Italy.