The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-07-28

Vile! ri
by REV. D. W. FIsHER.
Il The State of West Virginia is about
to build its first Penitentiary. Tie
writer of this article understands that
4 II has not yet been finally determined
what system of discipline shall be
adopted in administration, and feeling
q deep interest in the decision which
may be reached, he begs leave to SUBJ
NIT some considerations upon the gem
I ern subject involved. It may be prop
er for him to add that by this discus
to aid the public authorities in the Sc
lection of that plan which will best ac-
eomplish the ends for which q State
4 prison Is constructed. "' 'Hs "
p . Two systems of discipline are now in
use In the various civilized countries of
the world. One has come to be known
with us as the "silentm or Auburn sys-
tenn. The peculiarity of this plan is
that 1t allows the prisoners to associate
together during the day in their work
shops, but in order to prevent the evils
which are acknowledged to flow from
unrestricted intercourse among them
selves, it imposes the most rigid silence
upon them, and requires them at night
to be confined each one by himself.
The convicts are not permitted to speak
TO each other: though they may address
necessary inquiries to theiI instructors
keepers; and they may converse with
the chaplain, and join to a certain ex-
| tent in The religious exercises provided
In. the institution. The other, plan is
known. as the ''separate" or Pennsyl-
yania SYSTEM The peculiaTity of it is,
that IL requires the prisoners to be kept
entirely separate from each other, SO
that even the personal appearance, if
possible, of any one may be unknown
to any other of the conVicts. at the
same time it furnishes them with suita>
BILE and sufficient employment in their
| cells, provides books for general read
ing and for study, and affords both
intellectual and religious instruction
either in the cells or in some room
where the conYicts may be assembled
without seeing each other. This plan
permits the officers of the prison and
| to visit the convict, and allows his
friends, under supervision, to corres-
pond with him. In some instances a
little garden is given to him to cultivate
for himself; and such appliances may
be introduced into his cell as to render
1t more comfortable thamthe ordinary
sleeping rooms of many of his fellow
men outside of the walls. The distin-
gushing popularity ofthe system, it will
| be observed, is that the prisoners are kept
entirely separate from each other. The
idea of what is popplarly called solitary
! ShOb1u1OANS0AAlt 4uHE6
may be as much intercourse with the
officers of the institution or with other
people as the most tender-hearted
| philanthropist could desire.
Which of these two plans is, on the
| whoIe, ,preferable2 Which ofthem would
it be advisable for the State of West Vir-
| ginta to adopt for theinStitution located
at Moundsville2 The writer presumes
that most persons would, like himself,
at first thought, by their prejudices and
imperfect acq quaintance with the SUBJ
lieet, be led to feel and. express a very
J decided preference for the silent or
Auburn plan. But at the same time
he believes, that just as he by investi-
Egation has been convinced of the clear
superiority of the separate, or PenuSyl-
yania system, SO also others by like
process may be brought to a like con-
clusion. ID
object ofimpfisOnmentina a penitentiaFy
is two fold. It's legitimate use is to
punish criminals with view to the
protection of society, and also, If possi-
BILE; to achieve the moral reformation OF
the criminal. There are also, it Will be
noticed, Two parties concerned name
IY, society and the criminal-and these
two parties have certain rights which
should be preserved in any plan of dis
ciplIne which may be adopted. As long
| ago as 1878, Buxton, the well known
philanthropist laid down these rights in
substantially the following form. His
statement is still sufficiently accurate
for our present purpose. he conceived
| the prisoner to be entitled to 'tfine air,
Wholesome and sufhcfent food, protection
| from cold, OF opportunities otexercise,
the privilege. of labor, and the devotion
! of part of the proceeds of that labor to
thesupport fhis family, IL he has one -
He also argued that society has right
l TO demand "that the prisoner shall be
securely confined, and that he shall not
! be made worse either in body or char
acterbY his inprisonment;st that his In
Temperance or other evil habits shall be
restfhineds and that education and re
ligions instruction shah be-provided
for him." The question for us now to
settle Is, what system best meets these
conditions, and accomplishes the great
two fold design of a state prison. 49 -
There are several different elements
which we may consider with view to
compare the merits fof the two schemes
ofdlseiplihe which have been mention
ed.
Il, enforcement Of the rl.Ees.-It is abso-
1utely essential to the we'll being of 8
prison that Whatever regulations may
be made for its government should be
practically executed and obeyed- As
I We lfiave seen, both OF tho two principal
| systems insist that the prisoners shall
not communicate With each other. This
is first principle according to either
plaill Now tnay ha freely admitted
that convicts even where separated
from each other IN different cells will
ia Some casesI e1Cceed in holding duter-
confSe. Absolute isolation is dream
which IS not nkely. 10 be realized, 50
long as more than one convict Is com
I fined in the same building.s Yet IL re-
ouires mo argument to show that u
| Nearer approach TO such state can be
made bythe separate than by the silent
system. 81 For while you may through
the terrors ofthe lash, comnel men when
i other you cannot q prevent them
from Exchanging other signs of re
cognition. Congregated human be-
inEs will in some form communicate
with anch other. So far then RsiLhe en-
4 SoFeement of this great first principle OF
all prison discipline Is concerned, the
advantage Is very decidedly with the
s6bdFat6 lsYsteIn.l Without disclssipg
this point fafthet, It VIII be sufhcient
20 notice that experience clearly estab-
\ IliaiIast thatsth0 cases of disohedience Of
the rnles ana vastly the ulost.uumerous
in those institute i1ns here the SILENT
plan Is adopted. For Instance, at PEN
tonville, England, where the conHicta
are separated as- in. PennsYlyania, the
T Glses OF deiinq uency of all kinds were
some time ago eleven and a hall per
A cent. per apnumt while at yGDldbath
Fields Prison, one OF the best conducted
OF the silent systeIn, they numbered
| within fraction Of one hundred and
sfxty-tWo per. cantss q diIference of ione
huudred and fil6y per cent. TheIBame
| VFiierl from whom this estimate q
drawn. assures us that acpmpaFisnn q
Z ois star tes on q large scale shows thhi