New-York tribune., 1867-08-17
4 SUGGESTION TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONTENTION

| character nave recently dpptdIfu, MHiNh "'A
be much lass read and attract much less public
attention than they deserve; the twenty-second
Annual Report of the Prison Association OF
| New York, and special report on the prisons
and ref0rmatOries of the United states ana
| Canada, made by DR.. Wines and DIR. Dwight,
rs Commissioners Of that Association, to the
| Assembly at its last session. each volume OF
500 pages.
The first of these, beside the usual annual re-
ports, contains much important matter; special
report from Mr. G.. b. Hubbell, who, having oc-
cason to visit England last year. was requested
| by the Association to examine the Engllsh
prisons, and more especially to obtain partic-
ulars regarding the Irish convict system, now
| celebrated. not beyond its deserts, throughout
the civilized world 1t contains, also, report
| made TO the Association by its Commissioners,
on the State Prisons and Pententiaries OF New
| York accompanied by mass of testimony on
| prisons and prison discipline, taken before the
Commissioners under the authority OF joint
resolution of the last Legislature. Present or
former officers of dong experience, from every
prominent penal institution in the State, were
examined, warden, clerk, physician, chaplain,
keeper and contractor; twenty five in all. The
remarkable feature in this testimony is the
coincidence of opinion among the witnesses.
al In all this testimony" say the Commissioners,
" there is n most surprising unanimity Here
eve have more than score OF men speaking
" without concert. with deiibcratiOn and under
" oath, whose utterances are of the same pur-
port This gives great additional weight TO
the evidence, and causes us 10 share the regret
expressed by the Commissioners that the
" humiliating disclosures of this testimony only
" form part of an official report soon to be laid
away on the shelves of Libraries and valued
" only for reference We trust, however, that
in regard to one very important point touched
on I'm these dcpOsitions action will be taken ere
a month or six weeks shall elapsc; in other
words before the Convention adjourns. The
Commissioners say: "We like most OF the
witnesses, look forward with eagcrneSs to the
Constitutional Convention for relief" What
relcfl We invite the attention OF the dele
gates TO the answer,
The present mode of selecting inspectors of
| State Prisons. as is well known, is determined
not by statute but by constitutional provision.
Section of Article of the Constitution pro-
vides that there shall be three, one elected
each year, at the general election; these in
spcctors to serve three years; that they q" shall
"have the charge and superintendent of the
Estate Prisons and shall appoint all the officers
"thcrcnn The result, even previous TO any
experience might have been readily anticipated.
The inspectors Ne nominated 10y political CON
ventions aud elected 10y party votes The in
spectors usually elected rs a reward for par
tisan services, distribute the offices in their
gift from similar considerations. Hear, as to
the result, the testimony of IN efficient and
"successful" warden at Sing Sing: "'Ghe sub
Ordinate officers are frequently appointed
"withOut having been seen by the inspectors,
"solely on the recommendation of politicians.
Patronage is used irrespective of quail
"ications. When a new inspector comes
"in, he usually claims certain share of the
patronage by redistribution Of offices.
"The principle commonly adopted is that of
"rcmoying the officers who have served the
"longest, till the requisite number Of vacancies
"has been made. These vacancies are then
"flled by the nomination of the new Inspector.
"This system of political appointment dis
"turbs the whole arrangement of the prisons
"by taking from them their best and most ex-
"perienced officers, and replacing them by un
"tIied and frequently worthless men," This
witness recommends giving the power of ap-
pointing inspectors to the Supreme Court of
the State; that the warden, physician chaplain,
and clerk should be appointed by the inspec-
tors, and that all other appointments, of keep
ers, &c, be made by the warden. Another
witness, Mr.. Pilsbury, connected for more than
40 years with the prison system of this and
other States, and ut present Superintendent of
the Albany Penitentary, which Office he has
filled for 20 years, speaks qSte as decidedly.
To the question how much politics had to do
with the management of NewYork State
Prisons, he replies: " regard it as the domi-
"nant and controlling power" He was asked
what the influence of this was on the best inter
ests of these institutions, and answered: Bale
|" full to the last degree. / think that the con-
"version of the State Prisons into part of the
"poltical machinery of the State as is in effect
"done by our present Constitution, is detri-
"mental TO their industrial and moral welfare.
"' From my own experience and that of
those who have made prison discipline their
study, think it may be set down as an es-
"tablished truth that politics and prisons are
incompatible with each other. If prisons
care ever to become reformatory and self-sus-
"taining their whole management and direc-
tion must be kept out of the arena of poll
" ties" We have not space to multiply such
testimony, but it is all to the same effect. All
object to the election as now provided, but opin-
ions are divided between the Supreme Court,
and the Governor and Senate, as appointing
power. All agree, also, that the tenure of Office
should be during good behavior This is the
practice in Massachusetts, where the Governor
and Council appoint the inspectors. All agree,
too, that the chaplain, physician, and clerk