New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-30

enoe "a be beld IN October have wished for time
to address sou at length r bs result Of
in State; but have been 80 very D v tas
do not know az what time in the coming month
templated meetings. 70 take place. put peInp ~
this reaches you aud you have an opportunity 10 con-
slider it's contents / have been regular NlsltOr az our
State Prison for about four years, anu uulnk at s a
have had very good opportunities for observing me eee
of the yarious measures of discipline in force there
have had frequent conversation Win tne OmcSrs upon
with The gentleman In immediate charge OF the
cOnVcts with special reference 70 this MY
communication TO you. when he told me frankly that
co0rgL had been almost entirely abandoned.
and that ne discipline Of me prison. hGd mepe w,hh ms
erperienre been bette, than II lroS then. The ladder as
the whipping post termed, stands IN the yard STILL and
there is no law against it's unlimited use, but IL hardly
ever nsed having been taken TO forneary three
months IL used TO the chief reliance for the enforce
ment of obedience. Hardly day passed without some
erol were so dealt with in the course OF twenty four
hours The officer mentioned, after due reelection upon
should prove the absolute necessity of such mode or
punishment, II would be cruel TO continue it, and no re-
solved to abandon 1t by degrees aud watch me eneC
the change The result have already gwen you ana no
1.-THE officer says that he would be pleased TO see law
passed by the next Legislature abolishing corpora pun
ishmant altogether When prisoner is guilty OF any
thing requiring discipline, IL his ofense not veE ma
grant one. he s brought Into the presence OF he
who speaks 70 HIM kindly. yet firmly showing nm an
y what will be the consequence IL he persists ia ms u
peated, he Is either placed In dark cell ~ nr
aet OF bread ana water iOr i tS me gained by him
under the Communication law taken iIol LIE Ia .er
extreme the penalty IL OF -
bad behavior may incur both close COnnnenent anu
forfeiture OF time / will say that since my CONNECTION
with prison matters began, hOggng is he 9ng noo "a
CORPORAL punshmont that has been employer III INC
tuition unless confinement in the dark cell can pe caTu
such which believe IL never Is. There are uay htte
privileges which have not space TO enumefate, ana
which are not az all IN conflict with the designs OF lh
prisonment that are granted TO tho c0nyicts VINO SNOW
deserving Of them. and which arc withheld
from such rs prove thsDsolyeS unworthy TO nave lhem
until their condAPs - sach as 70 enttlc them 10 tue O
feed prvilegep whe hey are restored to then as Oe
fore THIS has p<erful effect for good and if there
cond be "a regular method adopted in regard to these
to TIC Irish system" 10 would in my opinion almost
entirely supersede the necessity Of other kind oil pun
shment. -. -,-..
now In prison. and the number has not been below that
for some time They comprise almost every variety OF
men, In point OF character. aud age and nationality,
Some OF them perhaps desperate men as any III the
world There are many other disadvantages 10 contend
with incident 10 our condition as State, aud yet
in the OF all these things arc on the point or
these modes OF punishment which you who
are supposed be far IN advance OF us In almost
every thing, grayely proposing 10 adopt trust
however that In the conflict OF opinion which seems to be
going the principles Of enlightened humanity VIII
prevail and that instead OF falling back in tho march OF
civilization your noble State will in peril rs we'll ~ In
other matters herself true to the motto, Excel
siOr" upon her shield aud us reason 10 believe
the settling, aud not the rtSn0 s which we sec
there Yours. very truly, w
JAMES WOODwORTH.
Secretary California Prison Commission.