The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-08
NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY APRIL 8, 72-TRIPLE SHEET

% sss s %
or other means Of furherna the and
10 Ssaswhsthsr 4. the practice Of the criminal l1.l
offences repeat them often in the case q the same
ice as regards the Increase or dmnution Of crime
na q in your And 4,
found to be It's leading causesy
general results Of tbs class Of institutions in your Country
Including all institutions tina, rsa'uly come unasr this
average aggregate number OF inmates Whether parents
reormatores and II So to what extent such responsibility
IL Returns of the weldong OF liberated prisoners show
Inc the authority which they are based and the mode In
The seyera national committees win not, is hoped in
making their memoranda ai to rememoer two sasges
furnish the Congress with plans OF their most recent prison
ana nkewss model o. aer oldest prison
discipline: and secondly that they accompany their reports
OF their several countries.
GOVERNMENTS TO BE REPRESENTED.
When the preliminary arrangements had been
completed between Great Britain and the United
States the government at the Hague was the nrst to
Netherlands IN the matter, stated that ms govern
ment would be represented at the Congress III Lon
don ana thai one OIL the committee had been re-
quested to prepare the necessary memoranda.
SWITZERLAND AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Switzerland next replied through DIR. Gulllaume.
who, regretng the absence OF the death penalty IN
the preliminary programme stated 1--WE should ike
10 see among The important questions, that OF the
abolition OF the death penalty, which, precisely De-
1t is still In our day the subject OF controversy
ought 10 be brought before so competent an assem-
ali, win lave Tor It's mission TO discuss
and to announce principle THIS question mas
made progress IN switzerland, ana an VINO oee W.,
moral reformation OF the criminal IND that this
principle Is Incompatible. Capital punishment has
been abolished in canton since 1854 and crimes
have rather diminished than increased. The main
tenance OF this penalty does not cOmport with the
beautiful CHRISTIAN and philantnropic principle
which you adopted In the Congress OF CINCINNATI"
BELGIUM.
Belgium answered through M. Borden. Admnis-
traitor OF Prisons, VINO stated .that within u few
days from February b the Minister OF Justice VIII
have definitely formed the list OF members Of me
to you the names OF the members or the National
Committee to give you at the same time the names
OF the persons VINO Will be sent TO London i0r the
THE GERMAN EMPIRE.
Privy Councillor Steinman, Writing from Berlin
on the oth OF February, state5:-"OI The States oil
the German empire Prussia, Bavaria anu Baden
will be officially represented at the International
Congress. Ny expectation Is that Saxon, and Wur-
temDLrg will also be officially represened.n AS
set forth In the last paragraph OF the ..polnts"
Oh the Berlin Society OF Jurlsts viii represent that
body; ana he has already handed Ill Il series OF
questions which show that ne mas thorough
knowledge OF the SUBJECT, as we'll as broad and EN-.
llghtened views upon the treatment oil '.recl-
dives" &c.
France Is about to revive the old prison commits.
sion created by Napoleon In 1869, which will he
eGa CHARGED % act as naonal Go Psa
states that the reorganization Is now under con-
slderauon by the government OF N. THEIRS and that
France Will certainly be- represented In Londol
'She Will not,o he says, close her interest III the
great social pententary movement which demands
to-day more than ever tne' attention OF govern
ments and peopesh
Minister Curtin Is engaged at ST. Petersburg IN
seq
ofliclal representation IN the Congress- A national
committee IT is expected VIII be ordered To attend.
Wnen some exceedingly Interesting data may be
looked for from Siberia 'the land OF the exile ana
other portions OF this great and hitherto despotlc
SollOhuD, distinguished friend and promoter OF
prison reform IN that country, has written lengthy
phcal study. There are points and ieanings IN the
questions which cannot carry all votes, but they are
the production or vigorous and enlightened mind,
highly suggestive, and, as tnev are about nun
dred anu h1ty in number Will furnish abundant
matter tor those who contemplate participation III
the abors OF the Congress. lie MAINTAINS as pre-
llminary that preliminary Imprisonment Is
necessary evil imposed from considerations OF social
security
OF all the countries signlfying their intention OF
being present AZ the Congress lGay has SO far mani
tested the greatest amount Oi enthusiasm. Writing
from Rome on January ~, 1872, f. Carbon, Director
General OF Prisons and Mlngheli. Valni and Mar
tnO Beltrani-scalla Inspectors General OF PRISONS,
made mastery and complete review OF the entire
field OF criminal statistics and prison treatment,
starting OUT WIFI " singular duu bOuoWudJ OUSCufc
suggestion that France and Germany TWO OF the
greatest nations IN Europe, should certainly De rep
resented at the Congress. in such manner that
both may bring TO 1t the Impulse OF their national
lire results or their experience, the treasures OF
their knowledge" Why these civil magnates OF
the classical Eternal City SHOULD be so solcltous.
for the latter country at least, 1t Is difficult To
imagine. Their united Efforts however, have
supplied the United states association with some
need not be ashamed OF the document when pre-
sented IN London for considerations.
ntrfaS fhntr nv1pl slf
delegates, which Will be noticed as soon rs re-
celved.
HOW TO REAP THE BENEFIT OF THE DISCUSSION
There can De no DOUBT that large amount of IN
formation on all points connected with prison dis
cipline and the repression OF crime Will have been
collected by the Congress; that certain general
principles Will have been agreed upon, and that
strong impulse will have been given TO the cause OF
penitentiary reform throughout the world. But II
The matter stop here the abor5 OF the Congress Will
have been comparatively barren OF permanent re-
suits, because the momentum gained VIII soon have
expended ITSELF IL seems, therefore. In the highest
degree desirable that some means should be de-
vlsed to continue and II possible, multiply the bene-
fits flowing from the Congress, as from living
fountain No better agency to this end occurs TO US
than the creation OF central bureau, to winch IN
teligence relating to this interest and the progress
made pnereln shall be regularly communicated every
year IRON all parts OF the world, and from which,
III a digested and printed form, it shall be again
distributed TO all the civilized nations oil The earth.
Thus every part OF the world will be kept informed
OF what IS DONG in every other part In relerence TO
this vital Interest OF sOCletytne treatment of crime
and criminals, with a view to The repression oil the
one anu the reformation OF the other. In this man.
ner a continual circulation or ideas Will be main
talned the nature and result OF experiments III
penltentary and reformatory discipline, undertaken
III any gwen country, VIII be promptly made known
all Others, ana an honorable rivalry VIII De kept
up between nations. in which each, while rejoicing
In every instance and at every proof OF progress
elsewhere Will yet strive TO Outstrip its fellows In
the race OF Improvement. With national
mil tees or associations actively at work In the
ton performing the double junction OF receiver
and distributor OF intelligence, and with inter-
national penltentlary conferences renewed from
time to time, 1t Is a reasonable presumption that,
wItnin the next half century, progress not hitherto
SO much as dreamed oil even by the most sanguIne
VIII be made into the knowledge and application OF
processes for the prevention OF crime ana the
reformation OF CRIMINALS