New-York tribune., 1872-07-30
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.
THE INTERNATIONAL PENITENTIARY CON
GRESS.

PROPOSITIONS ADoPTED-CAPITAL PUNISH
MENT AND THE TRAFFIC IN INTOXICATING
LIQUORS. ...
lPRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THB TRIBUNRl
LONDON, July 13-The International Congress
on the Prevention and Repression Of Crime concluded ts
Iabors and adjourned sne dc today Three separate
seotions-one Frcnch-speabug and two Enghsh-Were
in session simultaneously Thursday ana Friday Ihe
Frenchspeaking section was occupied manly on Doth
days with comparison OF the relative merits OF
the Irish or Crofton system - system OF
associated progressive labor - and the system
OF cellular. separate confinement. The former was
described by Sir Walter CrofOn. and warmly
commended by him; the latter was explained ana
advocated in an able paper by Mr. stevens Of Belgium
The first English section chiefly occupied during its
two days sttings with hearing accounts from delegates
representing the different naonalites of the present
condition and general results of the prisons and prison
management in vogue in their respective countries
Many Of the statements including those of Dr. Wines
Gen. Pillsbury and Others from the United states,
clearly indicated the urgent necessity of enlgh
ened, humane prison discipline and the great need Of
attention to the Of prison reform on the part
OF good citizens generally. Dr. Wines pointed ont the
deplOrable results OF the frequent injurious changes
in the government and the inadequate ad
minstration Of the State Prisons of New-YOrR
in consequence of their immediate connection with
huctuatng party politics. constitutional amendment
already initiated he thought would ultimately remedy
this The second English section was mainly occupied
with reports and discussions concerning refOrmatories
industrial schools and homes for the children Of crim
nal children and OF neglected nOncriminal children
Beside able paper by the Rev Charles Brace OF the
New-YOrk Children's Aid Society, very valuable and
interesting contributions to the discussion both in the
form OF paper and subsequent address, were made
by Miss Mary Carpenter the well-known founder and
manager of the Red Lodge Girls Reformatory
of Bristol. she especially commended the " family
system of industrial schools in which needy children
trail md from
life Miss Carpenter also spoke effectively upon the sub
ect of woman agency in the work of reforming prison
ers especially female prisoners. She held that there
should be competent lady visitors and officers appointed
TO all prisons Among others who spoke upon this sub
ieet substantial agreement with Miss Carpenter were
Mrs Julia Ward Howe Miss Emily Faithful Mr. Brem-
ner Of Manchester Mr.. Harper and others To-day the
Congress reassembled in body in Middle Temple
Han, with Sir John Pakngton In the chair TO hear the
reports in the discussions of the several sections, and TO
conclude its labOrs by adopting series Of general prop
osltops presumed to embody the views of majority of
the representatives upon the subjects to which they re-
fer. will give OF the more important OF these
propositions and synopsis Of others;
l. The treatment of criminals by society IS for the
reoted rather to the criminal than to the crime ITS great
be made a primary aim Of prison discipline TO reform
the criminal, and not simply TO lnficI upon MN a Ger
of the public security against repetition of his crime is
the reSstabishment OF moral harmony III the soui OF
49,
laws. -,,--, -. g..
more p0werfu agent than fear it should therefore, be
made an present in the minds OF prisoners by
welIdevised and skiIlfuy applied system OF rewards
for good conduct industry, ana attention TO learning
Such rewards NAV be, diminutOn OF sentence par
ticipaton in earrings; gradual WlthdraWHi OF re,
straint; aud a constant enlargement OF privilege, as
these shall be severaly earned by mertorlou5
Rewards more than punshments' are eSSeh'a 10 o'ei'
good penitentiary system . 49,, -.
Tue progressive classification Of prisoners based on
merit, and not on any mere arbitrary Prlnelpe[das
crime age, &c.should be established IN all prisons de-
signed for the treatment 3i SohSct9I rceration
way, the prisoners desIIy curing LlS a,ist
should be placed, measuraOy, in his own hands ne must
put into circumstances where he Will be able hIonSh
his own exertiOns, continually 10 better ms condition
regulated self interest must be brought into play. In
tle prison as society there must be the stimulus
OF some personal advantage accrung from the PIlssO
ners efforts. Giving prisoners AN interest IN dnef M
thoughts and habits; and what no severity OF PUNISH %
will enforce, moderate personal lhVeleS' VIII
In criminal treatment moral forces should be relied
on with little admixture OF physical IoIee as sS T'
organized persuasion, TO the utmost eAtent possie,
should be made to take the place OF SoerGS fr
men rather than orderly and Obedient prisoners Brute
1UH1 @ gnod items To the latter these ends, the
living soul must be won; TO the former Only tg neS
and obedent body. TO compass the reformation OI
criminals the military type IN prison management must
be abandoned, and dselpneby moral forces SuoS1 SUI
prison discipline, being directly opposed 10 each Otner
cannot pursued by the same road Inc one Is meant
to train men to act together the other TO prepare them
10 act separately The one relies upon iOfce, Which
never yet created virtue the other on mouTes' Wc1
are the sole agency attaining moral ends Ihe special
object of the suppress individual character and
reduee an the component parts OF compact machine ,
that of the other 10 develop and strengthen lndldua
character and by insting right prlnclPles 10 ehcO
ace and enable il to act on these independently.
g. The ffth proposition ahrms that unsuitable lndul-
rence is Injurious as unsuaDle seVeIIy Ine truS
prucple being 10 pace Ihe p 1ror ~ ~ 9,av ont
stern adversely from which ne must WOrk MS way ouI
y Ais own exertons. that is by dgent iaD9r ana con
tant course of voluntary selfcOmmand ana
e II is essential TO retOrmatory prison uSatlnen
that the serespeet Of the prisoner snoua pe %
m tbe utmost and every effort made TO give DaeK 10 nun
his manhood Hence all disciplinary puhishlISnts tnaO
indct unnecessary pain or humlliatOn shoud De aooi-
ished evil influence; anu hstea' ,o ~ e ,rvi
trison ofenses should be the forfeiture OF sobe pIl
eges Of part OF the progress sGao9 d or Derod
of strcter confinement. There is no greater Al
whole compass penal discipline than us stnde9 l
wnosition DESTROYS every better Impulse ana asPia-
ton 1t crushes the weaK, lLitatSs INC II ia framnng
1isposes all 10 submiss sion ana reform, ~ -
where we ought 10 raise, ana is therefore az . d
in principle it is unWse III pocy O & ne so faTorae
no imposition would De so lDpION n-' S aaot salf
10 the cultivation Of the prisoners @ HI s ~
command, and recovery OF anUGu , a. hear On present
every deviation from the line OF ight peaI On o,,It
1ryiege or ultimate release Such
be aS tns GroPl PlS Wit6out needless pain wanton
rneitv and especially without 1urtDer INJURY W t0
manhood subdue at length even the most ItIi.etOlg.
system OF prison discipline, TO be truly reforma-
tory must gain the will OF the convict AZ, .touo
No uYson can become school OF REFORM VII tneIo
~ ~ 80 ~ the officers hearty desire and inten-
& to accomplish this object. Where there is no pfeNa-
this direction. such purpose, nTison
fertaued by prison officers, would reVOlutohIIe PIso
tory processes would follow such cnanso ss ~ nh a,5
fbe harvest follows the sowing III is hot 80 ng
specific apparatus that Is heeaed a. ~ @ 10 rison
nept Once let IL become the heartfelt desire anu P
pose Of prison officers 10 reform the eliaS OF
Their care and they Will speedily become lhNehti'e oi
the methods adapted TO the work -,-.,.,. .hnuo
FOR fhe reformation OF imprisoned criminals, there
ronviciOn that they capable OF being relOfmeI,
his inward belefs no man can ealHesey W IS %
cOmpsh what, In his heart he despaIs OF