The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-08
INTERNATIONAL PENITENTIARY CON-
GRESS.
The Great Prison Conference TO Be
Held in London in July.
Result Of the Efforts Of the United States-The
Whole Civilized World Interested and
Present Condition Of Prisoners-How
to degenerate the Criminal-The
Views Of the Principal Euro
psan Govsrnments-What
the Result Will Be.

Prison Association OF the United States IL beginning
to make lLselr apparent. After years OF strug-
Cling against the evils or prison life the apathy OF
officials and authorities. the prejudices OF society
ana the intense ignorance and depravlty OF the
majority OF the habitual occupants the penitenti
aries, the Christian influences and persistent efforts
OF these gentlemen In their endeav0rs ct regcnera-
ton at length brought to light The difficulties
to be overcome in such an enterprise are as varied
as they continuous. The young offender, enter
ing for the first time q common prison, would gen.
orally leave the place Of confinement, II not con-
frmed criminal at least well Instructed In the arts
of crime and deception. The clerk incarcerated
| for embezzlemenG returned at the expiration oil
his sentence, skilled as plcKpocket or burglar, as
| well as being provided with a vocabulary OF
obscenity sufficient TO appal the most stoica. Re
lgiOus sentiment and all idea OF morality were BAN
ished. The great aim thenceforward to him was to
prey upon his fellows and pander TO all the lowest
passions of human nature idleness being the chief
| dictator. Reform under whose banner the phios-
opners OF time nave necessarily marched, made
itself known in the cell and the dungeon. The axe
was aimed at the prisoner himself, and way was
opened by which, il ne would, he might become
reformed man ana an honest citizen. II imprlson-
ment Is punishment par ercee,ace, as ROssi aver.
red, the criminal convicted for violations OF the
law is the individual claiming the special attention
OF phanthr0plsts and, indeed. the entire commu.
nifty, as his condition and treatment will affect
them indirectly as long as he lives. 1t
is not enough that the man VINO robs
or wounds or murders MS follows should be
convicted and imprlsoned-sent away from. all old
associations. He carries with him the germs from
which sprang the impulse leading to the crime OF
when he has been convicted, and, though he may
be unable personally to commit further depredatons
among the community, his evil example and OBJ
utterances surely affect his fellow prisoners,
many of whom have the opportunity OF returning to
the world ana spreading broadcast the perncious
seeds OF crime
GOVERNMENT AID TO INDIVIDUALS
II is not astonishing therefore, that governments
and minister's, having Witnessed the terrible effects
OF this system, have taken the subject under Con-
sideIatlon with the view OF so improving the con-
ditlon OF criminals While under restraint as to pre-
vent, If possible, that great evil of
ncation, and to provide for system OF moral train
Ing, habits OF industry and discipline. TIE
cosmopolitan character OF the population OF
all the largest cities OF the United States, and
the variety OF sentiment and proessed religious be-
lief OF those under arrest, rendered the task OF
form extremely complicated Tue government,
under successive administrations, has given
siderable attention 10 this great SUBJECT and the
present Cabinet readily concurred IN the PROPOSE
uon OF the Secretary OF the National Association,
DR.. Wires, to invite the governments OF all
other civilized countries to lend their aid and the
benefit Of their experience in order to arrive at
come general principles for the treatment OF prison.
DR.. Wines, having this object In view. last year
visited Europe, made a thorough inspection OF the
prison systems OF the various countries and re-
ceiveu The assurance OF the government officers
| trusted with the direction and management OF re-
| formatory and corrective institutions that they
would willingly CO. operate IN any work having for
| It's object the Improvement OF the status OF the
! prisoner and the ameoraton OF the evils over
when In the past they nave had little control.
THE INTERNATIONAL PENlTENriARY CONGRESS-.
! Alter ms return the American Commissioner re-
| touching upon the prison systems OF each country
py the Executive che National Association issued a
circular letter to the national committees OF other
countries, proposing general congress, to meet IN
London during the year 1872, to discuss the subject
OF pententlary reform In all It's bearings. After
| period OF nearly three months OF constant express
sion vi international opinion IL has been decided
that the gathering wnicn Is to be called the clutter
national Congress on the Prevention and Repres-
sion VI Crime, Including Penal anu Ref0rmatory
| Treatment" shall meet In the English metropolis
on the Sd OF July of the present year, In the rooms
| Social science.
| COMPOSITION AND ORDER OF PROCEDURE.
National committees, now formed III the various
| countries, viii be charged with Whatever In each
country pertains to preparation for the Congress.
rhey Will act AS an organ Oh correspondence with
! otner private committees prepare memoranda 10
be submitted to Inc Congress on prisons and refor-
| competent and desirable to take part as members
ana prepare papers ana topics Tor discussion. An
/
| iron The several national committees by eacn de-
| signaling number Oh It's members not exceeding
five. The functions OF this general committee WIN
be To eXamiae and pass upon the papers presented
to the Congress, draw up series VI propositions
designed 10 express the general conclusions OF the
Congress, &c print programme OF proceedings, and
have all things in readiness for the Congress as
soon as II snail nave been organized. Eacn govern
| ment will bear the expense OF ITS committee. The
| Congress Will be constituted OF two classes OF dele.
gates-ofiical members, designated by govern
lnents, ana non-onlcial members, appointed by
boards or prison or reIorlnatory managers, by pa
tronage or all societies, NC. WHAT Is specially
desired and sought Is That tue Congress snail en-
body, represenatvely, all tue experience, know
ledge and wlsaom OF The world, theoretical and
practical, on the questions which are 10 come before
| 1t. Papers designed Tor consideration must be
brought within the Drelest compass compatible
| with an adequate discussion or the topics treated
| A fortnight mas been nanel AZ the time IN when
to discuss the PRISON reforms of the civilized world
| when seems mucn too limited, considering the
scope, as evnced by the above title oil the body, OF
| matters 10 be discussed.
| SPECIAL WORK OF THE CONGRESS.
| The hrst ann Of the altering Is to OBTAIN O
general VIEW OF the actual state OF prisons through
out Inc world. To this end 1t Considered neces.
sary that each country or COLONY furnish such view
OF ITS own penal ana rclormatory institutions; and
there VIII he great number OF sucn papers they
| must necessarily be IN the form OF Memoranda
covering all points OF vital importance and re-
| sirieted 10 quite moderate limits. In order 10
| secure certain unllormity IN the information
sought the following points are indicated, to
pallng tneir memoranda without any desire 10 alb
soulely conlne them 10 these particulars or dictate
| tue form vi documents.
it !t>oH Nyaf system or that
i OF association prevails In country
proporuonsY Classification prisons
prisoners received into prisons OF
each class The number of inmates
| OF prisons last
Gt4rot A6yntta,io Whether there Is a central au.
thorty having control OF the whole prison
central authority is wantng where power
| lodgeds In either case, what Ia the result 2
D. Disclaa,.-Whether the discipline mainly
be deterrent retOrnstory! In either
agencies mainly relied upony Whether, and by what
means T. sengh plant hope IN the breast of the prisoner
and keep II there whether pnnisnmeuts
most relied IN administering the discipline your
| prison n! What Kinds OF each are employed!
II gto1 an3 bo,td AgYcts.What agencies of this
are employed by the administration Whether
cer visitors admitted into the
moral improvement oil the inmates The
| casey
o. Secular fastrmcoa. General condition OF criminals In
point OF education on their commitment Provision
Tor their mental Improvement during their Imprisonment by
| way OF Schools hbrarles. lectures, reading &c, &c.
b. PRISON La5o Whether a distinction made In your
prisons between penal industrial binds OF
penal LABOR any, employed ana the results
The KINDS OF industrial labor IN use The principle which
the Industries OF your prisons organzedthat
whether the labor OF the prisoners contractors or
lI linz