Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-07
PRISON REFORM.
MEETING or THE NATIONAL AssocrA-
TON AT ATLANTA, GA.
Ex.President Hayss's Address, Review.
ing the History Of the Or
ganization.
Isy teIegr.ph 70 the pispatcn.I

tonight at 6 o'clock, with q good attend.
ance OF members from all parts Of the coun-
try. The Opera-House was crowded with
an audience representing all parts oil
Georgia. Ex-Governor Bullock, OF
Georgia, made the opening address, as resi-
dent director OF the Association. lie was
followed by Governor Mcdaniel and Mayor
Uillyer In addresses Of welcome. Ex-
President Hayes. president OF the Assoca.
ton, then spoke as follows:
Mr.. Pre- ident, Ladies, and Gentlemen :
When the members OF the National Prison
Association year ago, at Detroit, Mich .
accepted the invitation OF the Mayor and
citizens OF Atlanta TO hold their next an.
nual meeting here. they counted cont
IDENTITY upon having good time In this
young, wide.awake, and prosperous city.
They believed that the welcome OF Atlanta
and Georgia would mean not merely that
social, friendly greeting which cheers the
visitor who enters circle OF unfamiliar
faces, and which at once places him at ease
and nj home, but they also believed the
principles, the aims, and methods OF the
Association would have in this community
that intelligent and bospitable hearing when
is based on the scriptural maxim, (" prove
all things; hold fast that which Il good"
The cordial and generous welcome by the
Governor and Mayor as the representa-
tives Of citizens, assures us that our anticipa-
lions will be more Than realized. Our hope
and trust are that the goodness OF our
cause will simply supply the defects In our
presentation Of 1t during the week that our
meetings will be held in Atlanta-meetings
open TO all who will honor us with their at
tendance. The addresses, papers, and dis
~.
which has been prepared for the occasion,
cover very wide field. IL IL altogether
fitting and proper that at the threshold OF
our proceedings a memorial address should
he delivered by the distinguished citizen
OF New York, Mr.. Dorshcimcr, on the
life and character Of Horatio Seymour.
the illustrious gentleman who for
many years was president OF this
Association, and who was eminent alike a.
a statesman and rs a philanthroplst. The
pcrusal Of the programme for the week
will show the intelligent reader that almost
every important topic relating to prison
and prison systems, to crimes and their
prevention, TO criminals, their treat
mont, occupations, and the reformation OF
both sexes ana OF all ages, will at some
period OF the meeting be not merely in
order, but under discussion by members Of
the Association. / do not, therefore, now
enter upon any OF those topics. A few
words, however, may venture TO offer a.
to the origiDi and transactions OF the asso-
citation whose members have been so
heartily welcomed, and as 10 some OF It's
principles and purposes.
The father and founder o. the National
Prison Association was the late Rev. DR..
L. G. Wines, the learned, devoted. and
persistent leader Of American reformers in
prison discipline.
In 1860 Or. Wines proposed to the Prison
Association Of New York. OF which he wa.
the corresponding secretary, the holding VI
National Prison Congress, put the New
York Association judged it ineXpcdient to
take the iniative in favor OF the proposed
convention. DR.. Wines was profoundly
impressed with the importance OF his plan
and after consulting with few gentlemen
in Boston and New York, he prepared the
following draft OF u call for National
Congress:
"The undersigned. deemng prison dis
cIpline 10 the vital interest OF society, -
well as one OF the ,sravest Of social pro-
blCms, and on both these grounds worthy
Of the closest study and The freeSt discus
sion. cordially unite in calling a national
congress for conference on criminal pun
ishment and refOrmstory treatment, TO be
held in the autumn OF 1870 in the city Of
Cincinnati"
This call received ninety-one signatures,
as follows: TWENTY-FIVE wardens
Of prisons. seventeen superintendent OF
juvenile reformatories, twenty-five mem.
bers Of prison and reiormatory boards,
eight members OF boards Of state charities,
four chaplains OF prisons and reformatO-
ries, and fifteen general philanthrOpistS.
In pursuance OF this call the first National
Prison Congress was held in Cincinnati 10
October, 1870. Its most important action,
perhaps, was the appointment Of a conf
mittee TO take steps for the organization Of
1 permanent National Prison Association.
Tbe objects OF the Association, as stated in
he resolution OF the Cincinnati Congress,
md afterwards In its charter and cOnsti-
ulion, are as follows:
|. The amelOration Of laws in relation 10
public offences and oflenders-the mode OF
procedure by which the laws are enforced.
.. The improvement OF penal, correction
Il, and reiormatory institutions throughout
he country, and the management, govern
nent, and discipline thereof; excluding
he appointment OF boards OF control and
,ther officers.
3. The care Of and procuring suitable |
md rtmunerativc employment for dis.
'harged prisoners, and especially for such |
IS may or shall have given evidence OF re. |
ormation OF life.
A great deal of benefceut work for pri- |
on reform bad been done by individuals
nd State and other societies in the century |
leXt before the organization Of this AssO. |
iation. Surely there was urgent need for |
uch work. The facts as TO the prisons |
nd treatment OF prisoners during and be- |
ore that period are strange, unaccouutable, |
nd almost beyond belief. They are 80 |
trocious and fOrbiddinS that one cannot |
ven attempt fully to state them before an
intelligent audience like this. Turn to the
ages Of any volume OF history or fiction
u which the author dares truthiuly 10
xpose the miseries Of prison life in ciyi.
Zcd countries during the period referred
o, and the thoughtful aud fair-minded
Fill be at no loss TO discover one OF the |
auses why civilization and Christianity
ave moved forward with such hating |
teps. Read In McNiaster's history Of the
eOplc OF the United States the state OF
Tisoners only few gears ago in the very |
from which we get even
,yerite systems OF popular education, and
on will turn from that chapter OF vile
rings with loathing words cannot express.
Mark Twain, IN bis "Prince and Pau
er," book which old aud young find as
iscinatiDg a. Robinson CrusOe, gives a
icture of harsh ard cruel times in Eng.
nd, reaching down almost 10 the present
injury. when petty offences were pun
he'd with death, and when all impriSon-
cnt was infinitely worse than death. The
ritter in the North american Hecieg OF
uly, 1880, in a very valuable article OF
ore than forty pages, describes the prisons
Massachusetts,, Connecticut, Pennsyl-
mia, and other States ~ they were about
xty years ago. between 1920 aud 1880.
he details are too shocking 10 be repeated.
he results he states can be given in a
" sentences. He describes prisons as
abodes OF horrible sin, and filthy,
Iualid, unalleDiated misery" Again he
Us: "a prison was aplace which scarcely
~ one visited except an official on BUSH
SIS. The result was that the
-ison became a secret place governed by
) own laws, or rather by its own pre-
dents an abode OF misery
the midst Of an enlightened city, in which
} man not belonging TO il had any
l0wledge OF what was transacted within
, walls. Tins il came TO pass
al every prison IN the land was the hot
d OF crime. Murders, tbeits, and robberies
ere devised there day after dsy. Every