The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-04-10
AN ADDRESS,.

Delivered Before the Saturday Even
ing Scientific and Literary Club by
Frank O'Brien, a Prisoner in the
Massachusetts RefOrmatOry.
The prison authorities of our several
States are engaged at the present time in
seeking method whereby prisoners can be
made to feel that they can. at the expiration
of their sentences, become good citizens
and law abiding men. Like all great ques-
tions which stir the peoples mind now and
then, several methods are talked about, as
the feelings of the men making them are
inclined. On the one hand we have the
opinions of those men who believe that
many prisoners downfall is due more to
unfortunate circumstances than an inclina-
man is not of such nature but that there can
be some hope of restoring him to society;
and that his reformation can be accom-
plished with better results by kindness,
rather than resorting to punishment. On
the other hand there are those men who see
no good whatever in reformatory measures,
and who are loath to give up any custom
once established, and who believe that con-
vcts as class are rarely any benefit to So
ciety when they leave the penal institutions
Of our land. am well aware that our
prisons contain in some degree what is
called the hard criminals; but standing
here tonight gentlemen. convicted of
breaking the laws of my State, l cannot be-
lieve that God has implanted in any pris-
Oner's heart, any feeling other than to hope
that some day he would become sober and
all honest man. A criminal detained in
prison for length of time does not satisfy
the public mind unless such knowledge is
impaired to him as will prompt him to be-
come better man to society. thank God
that we are living in an enlightened period
of the worlds history, where the cruelties
of barbarism cannot be inflicted upon us.
There are constructions put upon the law
as regards criminal institutions which are
wrong. The spirit of the law must not be
construed that we are imprisoned to endure
hideOus punshments. Why, the object of
all good law is not to punish, but to pre-
vent repetition of the crime; to reform
those OF us who are unfortunate enough to
have the stigma of shame placed upon us
by the occupancy of prison cell. We are
here. that society should feel safe from our
various vices, and to have inculcated in our
minds the spirit of that divine law which
would induce honesty, sobriety and virtue
even in the lowest of our kind.
| am well aware that we are to blame for
being in our present positions; but, prisoner
though am. and speaking to unfortunates
like myself, l would be false to myself, l
would be false to you. if did not, feeble
though my words may be. hurl back the
accusations of those men who cannot find
any redeeming virtue in a prisoners un-
happy life. Many there are in prisons to-
day in this land of ours who were once the
hope and joy of loving home; many there
are who through misfortune's thorny path
have gathered but little of life's fragrant
flowers, while hundreds there are who have
battled bravely to overcome the weakness
of their passions, only alas to fall by the
wayside, because the helping hand of char
ity was not extended to them in time. So
mystical is the mind of man, that by over
indulgences, or by an unrestrained or NOR
bid passion. we sometimes find ourselves on
the brink of the precipice whose name is
Destruction; while over its rugged edge we
plunge deeper and deeper into the abyss of
ruin. The pride. the hope, the love- the
ambition of our better days are gone in a
moment. How many times has the fatal
pistol shot rung out in the mid night air
to save the stigma OF prison cell. How
many times have the rivers of our land
given up the remains of our unfOrtunates
to save them from life of shame and re-
morse within the prison walls. 1t is hard
for us to have it said that there are no re-
deeming qualities among us. Friends, don't
the memories of your homes, your past
pleasures. your fond associations before you
became a criminal. steal upon your mind in
the silent night, while your heart ever
holds them in fond remembrance. and o,
what would we give if we could only live