remorse in their consciences, to convince them of the justice of their punishment, to induce them to yield strict and humble obedience to all the regulations of the prison, to press home upon them the duty of immediate repentance and amendment, and to persuade them to take refuge in the mercy of Him who says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Great pains have also been taken to dissuade them from the future use of ardent spirits, by portraying the ruinous effects of intemperance, as exhibited in their own wretched condition, and that of their distressed families and friends, and by giving them appropriate tracts, and frequently reading the best essays on the subject in the chapel. The Sabbath school still proves to be a very important and efficient auxiliary to the labors of the chaplain. During the past year it has consisted of about two hundred pupils, under the immediate instruction of thirty-five of the students of the theological seminary, whose benevolent, discreet and zealous efforts for the benefit of these men, deserve the highest commendation. The primary object of the school is to instruct the illiterate to read; but in doing this, the teachers avail themselves of the opportunity of dropping useful incidental remarks, and of making such explanations and applications of the great truths of the Bible, as are calculated to enlighten the understanding and affect the heart. The happy tendency of this system of instruction is clearly apparent, not only in the remarkable progress of most of the scholars in reading and religious knowledge, but also in their more ready and cheerful compliance with the rules of the prison, and, as we trust, in some instances of that moral transformation which is the surest pledge of a virtuous life here, and the only ground of hope for the future. And what has been said of the apparent influence of the Sabbath school instruction, may, if I mistake not, be said also of the other modes of instruction. The convicts in general appear to be affected in view of divine truth. Their fixed attention, and often their deep solemnity, during the public exercises of the Sabbath, as well as the impressive stillness of the hour for evening devotions, is a subject of general remark. In private conversation, after the first few interviews, they manifest, almost without exception, a kind, tender, subdued state of feeling, and not merely a willingness, but more or less eagerness, to receive instruction. And it is so com mon to hear them, with bursting tears, utter expressions of gratitude that they were arrested in their infatuated career, and lodged in the State-prison, that it has almost ceased to be remarkable. We do not dream, that the hopes which such appearances are calculated to awaken, will always or even generally be realized; but that they have been, in many instances, we have the most satisfactory testimony. We have documents to show that a great number who were once convicts in this prison, are now useful and respectable citizens. It is known, also, that not a few of them, in various parts of the country, are consistent professors of religion, and that several are exemplary members of churches in our own village. Let me here disclaim any intention of arrogating to our system of moral and religious instruction, simply, and independently, all or any of the merit of working such changes in the feelings and conduct of such men. Under a system of unrestrained association and intercourse among them, it would, I have no doubt, prove to be utterly inefficient. Its success depends upon the rigid enforcement of such a system of discipline as your Board have adopted in this institution. Confident as I am, that your system of physical coercion and discipline, merely, without its accompaniment of moral motives, would only make bad men worse, I am no less confident that without such a system of strict seclusion and non-intercourse, religious motives would have no power to make bad men better. · Of this I have been more fully convinced than ever, since our number of convicts became so large as to make it necessary to confine several together at night, in each of our large cells. The mischievous effects of this association, partial as it was, have been plainly perceptible, not only upon those convicts themselves, but upon others with whom they have labored by day. But I rejoice to find that this evil is entirely remedied now, by the completion of the new and admirable block of cells in the south wing. It gives me the sincerest pleasure, too, that your Board will be able to represent to the Legislature a great improvement in the condition of the female department. Since it has been under the superintendence of our pious and capable matron, by day, with the means of a partial separation, or rather classification, at night, the appearance and conduct of these females have certainly been very strikingly improved. We are no longer disturbed by their boisterous mirth, their infuriate shrieks, their shocking oaths, or the sound of the missile brick-bat. We hear no more the clank of their chains, nor see upon their faces the marks of savage combat. With only an occasional exception, all now is silence, order, neatness, and cheerful industry. It is truly surprising, that the presence of a matron, under all the disadvantages which must be encountered in apartments so ill adapted to the purpose, should ever have wrought so great a change. But after all, I must be permitted to say, that, should this improvement of our female department be the occasion of relaxing the efforts of your Board, or of delaying the action of the Legislature, on the subject of building a new prison for females, I should, on the whole regard it as a most unfortunate and calamitous step. The Board need not be told, that this department is still extremely incommodious, and that it never can be fitted in such a manner as to be at all suitable for the permanent confinement of females. The apartments are too small for even the present number of inmates, badly arranged, difficult of access, and so situate, in the third story, as to require the help of male convicts in carrying every article that passes to or from them-such as fuel, water, rations, work, offals, excrements, &c. &c.-which renders it next ligion 年 alr to impossible, with the utmost vigilance, to prevent improper com munication. All the females, whether few or many, (at present twenty-five,) must of necessity be confined, at night, in four cells, not larger each than a common bed-room. Another inconvenience is, that they are in so remote a part of the prison, that in case of sudden sickness or other calamity, in the night, they could not be heard unless by mere accident. But if all these inconveniences were obviated, there would still remain one, which, of itself, ought to be sufficient to decide the matter at once,—and for which there is no remedy, as stated in the last report of your Board, "without incurring an expense, in the re-organization of the male department, more than equal to that of erecting an entire new institution for females." I allude to the fact of their being necessarily confined, day and night, perpetually, within walls which almost exclude the air and light of heaven. They never do, and never can, step out of their close apartments, for one moment, to breathe the fresh air, or enjoy the broad light of day. The consequence is, a great amount of disease, and a general lassitude and inertness almost as bad. A proportionate amount of sickness among the male convicts, would throng the hospital with from fifty to a hundred men constantly, instead of six or eight. In this situation, many of the females have endured long sentences, and others remain who have spent more than half of their terms, of seven, ten, twelve, and fourteen years. Who can hesitate to pronounce it inhuman-barbarous-unworthy of the age? And why is the penalty of the law allowed to fall with more severity upon this class of convicts than upon the other? To be a male convict in this prison, would be quite tolerable; but to be a female convict, for any protracted term, would be worse than death. I have said, that for this evil there is no remedy. This every one knows, who has any knowledge of the arrangement of our prison buildings, shops and yards. The females cannot now step out of their apartments, in any direction, without mingling with the men; and there is no yard room that can possibly be appropriated to their use, without completely deranging the operations of a great part of the male department. But further, I am told by the agent and keeper, that, in order to complete the design which has been begun by the erection of the new block of cells in this wing the past season, the females must be removed from their present apartments, and placed-no one knows where. They may have rooms fitted up in the present temporary chapel, still less convenient than those they now occupy; but only by dispensing entirely with a place for public worship. The design thus commenced, I am also told, must be completed, for the safe keeping of the convicts, and for the purpose of making a necessary enlargement of the mess-room, and that your Board will make application for a law authorising it to be done the ensuing season. Unless, then, the Legislature is prepared entirely to abandon the practice of public worship in this prison, for the sake of keeping these females here, and that in a truly miserable condi[Senate, No. 20.] 3 tion, what other alternative remains, than either to provide a new establishment for them, or discharge them from confinement? Though I have already swelled this communication far beyond the limits which I had prescribed to myself, I cannot close it without acknowledging my obligations to the officers of the prison; for the countenance and kindness that I have uniformly met with in the discharge of my duties, and to the Prison Discipline Society, of Boston, for their persevering efforts to sustain me, as their missionary, by pecuniary contributions, in addition to the inadequate amount which I receive from the funds of the prison. I am, gentlemen, Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, B. C. SMITH, Resident Chaplain. |