In all such cases of ignorance or neglect of the Bible, it has been found, as a matter of course, that the Sabbath has been habitually disregarded and profaned. And it were well if the habitual violation of this sacred institution were confined to such cases only. It is not however to be denied, that there are many, too many, among this guilty and degraded class of men, who have broken through all the restraints of a religious education, and urged their way to prison against all the powerful motives presented to their minds in the Bible; but they are so few, compared with those who have been brought up without instruction in the great doctrines and duties of religion, that the observer cannot fail to be struck with the disparity, or to see in it a direct and conclusive proof of the salutary influence of the holy scriptures, and of the importance of their universal diffusion and inculcation.

It is gratifying to be able to add, in corroboration of the same point, that, of more than two thousand convicts who have been sentenced to this prison, only two or three are known to have previously received instruction in Sabbath schools.

Another fact, little less remarkable, respecting this class of men, is their general ignorance of letters. Since the establishment of our prison Sabbath school, nearly seven years since, about five hundred and fifty convicts have been brought into it for instruction.Of these, a great majority could read only in the easiest reading lessons, by spelling many of the words; and more than one hundred commenced with the alphabet. They were selected, it is true, (from the younger portion of the convicts,) on account of their illiterateness; but yet it is clear, from this statement, that the education of these men, as a class, is far inferior to that of our citizens generally. The pupils in our school are, almost exclusively, between the ages of 18 and 30; and the whole number, of all ages, from which they have been selected, is not more than 1640-550 1090. The proportion of illiterate men above the age of 30 is at least equal-few, if any, of whom it will be observed, have been brought into this account. For the honor of our country, it is to be hoped that no spot can be found exhibiting such a proportion of men so illiterate, between the ages of 18 and 30, compared with the whole population above the age of 18. Where is the community whose every eleventh adult, even of the whole population, has yet to learn the letters of the alphabet?

Another fact, which, though already notorious, is worthy of repetition here, is the remarkable prevalence of intemperance among this class of men. It will be seen in a striking light in the following statement. The number of convicts now in this prison is 683 of whom there had been,

The first two classes, making 508, or nearly three-fourths of the whole number, may with propriety be accounted intemperate. Of these, 385 were under the influence of ardent spirits at the time they committed their crimes; and of the whole number, 219 have acknowledged that either one or both of their parents, or their masters, were more or less intemperate.

Multitudes of facts like these most fully attest, that intemperance is the great and overflowing source of crime in our land; and, after what I have seen in this prison, I cannot doubt, that the decrease of criminal convictions will almost keep pace with the progress of temperance, nor that its universal reign would, in the end, well nigh depopulate our prisons. To what cause but the temperance reform is it to be ascribed, that the number of State-prison convictions in this State, during the year 1832, is nearly a hundred less than that of the preceding year?

Is not the proportion of unmarried convicts, also worthy of remark? It would be an interesting subject of inquiry, and perhaps lead to some important conclusions, to ascertain and compare this proportion between married and unmarried adults in the community at large. I have not the means at hand of ascertaining the proportion of marriages among the latter, but give that of the former in this prison, to enable any one who may be curious enough to prosecute the inquiry.

Married convicts,..
Unmarried do

364

319

683

Instances of separation between husband and wife, by desertion, previous to conviction, 62-by death, 38.

Is not this proportion of unmarried men in prison, much greater than that of the unmarried to the married among our adult male population in general? And if so, what is the inference respecting any doctrines tending to repudiate a certain "arbitrary custom" that prevails in society "under its present organization?" The married convicts left, under age, 901 children:With a competence for their support, ...... 223 Without property of any amount,. ...678 Among relatives who could assist them,....180 Without property or assistance of friends..498

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901

The resident chaplain's weekly routine of duties is too well known to need now to be particularly described. The most prominent are, the general superintendence of the Sabbath school, the public exercises of the chapel, and the private instructions at the cells, on the Sabbath, and the daily evening devotions in front of the cells, and the visiting of the hospital, during the week.

Of the manner in which these and the various other duties have been performed, it does not become me to speak. I trust, however, I shall be indulged in saying, that, in all my instructions and admonitions to the convicts, I have dealt plainly with them. I have dwelt, emphatically, upon their depravity and guilt in trampling upon the laws of God and of their country; endeavored to awaken

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

to impossible, with the utmost vigilance, to prevent improper communication. 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.]

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