general adoption, in the ordinary discipline of prisons, would not be justified either by prudence or humanity.

In

In Massachusetts, a bill was passed in 1826, for the erection of a state penitentiary at Charlestown, in Middlesex, upon an approved plan, calculated for the separate confinement of three hundred convicts. Connecticut, also, a law was framed, in the last year, for building a new prison at Weathersfield, on a plan similar to that at Auburn. In the district of Columbia, bills have been passed by the Legislature for erecting a penitentiary at Washington, to contain one hundred and sixty separate cells, according to a plan approved by the President of the United States; and also for building a gaol in Alexandria, and for repairing that at Washington. A new penitentiary is now in a state of considerable forwardness near Philadelphia, for the eastern district of Pennsylvania. It is intended to contain upwards of two hundred and fifty persons in solitary cells. The discipline of the prison at Auburn is represented as being very rigid, though it is governed by many salutary regulations which are not adopted in other penitentiaries. There is reason, however, to fear, that in some of the gaols, severe punishments are carried to a dreadful extent, and that acts of atrocious cruelty have been perpetrated-prisoners having been, in more cases than one, flogged to death. Nor is this all. Solitary confinement has been enforced for such long periods as to bring the prisoner to a state of insensibility, and in some cases to produce disease, which has terminated in death. Chains have also been used of such a nature, and for so long a time, as to lacerate the body. No language can be sufficiently strong to characterize

such treatment; and the able exposure of such atrocities by the Committee of the Boston Prison Society will, it is trusted, prevent a repetition of practices so abhorrent to humane feeling, and so disgraceful to a civilized community.

It appears that in the American penitentiaries there is a great variety of trades; and that, in some instances, as for example in the manufacture of metals, these trades have produced mischief. In one of the state prisons, a convict, who had been previously associated with counterfeiters, possessed a variety of curious instruments, plates, bills, &c. This person happened to be placed at the head of the whitesmith's shop in the prison, where, being furnished with all the necessary tools, and having a window opening into the street, he was detected in delivering altered or counterfeit money, and in receiving the materials to enable him to renew his occupation. In another case, a copper-plate printer, who had been arrested for making counterfeit bills, was allowed to have a room to himself, where he had his printing press, and contrived to carry on his former pursuits. It is a singular fact, that the locks for the gaol at Boston were made in Charlestown prison; and the reason assigned for it is as curious as the circumstance itself: it is, that the ingenious principle on which they were constructed was better known there than in any other place. Of course, that knowledge was communicated to other prisoners, who on their discharge would reduce their acquirements to practice elsewhere; not so much, however, as the Committee of the Boston Prison Society well observe, with a view to "furnish locks which no keys could open, as to furnish keys which no locks could resist."

From statements of unquestionable accuracy, it

appears, that the increase of crime in the United States has not greatly exceeded in proportion the increase of population. If this be the fact, notwithstanding the great defects in the penitentiary system, the inference is reasonable, that the progress of knowledge in that country has had the effect of retarding the growth of crime, The legislative provision for education is munificent. Public lands are set apart in every county, to be devoted to this great object. The law has made the ability to read and write indispensable to the exercise of the privilege of voting at the elections of representatives. In Philadelphia and its neighbourhood, nearly four thousand pupils are now under a course of good elementary education, at a cost of less than four dollars each per annum. The causes which are stated to lead to the increase of offences in the United States are, of course, various. It is however, worthy of remark that among those causes, the Committee of the Boston Society place conspicuously the degraded character of the people of colour. A large proportion of convicts are of this description, even where the coloured population is but small; a fact which speaks volumes in proof of the connection of slavery with debasement, and ignorance with vice. The great discrepancy in the number of the white and the number of the coloured convicts, furnishes, indeed, irresistible proof of the value of education, and the extent to which the moral interests of America are concerned in the extinction of slavery. It is a fact, that about one-fourth part of the total expense incurred in the United States for the support of criminal institutions is occasioned by such convicts. The whole coloured population of New York, Massachusetts, and Connec

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ticut, amounts to about fifty-four thousand souls: for the support of criminals of this description, the sum of one hundred and sixty-four thousand and sixty-six dollars has been expended within the last fifteen years; a sum,which, had it been appropriated to the intellectual and moral improvement of the coloured population of those States, would probably have raised their character to a level with that of the other inhabitants, and have diminished crime tenfold.

While engaged in the prosecution of the preceding inquiries, the Committee have never ceased to entertain a warm interest in "the reformation of juvenile offenders;" and on behalf of this distinguished object of the Society, they now earnestly solicit the public attention. Of the extent of crime among the youth of the metropolis, an idea may be formed from the fact, that while in the last year the number of prisoners who passed through Newgate above the age of twenty-one was one thousand two hundred and sixty-two, those under that age amounted to one thousand six hundred and sixtynine. It is also lamentable to state, that in the House of Correction at Brixton, more than one half the number of prisoners were lately found to be under twentyone. The causes of the evil may be briefly told. Nothing tends more powerfully than pauperism to weaken the natural affections, and destroy the sense of parental obligation. Whatever, therefore, contributes generally to create indigence among the poor at large, operates with peculiar severity upon their offspring. Of the crowds of boys who inhabit our prisons, and infest our streets, the depravity of an immense proportion may be traced to the want of care, and to the neglect and

criminality of their natural protectors. Numbers are without a parent or friend, and derive their subsistence by mendicity and theft. They are frequently committed to prison for short periods: on being discharged, their depredations are renewed both from habit and necessity; until, becoming the associates of old and desperate offenders, their career is at length terminated by transportation or capital punishment. This painful subject has formed so prominent a part of the former Reports of the Society, that the Committee deem it unnecessary to enlarge upon its evils on the present occasion. There cannot be a question but that the unfortunate circumstances by which the children of a large portion of the labouring classes become the inmates of a prison, result from the superabundance of our population, and the consequent extent of pauperism. The removal of these evils can alone be effected by measures which tend to enlarge the sources of national industry, and affect the moral amelioration of society;-objects to be attained by no single measure, and the progress of which must be inevitably slow and gradual. Of the characteristics of crime, however, the Committee feel assured that there is none more striking and peculiar than its connection with ignorance. Although among the vast numbers of our juvenile depredators there are many who may have been taught to read, it has generally been found, upon investigation, that this acquirement has been but partially attained, has never been beneficially applied, nor accompanied by the blessings of religious instruction. The Committee might adduce many facts in confirmation of this remark; but they feel this to be unneces