"The advantages to be sought in such a building are, ease and economy of supervision, security, suitable separation, classification, adaptation to labor, exercise, light, air, warmth and ventilation, instruction, and discipline.

"My impression of your plan of supervision is, that it is the best I have seen. A few stationary watchmen can see a greater extent of the interior and exterior of the building than I have elsewhere known; and it is a matter of no small importance that they can view the external approach as well as the movements within. I believe, also, that a Prison within an enclosure of a substantial external wall is the safest of any mode of building. A Prison within a Prison seems to afford less inducements to attempt escape than any other; for, breaking through the walls of the apartments only brings the prisoner into an open area strongly enclosed, in direct view of the watchman, who can hardly fail to discover him before he can break through another wall in plain view of the guard.

"The area, wide as you propose it to be, will furnish a good place for labor at mechanical trades by those who are admitted to silent and associated labor. And I can discover no particular objection to it, as each prisoner can go through with the necessary search, and be placed immediately in his apartment. By this means, the disgraceful and offensive lock-step will be avoided, and the prisoner be safe from the contaminating influences which those connected with Prison operations know to result from this close contact of one prisoner with another.

"Your plan also lights the building better than any other that I have seen, and this is an important consideration in a Prison. Each individual ough when in his apartment, to be able to see the light of heaven; to be able to read; to see all who pass by him, and be seen of them; unless these privileges are forfeited by the heinousness of his offence, or his incorrigible conduct, when he should be in a solitary room, compelled to labor alone till he can be trusted again in the silent and associated department.

"Your plan admits, also, of a system of thorough warming and ventilation, and this is of the first importance in any institution, especially one in which men are confined within doors, and have no opportunity to breathe the external air. "In constructing any public building, too much regard cannot be had to this subject; and if it is not attended to by some one who appreciates the value of it, and understands the philosophy of it, it will be very likely to be defective. If none but a natural process of ventilation be attempted, the admission of air must be in ample quantity, and the means of escape for foul air no less ample. There should be no heat in winter but what is made to aid ventilation. This I would establish as an axiom in constructing all public buildings, and I would add, private houses also. The fireplace is a mode of warming without regard to economy, but the air in such apartments is generally pure. Warming by stoves, with all apertures for the escape of foul air closed, is objectionable; and air-tight stoves are unwholesome, and wholly inadmissible in public buildings.

"If you have air warmed by every furnace, stove, or pipe in the establishment, and free egress for foul air, you will have no want of pure air; but this important matter will be neglected, unless it be thoroughly attended to and watched from the commencement of the foundation till the completion of the superstructure. I am not well acquainted with the mode of artificial ventilation adopted at Pentonville, and many of the Hospitals for the Insane in Great Britain. I have no doubt of its great utility, especially in cities, where the air in, around, and above, must be more or less vitiated by the innumerable

causes of contamination perpetually in operation.

climate it may be, and doubtless is, more expensive than in England, where "There is not the least difficulty in warming a public building. In this the thermometer never sinks below 20° above, and here it falls 20° below zero. "From the 1st of November to the 1st of April, the temperature of the State Lunatic Hospital does not vary 10° either way, from 60°, and can easily

be kept in a most agreeable and healthy temperature. The building presents broad surfaces to the coldest winds; has hollow walls of brick, which are colder than solid ones, and the latter colder in winter than stone, of which the exterior of a Prison should always be constructed.

"The moisture of a stone wall is, in my opinion, no objection, in a building warmed by heated air; as this mode of warming tends to dry the air too much in houses built of wood, but, in a Prison, would not be likely to be objectionable on this account, with such massive walls.

"The large window, proposed in your plan, will admit a free circulation of air through the Prison, and prevent unwholesome dampness in summer.

"The classification of prisoners is a broad subject,- quite too much so for proper consideration in a letter. Nothing has been more neglected, in all the systems of Prison discipline, so far as I have known. The advocates of one system have insisted on its exclusive preference, while those of another have declared that theirs only is good, and all others highly objectionable.

"I am glad to see that, in your plan of a City Prison, you propose to combine the two systems, which I shall denominate the solitary system, and the system of silent and associated labor; — the first, the Philadelphia plan; the other, the Auburn and Wethersfield plan. I have long believed that a combination of these two systems is better than either alone.

"For those who have committed high offences, those whose sentence of death has been commuted for imprisonment for life, and for those who have been sent to Prison more than once for offences of magnitude, and also for the incorrigible offender, I am persuaded that the solitary system is best; and not objectionable on any account, if the room in which the culprit is confined is sufficiently spacious, and well supplied with warmth, pure air, and pure water. To this class should also be consigned all who conduct badly in other depart

ments.

"The violations of the discipline of the Wethersfield Prison, when I was its physician, would not exceed 10 per cent. of the whole; and, with the classes of prisoners above named, would probably never have exceeded 15 or 20 per cent. If these bad men can be removed to solitary apartments, the discipline upon the silent and associated system can be as easy and as perfect as is desirable. "I would not say, by any means, that hope should not be held out to this bad class of prisoners of improvement of condition, by long and undeviating good conduct. Every man needs a motive to induce him to do well. Such I would hold out to the worst of men; and, in my opinion, this influence alone is of more value in Prison discipline than all the cats of nine and barrels of water that can be presented to him or inflicted upon him.

"There is no doubt but the condition of the prisoner in the silent and associated system, is more desirable to the generality of prisoners than the solitary. We like to have associates, if we cannot speak to them; and the operations of others around us are interesting, if we are not allowed to unite in them. The motive, therefore, to be promoted to this class, by those in solitary confinement, would be a perpetual inducement to good conduct, would make their punishment more endurable, and cheered by at least a solitary ray of encouragement and hope. To give this system a fair trial, the seclusion and separation should be perfect. I am not quite sure that there is sufficient care in your plan to make it so; if not, attention should be directed to it, that the convict be solitary and alone, beyond the reach of human voices and the din of labor in other parts of the establishment. The physician, the chaplain, the warden, and the teacher, should visit him; and, if important, solitary seats may be provided for him, that he may attend religious worship on the Sabbath.

"In my view, you are right to have a large proportion of the prisoners in the apartments of silent and associated labor. This is punishment sufficiently severe for all new offenders for ordinary crimes, and for such as determine to observe the rules and respect the discipline of the Prison. They have a

B

constant motive to do well, to avoid severer inflictions, which they know that others suffer, and which they know they shall be compelled to bear, if they are disorderly, rebellious, idle, or lazy. I would also afford them better encouragement, hold out to them more cheering hope, to restrain them from violations of rules, and to induce them to conduct with propriety, and perform their duty faithfully.

"The third class, which I propose to add to the two preceding, is, the system of social and associated labor, which has never yet been introduced into Prison discipline, as far as I have known. I will explain. When men have nearly served out the term of their sentence, and have conducted with propriety in all respects, and especially when there is evidence of reformation, I would bring thein together, in the presence of an officer, at their meals, at their labor, in a reading room and school, allowing them to converse, to talk about business, and to gain intelligence from the public press of what is going on in the world without; and thus prepare them for re-admittance into society with some knowledge of its affairs, and a feeling that they have claims upon the community, and that they shall be admitted again to associate with the world, and gain respect and confidence, if their conduct shall merit it. I would be very select and careful, at first, in these promotions, but would hold out inducements to all to conduct in a manner that will secure them this improved condition in their turn. The motive to conduct well, thus held out to the prisoner. will be strong, improve his character and conduct while in Prison, and make him a better citizen when discharged.

"I am aware that objections will be made to this mode of bringing prisoners together, by those who advocate the total and entire separation of them, so that they shall gain no knowledge of each other, and have no motive for association after discharge. These objections, however, are of little weight. It is rare that the community do not know the individuals amongst them who have been in Prison, and the cases must be very unfrequent that those who have been in Prison live in the same community, and do not know each other's history.

"For a few months before discharge, they may be permitted to associate with quite as much propriety as after. The knowledge of each other, with prisoners who have conducted well in confinement, especially if they have been reformed, may be productive of as much good as evil; and, probably, much more. It is but a poor report to make of Prison reform, that it is unsafe to allow such persons to come together in presence of an officer, and work, and eat, and read, for a short period.

"My view of the matter is quite different. Of all things, it is most desirable with the discharged prisoner, that he should not feel that his hold on society is lost; that he is to be discarded and shunned, now that he has paid the penalty of the law, and is restored again to the world for good or for evil. If the respectable man shuns him, and treats him with disrespect, he will shun the respectable man, and seek society amongst the profligate and wicked; perhaps, even, be driven to the haunts of vice and crime for society. A Prison life has not destroyed his social nature; he cannot live alone in the world. If he has made good resolutions, and determined to pursue a virtuous life in future, how chilling and disheartening must be the frowns and repulses of the good and virtuous of his acquaintance! He must have great firmness and adherence to principle, who can withstand this coldness and contempt of the world.

"With how much more confidence can the keeper of a Prison recommend the discharged prisoner, who has been allowed the indulgences which are here proposed, and proved himself worthy of their co£dence!

"Prison keepers are generally considered to be cold and bearlow men. I have not so found them. Their sympathy for the good pravom becomes strong and active; they are ready to encourage the cacharged sider, feel an interest in his welfare, and strong desires for his success and reformation.

"Many prisoners also form strong attachments to their officers, of whom they speak in no measured terms of respect and gratitude, ever after their discharge.

"Men are not always worse for having been prisoners, nor are prisoners always the worst of men. Many kind and generous hearts are found among them; men of talents, enterprise, and ingenuity. Many reformed men leave Prison as worthy of confidence and encouragement as the Washingtonian who abandons his cups, and resolves to live a life of usefulness and virtue.

"If the principles which have been so successfully applied to the drunkard should be extended to the prisoner, there would be fewer relapses into crime, and fewer recommittals. A man now is sometimes glad to return to Prison to avoid the frown and hostility of the world, and to obtain the means of subsistence by his own efforts, which he cannot always do abroad.

"The reform contemplated in Prison discipline will discard the partycolored garment, the shaven head, the degraded lock-step, the nightly search, as an indiscriminate practice. Confidence should take the place of suspicion, with all except the incorrigible, who may be secured in this mode safely, and their contaminating influence be avoided.

"The terms of the law are lenient compared with the practice in many Prisons. To be confined at hard labor is far less degrading than the discipline which keeps upon a man the evidence of his humiliation in the very dress he wears, and renews the want of confidence every night in the search to which he is subjected before he retires to his rest.

"I am free to say, that, in my acquaintance, the want of sufficient and wholesome food, the insolence of petty officers, the search, the disgusting garments, the half-shaven head, and the vermin on his person and in his night cell, are a severer infliction on the prisoner than the sentence of the law. This is a condition of things that calls loudly for reform; and I hope that now the time has come when it can be effected.

"It is reasonable, certainly, that the prisoner should have every comfort compatible with his situation. It is a far greater suffering to have a deficiency of food, or food of bad quality and in bad condition, than to do the labor imposed upon him. Who would not prefer to work all day, rather than sleep with bugs and fleas and in filthy beds at night? These inflictions form no part of his sentence, and, if he suffers thein, his punishment transcends the law.

"Good food, frequent ablution, clean beds, kind treatment, religious instruction, friendly advice, and the comforts of warmth, pure air, and the light of heaven, none of which are forbidden by the law, will make the prisoner's situation comparatively comfortable, and influence his feelings and his conduct most favorably.

"Your favor of the 4th instant came to me this evening. I have examined its contents with care, and will reply briefly to your letter, in the order in which you have made the inquiries.

"First, with regard to the chapel, I say, I consider a chapel and religious teaching of primary importance - indispensable in a Prison community; and I would have two religious services on the Sabbath; and prayers once, perhaps twice, a day. I would have a Sabbath school for all, and a day school for the

better class of prisoners at least, and instruction in reading, spelling, &c., for all who are ignorant of these elements of education.

"My opinion is, that moral and religious instruction, as a discipline of the mind and feelings, has a salutary influence on the prisoner; makes him more docile, more subdued, and more ready and cheerful to bear his punishment. It makes a better prisoner, because it makes a better man, to hear the word of truth, to assemble in religious worship, to have his duty explained to him, and the consequences of wickedness presented to him in plain, practical lessons of instruction. Without a chapel and opportunity to attend public worship, the Sabbath is the most tedious of all the days of the week; it is a punishment which transcends the law, and ought not to be inflicted on any prisoner. The sentence of the law often imposes a number of days in solitary confinement, before hard labor commences; and the prisoner will generally say, that these are the hardest days of his punishment; but the want of a chapel inflicts solitary confinement on each prisoner, every Sabbath of his imprisonment. Where this is the regulation, the prisoner dreads the Sabbath, and feels in the worst humor on that day. The Sabbath is also a day to plot mischief; idleness with the prisoner is as injurious as idleness elsewhere on the moral character of man.

"Let the prisoner have a bath on the Sabbath, dress in his Sunday suit, attend chapel and the Sabbath school, and let the better class assemble together in presence of an officer, read, converse, write letters to their friends, and the Sabbath will be hailed as a day of rest and enjoyment; the associations will be pleasant; these exercises and this social intercourse will be delightful, and an influence may be established that will extend far beyond the Prison life. "The religious teaching of the Sabbath may here, as elsewhere, produce radical change of character, and result in an entire amendment of the life.

"I should think the room over your guard-room would be favorable for a chapel, large, well-ventilated, and easy of access. Morning and evening prayers may be attended elsewhere, perhaps, if the assembling in the chapel would be attended with inconvenience or delay. These morning and evening services should be short, never exceed 15 minutes if the prisoner is standing, or 20 if he is sitting.

"This room may, I think, be very properly used as a school-room in the week time, and for a Sabbath school also. It will be convenient as a room in which the better class of prisoners may be permitted to spend an hour together in social intercourse, in presence of one or more officers.

"I see no objection to your door but the expense of it, and perhaps this ought not to be made, if it is necessary. The iron door is important. The wood door on the outside will be well for the doors of those who may conduct badly. The Venetian blind door may be used for the better class, at the command of the prisoner. Two doors, in my opinion, will be sufficient for all the rooms, the iron door for all; the tight wood door for discipline for bad prisoners; and the Venetian blind door for protection for the good; and perhaps a part of the cells might have the iron door only.

"Whether it is necessary to have a closed window to each cell, is a question worth considering. The air should circulate freely into and through every apartment, and the prisoner should not have the power to prevent it; his own notions are not to be gratified in this particular. Whether it is necessary to have the upper sash of the room glazed throughout the building, is doubtful to me. Should the prisoner, in any case, have the power of shutting himself from inspection when he pleases? obliging the guard to open the window to have a view of him, and thus affording him an opportunity to cease from his mischief, if he is engaged in it?

"I should think a few rooms might have the close shutters, but all will not need them. I would have both the windows and the doors strong, but as simple as possible, to avoid getting out of order, to which such things are liable.