for Dr. Tyler those sentiments of respect and esteem, which are the fruits of a long and endeared intimacy, at the period when he was himself associated with us in the support of this work. If, in exhibiting our views, we have entered too far into that minute analysis of mental states and acts, which the writings of Stewart and Brown have made familiar to the publicif the imperfection of language, or the use of technical terms, has led to a misconception of our meaning-if any obscurity of statement has resulted from the continual interruptions to which we are subjected, in the discharge of varied and laborious duties, none can regret the fact more deeply than ourselves. But we rejoice to see, that exactly the same views are advanced by an able writer on the Means of Repentance, in the last number of the Biblical Repertory conducted at Princeton; and as they are not stated in an abstract manner, we hope they will not be misunderstood.

Another friend, as we gather from Dr. Tyler's statement, has misconceived our meaning-the brother "whose praise is in all the churches." His judgment was formed, like that of Dr. Tyler, not only before he had heard us through, but with mistaken views as to the import of our language. If there is a man on earth, who urges the motives of the gospel upon the awakened soul, on the assumption that that soul has a constitutional capacity to feel those motives, it is the brother in question. If there is a man, who enjoins "thoughtfulness," "strenuous effort," etc. he is the man. Who that was ever associated with him in those scenes of thrilling interest, which reduce to nothingness all other scenes of earth, can forget the indescribable earnestness of manner, with which he is accustomed to say, to the impenitent, "Now you will attend to this subject," "You will not forget it," "You will not give it up." Nor did he ever think, that they would be thus brought forward to the act of giving God their hearts, either from holy motives or from sinful motives; but, under grace, from that impulse to escape impending ruin, and to secure their true interests, which the whole tenor of his preaching is so wonderfully adapted to excite.

To conclude; we still hope, that Dr. Tyler will one day acknowledge that his anxiety and forebodings on our account have been without foundation. His love of truth and his recollection of early friendships, will make him rejoice to do so, even though he should "incur the disgrace of being found a false prophet."

ERRATA. In our last No. p. 592. 12th line from bottom, for quieter read gentler p. 595, 8th line from bottom, for face read save: p. 596, 16th line from bottom, for sermons read volumes.--In our present No. p. 59, 5th line from bottom, for is read are: p. 168, 11th line from bottom, for unrenewed read renewed. On p. 192, 7th line from bottom, the words, "if he wills right," were omitted in a few sheets of the impression.

*Our readers will perceive that our present No. contains thirty-two pages of extra matter.

THE

QUARTERLY

CHRISTIAN SPECTATOR.

VOL. II.--NO. II.

JUNE, 1830.

ART. I.-REVIEW OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE

PRISON DISCIPLINE SOCIETY; Farnham Fle.

Fourth Annual Report of the Board of Managers of the Prison Discipline Society. Boston, 1829. 8vo. pp. 96.

WHEN a man is accused of having violated the laws of his country, the liveliest interest is often felt in his situation; and the sympathies of the community are enlisted either in his favor or against him, according to their preconceived opinion of his guilt or innocence. But when his trial is ended, and the sentence of a court has consigned him to the sufferings and degradation of a prison, all this interest dies away in the one last, cold inquiry, "is he safely lodged within those walls from which he cannot escape?" When this question is answered, the multitude turn away, satisfied if bars, and bolts, and chains guard the space between them and their brother; and thenceforth view him as a ruined man, an outcast from human society and human compassion. Seldom do they trouble themselves with the inquiry, whether, in those gloomy cells, he suffers more or less than strict justice demands; and whether, when the term of his confinement expires, he shall be restored to his family, and to the world, a penitent, reformed man, and through the remainder of his life, sustain the character of an industrious, and useful citizen; or whether he shall come forth from his den like some malignant fiend, to ravage and destroy. We are aware, that much of the apathy which has existed for ages on this subject, is owing to ignorance of the real condition of these unhappy men, and of the lamentable want of discipline, as well as the shameful abuses, that have existed in prisons. The cry of ten thousand enormities and abominations which have existed within these gates of perdition, has seldom reached the public ear; although like the cry of Sodom, it has risen up to heaven. But since the days of Howard, a few have been found like him, to VOL. II.

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plunge into the loathsomeness of dungeons, and to search out and make report of the secret wickedness of prisons. Something has been done to prepare the way for reformation; and a spirit of inquiry has been waked up, both in Europe and in this country, which, we trust, will not suffer christians to rest, till every prison in the civilized world shall have been reformed. In our own country, these inquiries have brought to light many important facts; and have led to experiments which ought to convince the most incredulous among us, that these "high-schools of iniquity" may be changed into houses of reformation, or at least be made much more like what prisons should be, among a civilized people.

THE IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC PRISONS, therefore is the subject to which we would now call the attention of our readers, while we lay before them the fourth annual Report of the Society established for this purpose.

This Report is a pamphlet containing ninety six octavo pages. The plan of it is, "to look at the interests of several of the States in regard to Prison Discipline; to present an abstract of the criminal laws of some of the United States, with general remarks on the same; and to make a statement concerning the indirect influence and immediate results of this Society's labors."

In order to obtain a clear view of this subject, and justly to appreciate the design of the Society, it may be necessary to glance briefly at the state of prisons, as they were generally managed before any improvements were introduced, and as a great majority of them are managed at the present time. And here, let it be remembered, that for the facts in relation to the wretched condition of our prisons; and for all the valuable information of every kind on this subject, as well as for the improvements which have been made, we are, either directly or indirectly, indebted to the indefatigable exertions of the Prison Discipline Society.

What then is the real condition of our prisons? To answer this question at large, is a task which we shall not now attempt. We can only say in a single word, they are full of evils. Some of the principal of these we shall briefly enumerate, and the first we shall mention is, that they are very expensive establishments.

The expenditures in the New Hampshire State Prison, exceeded the income in the year 1819, by the sum of $4235.61. The average number of prisoners does not exceed seventy. The total expense of the State of Massachusetts, for supporting their prison nine years, from 1814, to 1824, was $78,328.44. The average number of convicts was three hundred and three. The State Prison in Connecticut, from 1790, to 1826, cost the State $214, 611.38; while the number of prisoners has usually been less than one hundred. "In the State Prison in New-York city, the total

expense to the state, in twenty years, from 1803, to 1823, was $381,302.32. The average number of prisoners during this period, was six hundred and three." The annual expense of the State Prison at Lamberton, New-Jersey, is about $4,000. The average number of convicts is not above seventy. We might mention other instances of a similar kind, but these are sufficient for our purpose. In these five states, then, there has been annually paid out, the sum of forty one thousand six hundred and eighty three dollars; for what? For the purposes of education and moral improvement? No. But for the purpose of training, (unintentionally indeed, but not the less effectually,) eleven hundred and forty six human beings in all the nameless arts of iniquity; and of sinking them to an unfathomable depth of moral degradation, to be let loose from time to time upon the unsuspecting community, accomplished and hardened villains! What an annual expense for education! and what a company of "graduates" from these schools of abomination! And why should prisons be thus expensive? Why should they not be made, at least, to support themselves? That they may, will be shown in another place. To the inquiry why they have cost so much, the answer will be found written upon every thing within their walls. Let the inquirer look down into these miserable abodes, and he will cease to wonder that they are expensive. He will wonder only that an enlightened christian public could tolerate the existence of such establishments, and still more, that they should quietly pay an annual tax to support them.

Many irregularities have arisen from the employment of improper and unfaithful officers. It would seem, that here if any where, men of upright principles should be stationed. But facts show that men have not unfrequently been employed as keepers and assistant keepers, who have let themselves down from their station, and become the companions and accomplices of the vilest convicts. They have been guilty of aiding such men in their plans of wickedness; of furnishing materials for altering, and counterfeiting bills, and assisting in their circulation; of employing convicts to steal for them; of sometimes suffering them to escape; and of various misdemeanors, calculated to thwart the designs of justice, and to endanger the peace of society. Nor does it always happen that those keepers whose intentions are good, and who would not be guilty of any improper intercourse with convicts, are always the right men for such a post of duty. It is not enough that an officer does not intend to act the part of a criminal; if he is wanting in certain traits of character, he is unfit for the station. When men of equanimity, decision of character, strict sobriety, constant vigilance, devoted piety, and disinterested benevolence, shall be stationed in all our prisons, "then will much have been

done towards making them what they were designed to be, places of punishment, restraint, obedience, correction, and reformation; and not what they have been, to a lamentable extent, seminaries of vice." Among the three thousand convicts who are the constant inmates of our prisons, there are many who have become old in the arts of wickedness, and who are shrewd observers of character; and if a keeper has any marked deficiency, they are sure to discover it, and if possible to turn it to their own advantage. In order to keep this army of villains in tolerable subjection, they must be held with a strong, steady, impartial hand; and if they are to be reformed, they must be treated in a firm and serious manner, though at the same time with mildness and benevolence. When the prisoners witness in their keepers, daily examples of intemperance, partiality or indecision of conduct, profaneness and ribaldry of language, irritability and malevolence of temper, abuse and injury in the exercise of authority; reformation is out of the question. We do not say that all the keepers of our prisons are improper persons; there are many honorable exceptions. But instances of mal-practice are far too frequent, and it must be obvious to every one, that a fault, so injurious in its effects, demands immediate correction. This, however, is but one evil among many, and though it is an important one, still, if only this were removed, the work of reform would by no means be complete. There are others which demand

attention.

It will readily be perceived, that much, in regard to the internal management of prisons, depends upon the manner of their construction. This is often such as would, in a great measure, defeat the most wakeful vigilance, and the most persevering efforts of the best men, to maintain any proper regulations. In many prisons are found hiding places, where the convicts can devise schemes of mischief, without the fear of detection. The apartments are large enough to contain several individuals, and are so situated that the keeper cannot approach them without the rattling of bolts, and the grating of heavy doors, which are sufficient to warn the inmates of his approach in season to conceal every thing of a suspicious nature. Accordingly when he arrives, all is apparently in security and order; and should he even discover any thing wrong in the room, it is difficult among so many, to detect the author of it. Of the many examples of badly constructed prisons which might be produced, we will mention one. It is said that, "in the old prison in Connecticut, if the prisoners themselves had been permitted to build a prison, where they could have the greatest facilities for concealment with the least possibility of detection, and where they could serve their master with none to molest them; it is difficult to conceive how the end could have been more effectually attained. In a prison, constructed as that is, it must require nearly as many keep