i i n ? ? i ii ? ?? J i .
'*? f*r. ' 4-' . ' "? ?*?' .? ? c>
Volume I!.}
- -?>
?' v
?N *\ - .'*} f.
Camden, (s.co Saturday,/ an UARrio.iii^ ,' j * . ^B?5|
bi- t- -f , !j . X ' ? v' &&S0 ' "< ? SfefH - . A '/>?("- 1 I ':V V it.* a< .w^^.
PRINTED BY " '
: CXORGE 4
For the Pivopr i it0rs.
X*r firite to Mvtriber* i* g3 fier annum
tklkmtm V fKmtgr ; mnd In all ctue* wAe*et
?U Uhe tlttivvifd at rxfienat ^
, yj? flwHMrr, the frrjc* ^jO #* S3 30 ^
ytmr, #?#r fio id *ix Months after *uLcr bin*
'1~^Lrnr cnmt^rr'xrr^ ' } j
Afifioirited at t$tt clo*e the last nestion^ j
uTp enquire if it be eJ rpedten* to altitr I
& itmir ; and tf
?J- hcjtrtfr**, what altenrtkat wtrt retjuir
??*" beg ifufe to REPORT? .
THAT tlkrv wAjtf prevented, by cir
ftom assembling dtiting the
jpcccto of tftc legfeiature, aiui have there -
j :f >rc riot tMtt to khft subject, that protract
ed consideration Wf&eh A 'Importance
would seem to reotife*. The r^ult Iiow
evef, of such enqUirit* as the committcc
>^4' J* |rr'#|rttTr tfrt coin- I
ynepccmet* o/ Ue prcaetrt they I
no* %**!***? c^aqbnftf jlWihy
? legislature t#d^iW^ whether furthers
;<Ton*iatio? be necetafcry to til ultimate de- ,
cisioiii ( if*' V
ft fc>crtal fcbde of the
MtttAdatidMi to hftto Wn much desire
cdand lunjjr expected; as yet, legislative
caution hat ndt yielded to efcctiftive im
jfoittmhjrgjg* Caution, A ? ^eUcved,
M? bocn W. effect, tioc of any supposed
perfection in our criminal 1**; but of doubts
i? to the policy of adopting the particular
alterations recommended. That some al
terations were, required, haa never been
denied", that tome alterations are now ne
cesaary, the returns of convictions prove.
^ **FT **""*?* f^uem^ cbminitted>
which our penal code ^waa intended to sup*
- (K and wMcty It is Relieved, can be
' Suppressed, or very mueh lessen* d.
For these evils, two remedies have been
12 suggested. VThe adoption of the penitcntfr
syatefnV or only sole Ater our present
''laws* astolncTtfaSe or dinmrfah the quan
tum of punishment now apportioned.
F?aeh of toHtot remedies has its advocates;
- both b&'&ti opinion ofiyour committee are
. <*ntitJ*8?fo consideration, The penltcnti*
ffPIWP
H Is a pt?*
admit**?
ionoOMP
? - ^ <ia ? a t Aik aJL,^ * - - * ?
Oi CrlMf IB?
'Curtice la refratdbd a# fanci
tical ; !^t?oty eatat ot be com
r a crime * felony cannot 1*
-and it te|onv could be worked
.is 1VIWI w * wra aa* %a
falihiya OuatOftorc labour, or
ralant to labour! to secure tha
:rimtaafy than ma labour c art be
aavisiWr. tooHld tl\t wi^laitofejtte I*,
suppressed by the fcvcatcat punishment,
the* ou^ht to he aUaclad. if the Jpw?t
frfrVisst* could bv prevented by the smaH
e* | punishments* it outfit to l>e apportion
?d* could the same pi * ilty pnryjsn t overy
crime, there should 1m nut otic penalty.
Toftopr>rtUmthe punJabmewa with any
degree ot precision to lir* crime, Would
I appear to involve the following difficulties t
In the firs* .|?)a<;o? sansibir^ Of tfla
' citmipd o4gbt to fee ncrtaiafd ; for the <
same punishment would affect T?ry. diffef
eittly persoqt of di^crcot of *etei-?<
. bUil? ; to one, that jromehraent mi^ht tie
torture, which U> another* wouid ije little
more than unpleasant* ' 1
JWljr* The- effect nf each crime oHnec| -
tiy ought to be ascertained, thi w it L;
*|?p*ehc tided inn oaly be sppim*ite4io|B'
Trty ttoott Degree. To kill A, who is.
a TOtuoirt, intelligent, end eetrre rtnern
than to kill AS, who in e worilUeM v?grwHi;i
onthe life of the firet* lb* ? 4f
may materially ;? the deetb '
of thebu miy be eo far beneficial, a* to
disencumber society of a ?tvo?ie4 Nol*i
.giver however# has ever viiUuftd ,
criminatc be tw ten thc*e case*. I'jHriliim .
ty dangerous would H be it* discriminate, '
una yet without such dtscri*??nario|i, what
pretension can thetebfc I* proportion ; ,
DitfWrull ii tj it to nicciuio with ,
an f precision, the sc n sibihty of the c t i- |
mm*] and the tflect if Ibi <Him, joiii I
MqhH ^ ItbelopeftetfM* the motives |
of the eitimnaU Man taaeldojn ,
' b? aJsMpb -totitt, at*! fat when a* ift?
fiuencod* U i* difficult of Vw
more eontpki hi* motives, tht taof*^
'to* t? "the mk of feeing b?*4rtmi*ahty, ;
wid yet y pioponfonbetwo** y?iiawm|r
and crime, mean any thing men ih?rth|i:
quantum of putttthme&t ictitfy to thfc
suppression ot the crime \ it would aeeifr.
lo refer to the sensibility of tbo .
the effect of the crime, and the motives
: with which it was 'perpetrated. But if the .
exact proportion .could <be ascertained, jtj
is tiiffir.uit to perefeiv* the benefit th^t
would result . W e admire proportion in .
architecture ; the mind it gratified wheh?
ail tly parts oh a? building appear calculated
7tt? tftVrot the put pose* for which \h*y wViSr
Intended* 1 hut a fcriiuiiiat however; tins*
been punished exactly in proportion to hrs
sensibility ; the effect of his crime and the
motives wth which he perpetiattd the
?crime, would afford no pkaiurc. it is'afr
pte I tended, Untonntettd with the hope
that' t lie crime would not be repeated,? On
the other hand ft iould appear tastidiutfs'
in the extreme, to object to a pusmiimctyt
wttktt-frtippressedihe crime, only betH se
"It iraa 'Ml Hi exact frtrdporthm to the aeM?
bilHy di ibf cri miiul, the t flrtt of *tlje
offence,' aril) the, iputives with wMcirii l>*d
beet* perpetrated. . \ ^ i
Wnli ftcfte obset vatfont) your cWn mil- |
tee' will )>rottxd to the consideration of ti?e |
ptniieirtis?y syatctn* -vu . ' J
* 1 he reluctance with which this subject
Ityt ?Iwjjjri been considered by Ik
lature* when pressed upon tMr attention
by executive leeommendations, Was the
eflfcct, H ft believed (at b*fbr#C mated) of
great doubts us to the practical effect* of ?
theory, wbtdl though brilliant had iw>t
been lull y tried, and upon which the grow
ing txpenelK-e of other tUtua, "would to
no protected length of tlmfc, sfcfda Hdil
which wo^kl ri>?*?pAte all doubt* am) jnth
cute ? decision in every respect fcUfcfrxc- ,
*wt& W is to ?**ll(per tehee of tho*e
stfctea where (lie penitentiary system has >
been longeei tried, that yodr committee
How propose to look Mr itiat light which
?hall confirm or dissipate those doubts ,
Which Imve hitherto existed on this sub
ject.ki ' ' " { * .'7*'v;v ^ ' 4 ' ? j V
In Pennsylvania, Whc?*s4W first AnU
rican penitentiary homo waa erected,' i<
appeals from a recent publication entitled,
A statistical view of ope rati on sot
the peilal code of ttbniy WaidV\that itf !
operation had " been extremely brnefici*
at for the first tvro years after it* establish
L ment ; that of two btindrid persona who
hatUeew paidoned, only fUti bad return*
ed?^ At that period it appears further,
that " the notnbi* of convict ? wa* so small '
In proportion to the building, that the a
partments Hi the prison and ihe prison
rard afforded cesivenieln and ample room
Ibr the separation and 4tnpioym?tft of Ihe
convicts. " . .. ? y.." ?
The grand Jewry of 'Philadelphia, tn a
recent presentment aay, 44 that While they
notice with pleasuie, the high degree ol
"order and cleanliness, they are compelled*
jty aaenae Of duty to present aaan evil of
^ebfcShW table magnitude, the present very
crowded state or the penitentiary t the
mvmbar 4 prisoner** of ail classes, dim
tinoes to increase, so that from to to 40
arc lodged tit rooms I ? fact square i! so
many are U^sctottded together* that the,
institute already begins to hsinmt thfc
thar*ct*??f European * .
t untie being who oommHi a 4rst offence
and ktn-wtf noi?e of the arte of itiethudiXcd
vitl4iny? can scstveljf avoid the comamini
tioh Which lexdi to ex i feme depravity/*
It appear further, f?om the 'tarn* pob
tfcation* ?MI? at of 4Sl convicts riow in tne
peniu mUry of* PcHn?y tva&la, 1 6 1 have
Iftpn cftidinctl tli^re befo**-**
Tlic c^mi^iasfbhcm appointed to *xs
mine lulo ? tie *tuie of ihe Mew- York |?ri
| M?r*? in Vfceir repoiX observe, It- ha* fc>r
* aomfe^fefte puss, not only fs'rted of efl*c ?
ing liie object chiefly ih Hfctfy bur t>*s *ib
KtHnj^l fli. l*+*we$ 10 a series of di*b<ar?c
mtms, too ?q[>pvfe<t*ite |? be toutmued if
ifee? caw In ?njr iny Ml $fr?ret*ed/> Thit
in# tbRctber lb? prisoner*; and it
J' ; f - + ? >+-V ?"?" -
tea oi H eppeer*, *itt1i?
, ? 1*f1r ???** p^pW>no*tho%e*l
[ h** 'bwfr *ohith*iieJ lor five ?
*M : free*, hedheUt eo*fi.>ed ^OTdWe.
1 * f*to?u
their report complain * ihM the n
so crowded, *s to dgfctf'tfee bbj
which the* Jiisbtufkm W*s ejected* ? *.^7
Stan, further, " that the only ?c\v*mai?;t-fc
which the eomtnonwefltli
. rnr* from the ei^bli?htn?nu fct-- ;
l?t; The ttrbtectioo ?aiMe& itk boi *
tnUn?*y against nhecritomah dttanfc tb<
2dly. e*min*t of 11
conVicts, whifcb maf I** Supposed tofei*
mufcii gain/ 4infcev th?* gftater pert*1* ?L
^aetof ?n#n *heO ter?e, ^
, peine of the community #Uf
Bui there appcut V tei these. cc ^
more settled Cor$
prwluc,, , f!
It IB thoofM wpwe*fNMT<,U> i"^c *uf 4
ther c^ou Lions fro?e^^ J I
tbey ere in tJiepOMeesiwi of, ibe Wgi*h ?
Xfrtt, end cen he proceed by all* L .
Vkrn mo*t, anemife rxaminatiert bt thes b
document*, on the pett of the oembaiUet ,
has been fiUbmcrf by # thofltff h eontittio 1
that the peniltntiery lystefs M J?T *M*
hash*, en yut lrie<U Iuia Jettartfte ^t U IK
Jieweverto t*"conccaWdt^41 anmdfeoi
y?t cXiits, .Alt solitary confinement ma
btf*o apportioned, alto restore to the *t
t?m, the confidence whith ii?r>ncc paste
seti. but of which* Cot torn* line putt,
!><t? b? n deprived* H
Should it iucctuh it Urttt UfBp fq
to l? ii uictiii iy to see 1 1* benefits exttmded l 1
evtt y *po? iH>n r>4 tin? hab>'?bic world | en I
it-Je iiKt that in eucb an event, It t
legishtfur* tin* mute w?ll avail iiself < f .
lihe elrtttti ^>portunity of adopting, ttfc j
aysteni ; bm umil it bat been well tried tft I
hat fully answered* your committee em -
nm but btlit-ve, it would l>? unwise in tl*
legislature tt* attempt it. The experiments
already commenced are to nu met oua, and
wiii p.obabiv : conducted with nominal
ability, as will leave no doubt at to the ie
? atiltt that may be afforded. ; It may, ih-f
dee ^ b? iwcettttry to a full and fair a: i
peri men I of the system, that fcom? suf'et
should ?pt adopt it j lor, to ascertain its
t vaH*o* It nw M\ necessary to contrast it
wjibothvr syautiu* end t)>ia ( cannot btf
r done advantage it *?. the atetes wetc
, 19 adopt iU ;j|
V It fpajino* be unimportant. ev*J*?n tl
pr^moccw^^o co^raM tU^iitji
,??? ??*? tf^noaC,
Willi ibe oper?tto?t4..ti<l tHeCUof
tem of 4j^*ih4 few i*wot i<
utale. To effect tl?? olr "
the conviction, which I
?ince ir?9, have been
have, pot complied with J? I ^ul.illnh.
ficient number however have beef^tepg
redt H is Relieved, to altam Hie
intended. The eo?p?ri?m *.0 W ^
fiaed to the lint IT jreffJ* *?.plJor to 18<Jo,
^tio^l no data iron* whWH the vtymbec o,
convictions c?n be ascertained.
Jfiit JitiMt^nthirjr system of fennel
lNi(l for comparison, ?s
It ,? supposed to be tfie oldest ami best
i ftumaged intke V- Slates, add with ^ the
operations and effecU of wtyfcji we ire bfctt
ecft'taintcd.
P; Ij^SBrn^tt 0* * nfcwci to (tu **?
tistlcnl 'view of tHe operations if ty* ffffl
al code of that ?t*te,tfuu (U MCflfnt
from 4 800 <o 1 8(>0, hoth inclusive, (tof pkn
herniary otencteiwef# ij '**
average lor escbteatv*>f more tlanlCM^ R Jjj
^TjKe populate oithf^ute i> ISOdyJ
(aa appeara by the centos then ?sl;ei>.J VM
602,145* In ty'lfr, tfc/poffcfc?on had in* ,
ere?*ey to *10,99 1. aft ennu'
al inCreattLol shout 2o,ri4, ahd fyttfcmge
popiilatWm of 6S3t2t^t for ihe ten ye*r% |>ri
fnr lo I8?0. Fo?r;^i|a/jpenwt ?o^rr|<?re
cooifCtiotrs Vhhk to p^latiort ? I04<a?e
-or ?? i to5.<m.
'\r Ff??m 1*10 to ieis^jpl||6w^ the <ion
vlttions w ire f^O, giving im aversge Of
more than 1 4t lor each y%Ar.
The popoMlon m
each year from IS 10 to 16 in jjreirto
numbers tl i?n lrf>m lAou initio, bnl aa
the exact inor*i*kt cannot be" aster talotd, it
will be condoled at the sarTte, ,the dKTe#
eiicc cannAYtfti ^ery Rrtrt* 1 h?s woohI
! For* tKit *er(o4 ifcertfbre, c*nticti?bi
I wet* to population *i t?8 to 8W,S43r er
Mi vi-.w/x :;?? ?'>/: ;
It tomld qfceflt ikis atyttimcnt that
Cfimt^ had nol oftty inuttiM tttweriui
fy taf tn a greater f alia thaftpoputaaoti;
liirtHipfr? ? Bftfltelfc w?frft?n?nli??lnft
had to tkw dmt tftt nlkh:
btrrfuniHW initdiittH, rttWfcd Un*the
^alc^rr WAalwi* ?r?h*
Wfifiel ^iaiS^ tfefcsfofct 6f H^'ctoantpnf
?&<* ~ ? <*
? ? Sft.
11. . ^foMh
I for comparer,
tfpr)?nerf\Mr,
_k. 1%. -Jl' . LAt ? m f '.s!
12??$ 8rMU?oiio?fc?i
UvictioKI
NP?lf
:^4P$
ey?i\ ^ M tg com^ire ;Hhfc ^?mtcntkry
ofJPenn^HiWiU whhTRc forfhir
pwWIptKl^ oTiMtUti?; Kutto ^TOpuir'H
vriih the pii*r<s>d* ft
By the returns ot evictions fiut * I *<$
to Wlo, both inc&iftNttMt upffcani thffkt
war* in ihu state, US coriticuon* for pen*
Fioip i3#fyo 1815, tlit coiivictibns vt&t
vtyfih I^?vc? An average ot xi per y*ar.
'J IftfWilaiioft pf thitt hvm Jn t Soo, #??
the ^Utkm Wl^
?f?,fio, wh,ch *tb?4i i
5wtt?5w4^P^i*iih tv*har>>f
.?t?#??m?WI>tt? fWMfwItf^UMhlii wale, WfctCH
? wain cakuU*4 K>^m?a # ?}th <t>y
iCwKUfUMHiH^s p$dkli<dt, to . Peoayivfftiaf
which ??r??tfemaud 10 Wraa^tjftift Wtf
ana imfbtad to coctude tfe* (M penal ctxit
oflbiaatatc, ImnaiUK* atffy ia, Iwa b?rt
;fpnxiiit ii?a t? fcoi* btM&t ttvan Up* trf
IVnnv l*aftia? ?? #
* Y^or tomiMUf* trt
toreft?om*n4, ifcat tl?c penitentiary aji?
ieft?be not adopt#*# an4< that vfc* ftefwt
eDdkikfthU atu MtfcMkdiiilMf bill li cif*
wttfc rofft*t?<l< p.ovufoa for. .
?AKiat
Chairman of L ommtiUc mj*^pnlfiftder
p^^**5pM?,r Wjrf "
?"v . ?' ? *?>? ??totr*f*. ? ???!?' .%?4
ri.G?<^. qf
To aUer affd am.
*Mi?W