It is to be regretted that the moral effect is not stated as well as the sanitary; and especially that no details are given as regards the kind of recreation permitted, the restrictions under which it was enjoyed, or the conditions, if any, on which a participation in it could be had. It would have been gratifying to know whether it was made, to any degree, an instrument of discipline.

In response to this, we have received a letter from the warden, dated September, 1869, in which he says:

In the summer of 1867, we concluded to try the effect of giving the prisoners the recreation above named. We informed them that every man would be considered as placed upon his honor not to violate any of the rules of the institution, and that if they did so, the privilege would be withheld. After a trial of nearly three years, I have the gratification to be able to say that not one single bad result has arisen from this indulgence. Although every restraint has, in a measure, been removed, and they have been permitted to talk or sing as might best suit their fancy, provided nothing of an immoral character was indulged in, the result we find to be that the men are far more obedient and well behaved than at any former period in the history of this prison The liberty allowed has been made use of as a means of prison discipline so far that the prisoners are aware that it is only given them as a reward for good conduct, and that any violation of the discipline would abridge or take from them this great privilege. The consequence is, that the better class of prisoners restrain the more reckless from doing any thing that might be the cause of its withdrawal.

MASSACHUSETTS.

The writer of this paper visited the State prison at Charlestown, on the 29th of October last. Instead of offering a summary of the report for 1868, he will append extracts from a communication made as the result of that visit, and published at the time in one of the New York journals:

BOSTON, November 29.

I spent a few hours to-day in the State prison at Charlestown. I found the prison, as usual, in good condition; the men in the workshops busy as bees in the season of honey-making. The past year has been one of pecuniary prosperity to the prison beyond any previous one. The aggregate earnings of convict labor during the year have amounted to $132,576.89, while the total expenditures have been only $104,020.84, leaving a net gain to the institution of $28,556.05. These figures, be it understood, have undergone no manipulation, but represent cash, the balance of profit named having been actually paid into the State treasury in money, and being an actual surplus over all that has been drawn from the treasury for all the purposes of the prison. Mr. Haynes stated the pecuniary results of the labor of the convicts for the last three years as follows: Net profit in 1867, $22,346.16; net profit in 1868, $27,646.49; net profit in 1869, $28,556.05. Total in three years, $78,538.70.

These results have been obtained with an average number of prisoners not much exceeding 500. How striking and suggestive the contrast between these figures and those yielded by our New York prison management.

EDUCATION.

In this department of prison administration, Massachusetts nas taken a long step in advance. Heretofore no secular instruction has been given to the illiterate among the convicts, except that imparted in the prison Sunday school by outside volunteer workers. The State has done nothing in this direction. But this reproach—a grievous one-has at length been wiped out, and a policy inaugurated much more [Senate No. 21.]

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in harmony with the traditional forecast and liberality of the old Bay State. Last winter the Legislature passed a bill authorizing and directing an annual expenditure of $1,000 "in furnishing suitable instruction in reading, writing, and such other branches of education as may be deemed expedient, to such of the convicts as may be benefited thereby, and are desirous of receiving the same." In accordance with this act, a school has been established in the prison during two evenings in the week, which hitherto has been mainly conducted by the warden, assisted by some of his officers and several of the convicts (one of them a graduate of Harvard college). No act relating to the prison, I was assured, has been passed for years, which is so highly appreciated by the convicts. More than 60 prisoners are now in attendance on the school; and the desire to avail themselves of this privilege is almost if not quite universal. A course of popular lectures, adapted to the wants of the convicts, has been given for three successive winters in this prison, to the great delight and profit of those to whom they have been addressed.

PRISON HOLIDAYS.

For a number of years past-since 1864, I think-Mr. Haynes has been in the habit, on all public holidays, and occasionally at other times, of allowing the convicts about two hours of recreation and unrestrained intercourse with each other. So beneficial, as regards the discipline and morale of the prison, have these occasional opportunities of relaxation and freedom been found, that the Legislature at its last session passed the following act: “The warden of the State prison may, at such times and under such circumstances as he deems expedient, with the consent of the inspectors, allow the convicts to assemble together in the prison yard for recreation and exercise." This act enables the warden not only to increase, to any reasonable extent, the number of such periods of recreation, but also-which is more important— to apply them more directly and therefore more effectively to the discipline of the prison. They have already proved, and, in their increased frequency, are likely to prove, more and more an efficient agent in this regard.

DISCIPLINE.

Mr. Haynes holds that there are two ways of maintaining the discipline of a prison-one through fear, the other through hope. The fear of the lash, showerbath, and other instruments of physical torture, he says, may deter convicts from violating the rules of a prison, but he holds that the remedy is worse than the disease. The debasing effects of the lash, so he reasons, is not confined to the person whipped; but both the officer who inflicts the blows, and those compelled to witness the infliction, are hardened and demoralized thereby. If, on the other hand, one can inspire the convict with the feeling that there is something for him to hope for, such a sentiment will not only operate more constantly and powerfully, but will be, at the same time, far more elevating and reformatory. For the last fourteen years, covering the incumbency of the present warden, moral agencies have been the main reliance for discipline, the dark cell having been the only punishment used there in all those years. These means have been found sufficient to subdue a revolt, lately organized by some of the most desperate and daring men in the prison, into the details of which I do not propose to go. It is enough to say that the revolt, which at one time threatened to assume formidable proportions, was, within a period of three or four days, completely quelled, and the men (forty in number) ail quietly at work again, simply as the result of solitary confinement and the threatened withdrawal of privileges in case they continued in their refusal to yield.

PARTICIPATION OF THE CONVICTS IN PRISON EARNINGS.

Mr. Haynes expresses a decided conviction that the men should have an interest in the profits of the institution. He is satisfied that if a percentage of the gains

of the prison could be divided among the inmates as a reward for industry and good behavior, upon the same principle as time is deducted from their sentences by the commutation law, it would be an important step in the right direction. The feeling now prevaling among them-and it has an evil tendency-is that the State is making profit out of their labor, while those dependent on them are suffering from want; this would be dispelled by allowing them to participate in their earnings. Each would then have a personal interest in the prosperity of the institution; and the tendency of such an arrangement would be to promote industry, patience and perseverance-virtues which would exert a beneficial influence upon them when discharged.

IMPROVEMENTS.

I observed that a story had been added to one of the ranges of shoe shops, giving an additional room 212 feet long and forty-two wide. But the great improvement consists in the erection of a block of twelve new brick houses on the prison grounds as residences for the subordinate officers. They are two-story dwellings, which, though rather plainly and cheaply built, will be convenient and comfortable.

PRISON PRAYER MEETING.

A prayer meeting for convicts, formerly held in this institution, but for some cause discontinued, has been revived this year by the chaplain, Rev. G. J. Carleton. It was organized June 2, 1869, and has since been regularly held for an hour every Wednesday afternoon. Not a moment is lost on these occasions, for so many are ready to speak, pray and sing, that sometimes several rise at once, and the only trouble is to give all an opportunity to express their minds. Some persons, Mr. Carleton says, laugh at the idea of having such meetings among convicts, and say that it is all nonsense for such men to speak and pray and assume to be religious. But he pertinently replies: Is it indeed impossible for a man inside the walls of a prison to become a Christian? Was not the Philippian jailer converted in his own prison? Why should it be thought a thing incredible that a reflecting human being, cut off from all association with the world, and having more time and opportunity for solemn consideration than he ever had before, should so ponder upon his condition as to be led, through the co-operating grace of God, to feel that he is a sinner; and then to realize that Jesus is a Saviour of sinners; and then to trust in him as his Saviour; and then to delight to tell what the Lord has done for his soul, and to exhort others to trust in the same almighty Redeemer, so that they too may rejoice in the same salvation?

The chaplain does not claim that all the seventy men who attend the prison prayer meeting are heart-Christians. They themselves do not claim it. But some think they have been born of the Spirit, and give evidence that their hope is indeed "a good hope through grace." They speak and pray with as much fervor, fluency, appropriateness and apparent sincerity, as any professed Christians outside of prison walls. Many who do not profess to have yet found the Saviour have risen to ask others to pray for them.

Mr. Carleton says that some officers will address him in some such way as this: "Don't you think, chaplain, that some men go to these meetings and pretend to feel more interest about religion than they really do, thinking that it may help them, indirectly, in obtaining a pardon?" He says that his reply is: "No doubt of it; but what then? There have always been individuals in this world who will act hypocritically; and probably there are some such now, both in prison and out of it. Whatever may be said to the contrary, it is undoubtedly true that the human nature of the persons residing in this stone palace is very much like the human nature of the persons residing in all other places."

MICHIGAN.

When Lord Byron appeared before the world with his first poetical publication, under the title of "Hours of Idleness," the Edinburgh Review criticised his verses with that caustic and merciless severity, which it knew so well how to employ. It closed what was intended as a work of absolute demolition in these words: "But we must not look a gift horse in the mouth; we must not be too severe upon his lordship; for it is the last we shall ever hear from him." "English Bards and Scotch Reviewers" was quickly hurled by the exasperated poet in the face of the proud autocrat of criticism; but the arrow was received in contemptuous silence. Years, however, rolled on; and the great poem of Childe Harold was issued from the press. Then the voice of the thunderer was heard again, and its opening words were: "Lord Byron has improved marvelously since his last appearance upon these boards." The writer of this paper, in conjunction with Prof. Theodore W. Dwight, visited the Michigan State prison in 1865, and we ventured some criticism on its condition and management, in a report subsequently published, under the title of "Prisons and Reformatories of the United States and Canada." On reading the "Annual Report of the Inspectors of the State Prison of the State of Michigan for the year 1868," we experience a feeling akin to that of the Edinburgh Review on his perusal of Childe Harold; for certainly, there has been a "marvelous improvement" in the state of things in this prison since the date of our visit. We have a vivid recollection of a scene which occurred in the mess room, when the convicts had finished their dinner. The warden invited us to address them. In compliance with this invitation, the writer had uttered a few sentences, when a contractor opened the door, and demanded that the men be immediately sent to the workshop. The warden remonstrated. The contractor was inexorable, claiming that the time of the prisoners belonged to him. The warden yielded, and, apologizing for the discourtesy, cut short our remarks and dismissed the men to their work. Now, however, as we learn from this report, the chaplain is every day allowed from five to ten minutes at 12, meridian, to make an address to the prisoners, sing a hymn, and offer a prayer, exercises which they seem to appreciate, and in which many of them join with no little interest.

The labor of the convicts has been let on recent contracts at an average advance of about forty per cent on the old prices; the prison is rapidly approaching, if it has not already reached, the point of selfsupport, with perhaps a moderate surplus of earnings over expend itures; a school for secular instruction has been established, which is held one hour every Sunday morning, being taught by certain of

the prison keepers, and attended by some seventy convicts; a Sabbath school for religious instruction is also kept up as heretofore; discipline is enforced with much less tronble than formerly, and punishment for disobedience less frequently inflicted;" and the chaplain now devotes his whole time to the moral and religious interests of the prisoners. It is an interesting fact that of the 194 convicts discharged during the year, 165 (about 85 per cent) earned the full deduction from their terms of sentence allowed by the commutation law, an indication that they had passed the whole period of their incarceration without a violation of the rules of discipline.

The following paragraphs from the report of the warden, Mr. H. H. Bingham, embody an important suggestion, and point to an advance in the right direction:

If the prison should pay expenses, with some surplus, I am of the opinion, as a matter of justice, and also as a reformatory measure, that the convicts themselves are entitled to that surplus on their discharge, dependent, however, upon their good behavior here. The past year we have discharged 165 on their good time, who had served, on an average, about two years' time each in prison. The average price received for convict labor is about sixty cents per day. To pay 165 convicts each one-tenth of their earnings, would require an annual outlay of about $3,100. To make the amount of such payment dependent upon the net earnings of the prison, would incite to care and economy in their food and clothing, and also to diligence and faithfulness in their daily labors, so that their services would become more valuable and we could obtain reasonable prices therefor.

I would, then, recommend that legislation be had, so that convicts discharged prior to November 30, 1869, against whom no charge for violation of prison rules had been sustained, should, on their discharge, receive six cents per day for all the time served subsequent to the passage of the law. If this year there shall be a net surplus of $5,000, I would increase the amount to those discharged the succeeding year to eight cents, and if the net earnings should be $10,000 and upwards, to ten cents. Regard for their families, who may be in very dependent circumstances, and pride of character, would in one class of convicts incite to good behavior here, so that they might take home on their discharge all that they would be entitled to. Those that might not have occasion to use their money in this way, would have the means to purchase tools, etc., or a small capital with which to commence business. Hence a great inducement would be offered for each convict to demean himself in an orderly manner, and he would also become interested in the good behavior of all the others; the necessity of compulsory labor and corporal punishment would be very much lessened, and we should find that cheerfulness and alacrity would take the place of sullenness and discontent, and convicts would feel that they had received some remuneration for their services instead of all their hard earnings inuring to the benefit of the State.

DETROIT HOUSE OF CORRECTION.

This is, to all intents and purposes, in some respects at least, a second State prison, as it receives certain classes of convicts from all parts of the State. The document, containing the annual reports of the inspectors and officers of the institution for 1868, is one of extraordinary value. Facts are stated, views on criminal punish