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Show 10 TRAVELS TilROUGII NORTIT AME RICA: Frmn the report of the committee an opinion i'i J()rmcd by the .infpcc-. tors, who, with the con1~nt of the judges, regulate the treatn:cnt of each individual prifoncr during his confinement. This is vaned according to his crime, :tnd a cording to his fubfcquent rep:ntattce. Solitary confinement in a dark c:dl is looked upon ~s. th~ kv~r ·fl.uf:tgc ; ncx t, folitary coni1ncment in a cell with the admli1LOn of l1gh t ; next,_ confinement in ~ cdl when; the prifoner is allowed to do lome fort ot work; la.!l:ly, labour in company with others. T he pritoncrs :trc obliged to bltthe tw icc cv<.; ry week, proper con venicnric<; f~r tlut purpofe being prcvided within the walls of the prifon , and al~o ~o ~h~1.nge their linen, with which they .ue regularly provided. Tho{•.; 111 lobtary confinement are kept upon bread and water; but thoil: who bbour are a1lov-.rcd broth, porridge, puddings, and the like : nwat is difpcn(ed only in ftl}:lll quantities, twice in the week. Their drink j~; water; on no pretence is any other beverage fuftcrcd to be hrought into the prif\.>Il. This diet is f01md, by L'X ~)e ri encc , to afFord the prifoncrs flrcngth fuflicient to perform the labour that is im pofed upon them ; whereas a more generous one would only fcrvc to render their n1inds lcfs humble and fubmi!Iivc. Thofc who labour, arc employed in the particular tradt; to which they have been accuflomcd, provided it can be carried on in the prifon ; if not acquainted with a11y, fometbing is foon found that they can do. One room is fct apart fo r lhocnukcrs, another for taylors, a th ird for ca r1 enters, and fo on; and in the yards ;~re ftonc-cuttcrs, fmiths, nailer.', &c. &c. Excepting the cells, which arc at a remote part of the building, the prifon has the appearance of a large rnanufaB:ory. Good order and <.lcccncy prevail throughout, and tlte eye of a fpecbtor is never aD~l iled by the fight of fuch gha{Uy and fq ualid figures as arc continually to be tnct with in our prifims; io far, al[o, is a vilitor from b~ing in(ulted, that he is fca rccly noticed as he paCes th rough the diftcrcnt wards. 1"'hc prifoncrs arc forbidden to fpcak to e.tch other without there is necdTity ; they arc alfo forbidden to laugh, or to fing, or to make the fmalld l: difl:urbanct;. An ovcrfeer attends continually to fcc that every one performs his work dilig ntly; and in cafe of the fmalle.!l: refifiancc to any of the regulations, P I I I L A D F. L P I I I A. I I regulations, the offender is irnmediatcly aft inlo a lolitary cell, to Cuhfifl: on hr~ad and water till ht; returns to :1 proper fcnfc of his blhaviour; hut the dread a11 thofe ha vc of this treatment, who have once cxperienccLl it, is fu c:h, that i t is fddorn fou nd ncceflitry to repeat it. The \NOnH:n arc kept totally apart frorn the men, and arc employed in a n1<ll1ncr fui table to their icx. The lal ourcrs all cat together in one large apartn1cnt ; :1nd rcgul.u-ly, every Sunday, th ere is divine Iervicc, at which all attend. I t is the duty of the ch~pla i n to convcrfc at t.irncs with the prifoncrs, and cnde.tvour to refonn their minds an l principle<;. T he infj1cClors, when they v iGt the pri fon, al (o do the fatnc ; 1o that when a pri foner is JibcrJted, he goes ollt, as it were, a ncvv rnan; he has been habitu: ltcd to employment, and has rcccivcc.l good in(lructions. The grcatefl: care is alfo taken to find him cn1p loyrnent the n1oment he quits the place of his confinen1ent. According to the regulations, no pcrfon is allowed to vifit the prifon without penniffion of the in(pcCtors. 'I'he gre .1 tc.!l: care is alfo taken to prcfcrve the health of the prifoners, and for th ofe who arc fick there arc proper apartments and good advice pro• vidcd. The longc.!l: period of confinement is for a rape, which is not to be lc.G, than ten years, but not to exceed twen ty-one. For high trea(on, the length of confinement is not to be lcfs than fix nor n1ore than twelve years. There arc prifons jn every county throughout Pcnnfylvnnia, but none as yet arc eftabli01cd on the [;lme plan as that which has been deCcribed. Criminals arc frequen tly fcnt frotn other parts of th~ fiate to rec<.;ive puni(hment in the prifon of P hiladelphia. So well is this gaol conduCted, that inficaJ of being an expenfe, it now an nually produces a confidcrablc revenue to the flatc. C2 |