UNITED STATES.
We have received reports of various philanthropic societies in the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts. They have mostly in view objects similar to those of this Society: that is, the alleviation of public evils, by direct action upon the minds and consciences of those by whom those evils come.
Among these are the schools in Massachusetts for alleviating the condition of girls and of boys,—separate institutions, but working admirably in the fulfillment of the designs of the founders.
The Report of the Board of Trustees of the “State Reform Schools of Connecticut” is exceedingly interesting. These last seem, in design, to correspond very much with the “House of Refuge” in this city; and it is gratifying to notice that all of them appear to be in a flourishing condition.
There is one “Report” that specially arrested our attention,—that of the “Massachusetts State Agency for Aiding Discharged Convicts.” Here seems to be a true charity, not dependent, alone, on individual efforts and contributions. It appears, by the Report, that the amount expended by the “Agency,” on account of “the government of the State,” was $1,656 32. That, of course, as the Agent says, “will meet the discharged convicts’ wants for a brief period.” If we had not extended our Report this year much beyond usual limits, we should feel disposed to copy most of the Report of this Charity into our own Annual Statement. The following, however, is too well put to be omitted:
“Society has a vital interest in a mission that induces the night-burglar to abandon his trade and allow men to sleep in safety, and that converts the felon’s tools into proper implements, and brings his mind and heart into a willing frame for house-building instead of shop-lifting and house-breaking. We approach an employer, and for his safety confide to him our knowledge of the past life and present state of the applicant, now penitent and resolved on reform. By awaking sympathy, we open a door to honest industry, which he enters, and is surrounded by shop mates, ignorant of his crime, ready to fellowship him without prejudice; so that, feeling safe from those taunts that would otherwise assail him, and which, surely, have no healing or strengthening power, he becomes inspired with hope, and courage to make self-reliant effort, trusting that, with the added blessing of Heaven, he will henceforward be an honest man.”
Many of the Reports which we have received are from State Prisons, Penitentiaries, &c. They, of course, are interesting for the statistics they contain, and will be acceptable to those who are directly interested in, and responsible for, the condition of penal institutions. But we feel naturally more interest in the progress of improvement in the care of the prisoner, than in the cost of his maintenance. It is gratifying to find that, in all these prisons, the voice of instruction is heard, and that, in addition to stated religious exercises, there is personal visitation, and this seems to be followed up by the established preacher or “moral instructor.”
The State “Schools” in Massachusetts for rearing, instructing, and reforming girls and boys, not only in separate buildings, but in separate parts of the State, appear to be doing immense good. The reports upon the conduct of many who have graduated from the Schools, show success; and some remarks intimate also, that the failure to reform all, has excited unwelcome criticism. We do not copy the reply: it is exactly what every “visitor” of this Society feels,—it is what the managers of the House of Refuge in this city would say. The largest anticipations of the self-sacrificing philanthropist are not to be realized. The true philosopher will appreciate the benefit to the individual and to society, resulting from a single reformation.
We have received the Eighteenth Annual Report of the Executive Committee of the Prison Association of New York. It is a clear, explicit statement of the doings of the Agent and Committees of the Association, and will be read with deep interest by those who have a sympathy with the unfortunate and a desire to assist into goodness those that have done wrong. The details of proceedings by the Agent are quite similar to those set forth by Mr. Mullin, the Agent of our Society, and show a low condition of primary justice in New York, and a wretched state of the lower stratum of society in that city. Tyranny in the small landlords, utter debasement of the moral faculties in the multiplied liquor dealers, and a determination on all hands to do the worst by others and the best (according to their own estimate of good) to themselves, distinguish the condition and conduct of those who in New York live by fleecing the shorn and miserable, and making vice of every kind subservient to their plans of personal profit.
The Report to which we now refer, contains much that is usually presented in the Annual Report of the Inspectors of the Prison. The statements, however, are interesting as showing the condition in New York of those affairs which occupy the attention of our own Society.
We notice one circumstance in the Report of the New York Society worthy of attention, viz., that the agents of that Society have used their influence with the courts to increase the severity of the sentence intended to be pronounced upon a convict. This was justified by a knowledge of the antecedents of the offender, and of the character of his mind. We are not aware that any interference exactly of that character is to be recorded of those who represent our Society; but we have occasion to believe that in one or two instances an opinion was given against a re-consideration of a sentence with a view of lessening its severity; and that opinion was accepted. There was more mercy in such a course than in shortening the term of imprisonment. In one instance, at least, the beneficial results are obvious.