New Prison in New Jersey.—Learning also that a proposition to erect a new Penitentiary in the eastern part of the State of New Jersey, was likely to be brought before their Legislature last winter, our Society adopted a memorial of a character very similar to that of the communication intended to have been forwarded to Washington, and appointed a committee to take charge of it. A part of this committee visited Trenton, and in a very satisfactory interview with the Governor, were assured of his cordial co-operation in promoting our views. The memorial was duly presented to the Legislature. No action, however, has yet been taken in reference to this important matter, and it is feared that the terrible calamity which has overtaken our beloved country will occasion its postponement.

Proposed Change in Mode of Appointing Inspectors.—A movement having taken place in our State Legislature in the session of 1861, to take the appointment of the Inspectors of the Eastern Penitentiary from the Supreme Court, where it had been placed by law; our

Society immediately forwarded a remonstrance against the proposed change. They apprehended that the motive to this was, at least in part, political partisanship, and whether so or not, the result, if successful, would almost inevitably be to drag our noble Penitentiary and its government into the arena of partisan politics, which would be a deplorable calamity. The change was not made.

Law for shortening Sentences.—At a stated meeting of the Acting Committee, held October 18th, 1860, the following preamble and resolutions were introduced, and being unanimously adopted, were referred to a special Committee of five members, to take the subject into consideration, and make report thereon to a future meeting. To wit: “Whereas, the hope of reward is to the human mind one of the strongest incentives to good conduct; and as, in this enlightened age, such incentives are found to be more humanizing than punishment, which partaking of the character of vengeance begets its like, as a natural result, in the mind of its victim; and as under the present humane mode of treatment of another class of sufferers, kindness and consideration are found more effectual as remedial agents than chains and dungeons, which were formerly resorted to. And whereas the opportunity of doing overwork in the prisons of our city has been attended with advantage, by promoting the benefit of the prisoner, and contributing to the good order, as well as to the pecuniary profit of the Institutions, thus giving reasonable ground for believing that further service may be rendered to the cause of humanity, by taking another step in a like direction, it therefore becomes those interested in promoting the improvement of their kind, and in relieving the miseries of public prisons, to consider whether there

be not a mode, by which those convicted of crime may be further encouraged in a course of good conduct, and confirmed in habits of morality and good order. Therefore—Resolved: That a Committee of —— be appointed to take into consideration, and report, whether some plan may not be suggested, by means of which the terms of sentences might be somewhat shortened, dependent on a continued course of good conduct of the prisoner; thus encouraging them in the practice, and perhaps establishing the habit of subordination and submission to those in authority, and to the laws of the community; and also to consider any other plan likely to produce the same effect, that may occur to them, or be presented for their consideration.”

At a stated meeting of the Acting Committee, held February 21st, 1861, the Committee appointed to take into consideration the foregoing Preamble and Resolution, made an elaborate and able report, signed by four of the members, of which the following is an abstract. They inform, that after first entering on the consideration of the subject, they concluded to ask a conference with the Inspectors of the Eastern Penitentiary, to ascertain their views in relation to the matter. That their application to the Board was referred to the Visiting Inspectors, with whom the desired interview was obtained, and the result was sufficiently encouraging to induce the Committee to give the subject further consideration. They subsequently concluded that it was expedient to adopt the principle of the Preamble and Resolution referred to them, and prepared a schedule of such apportionment of the time proposed to be deducted as appeared to them suitable; and they agreed to propose to the Society that an application should be made to the Legislature for the enactment of a law to carry

the same into effect. This result was arrived at after much reflection on the subject, and inquiring into the results of the practical working of the system in five of the States of the Union, to wit: Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Ohio, where the plan had been several years in operation, and the testimony of the Inspectors and Wardens of the prisons where it prevailed was highly approbatory.

The Committee also, in the course of the consideration of the subject referred to them, applied to Judges Thomson, Allison, and Ludlow, of the Court of Quarter Sessions of this county; Ex-Judge King, largely experienced in criminal jurisprudence; Ex-Judge Lewis, of the Supreme Court, and Wm. B. Mann, District Attorney, asking their opinion in relation to the proposed measure. A written reply was received from each of them, expressing favorable views.

[As it is proposed to publish this Report, with the letters of the Judges and District Attorney, in an Appendix, in full, this synopsis is deemed sufficient for our present purpose.]

The Committee appended to their report the following Resolution: