introduced into the recently published Special Report, in which the committee of the Inspectors undertake to discuss and condemn the law in question. First. In two or more instances, it is stated that the passage of the Law was procured by “members” of the Society; in one, the assertion is that “some one or two of the Prison Society’s Committee caused the Act, under examination, to be enacted into a law.” The history of the whole business which we have just given, from the first introduction of the measure to the notice of the Acting Committee, till it became a Law of the State, abundantly proves that it was the Society which was acting; sometimes, in its associated capacity, and sometimes, through its individual members, who were empowered to act for it. The Society appeared at Harrisburg by a delegation, not in a body. Second. Certain paragraphs or passages are introduced into their Report, which are said to have been extracted from an article entitled, “Considerations respecting some recent legislation in Pennsylvania, originally written for the Journal of Prison Discipline, vol. 16, October 1861.” The extracts themselves present an erroneous view of the proceedings of the Society, but, we are willing, for the present, to let them pass. But the implication in the Report, that the Society or its Acting Committee, had cognizance of the article referred to, when offered for publication in their Journal, is calculated to make an erroneous impression. Neither the Society nor the Acting Committee had any responsibility, either for the acceptance of the part published, or for the rejection of the remainder. It never came under their notice, till after it was printed and circulated.
Abuse of Power by Magistrates.—The corrupt and oppressive abuse of power by the Committing Magistrates is a great evil with which our Society has been battling
almost from its origin, but without yet vanquishing it, as the report of the Prison Agent for the last year will abundantly prove. We have a committee under appointment in charge of the subject.
Pardons.—The pardoning power, and the manner in which it is exercised, have also recently again claimed our attention.
Tobacco.—The Inspectors of our County Prison have adopted a rule by which the use of tobacco has been entirely excluded from the prisoners confined there, unless it be in cases strictly medicinal. This rule has been in force for upwards of two and a half years, and the resident Physician, in each of his Annual Reports, has spoken in strong terms of its salutary results. Its use has not yet been prohibited by the Inspectors in the Eastern Penitentiary, though the quantity allowed to be furnished has been much reduced. Our Society has had under the care of a committee, the consideration of the propriety of memorializing the Inspectors in favor of adopting a similar rule to that in force in the County Prison, but no final conclusion has yet been arrived at, so far as to justify any official action. In the meantime, however, the visitors are encouraged to use moral suasion amongst those using it, to abandon the practice. It is very satisfactory to know that this course has been successful in several instances, and that the individuals have since expressed their conviction of the advantage of this change in their habits.
Discontinuance of the Quarterly Journal.—The publication of the Prison Journal, which was commenced in 1845, as heretofore stated in regular course, was maintained at a heavy charge upon our funds, so that after payment of the other current expenses incident to conducting the Society, such as compensation to the Prison
Agent, room-rent, slates, copy books and other stationery for the use of the prisoners, &c., the balance, to be appropriated to the relief of discharged prisoners, and other practical objects properly having claims on a “Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons,” was very small, and as appeared to many, insufficient. They doubted its being a legitimate appropriation of so large a portion of the income, and individual members frequently conversed together on the expediency of discontinuing the publication, the annual cost of which was about $550. In 1858 a resolution to discontinue it was introduced, and earnestly and largely discussed, but on a pledge given by those desirous of continuing the publication, that they would take such steps as would secure an ample addition to our annual income, it was agreed that it should not be suspended at that time. Efforts were made soon after, which resulted in an increase in the annual subscriptions for one or two years, but each year since, a number of our subscribers declined paying, and the calamitous war which has overtaken our country, has occasioned such a reduction of our means, both actual and prospective, as to make it evident that we must either suspend the publication, or suspend the appropriation, which was already much too small, for the relief of discharged prisoners. In this state of our affairs, many of the members could not hesitate a moment which alternative to choose, and therefore a resolution for its discontinuance, and the substitution of a full Annual Report was introduced and entered on the minutes, with notice by the mover that it would be called up for consideration at the meeting to be held three months after its introduction. At the meeting designated, it was accordingly taken up and extensively discussed in the “Acting Committee,” and a resolution
referring it to the next stated meeting of the Society, with the recommendation that the measure should be there adopted, was passed by a large majority. Accordingly, after being freely discussed by the Society at that, and also an adjourned meeting, it was adopted in a modified form, by which the Quarterly publication should be discontinued, and an Annual Journal substituted for it, which should contain an Annual Report, and such essays or other matter as might be offered, and be deemed suitable by an Editorial Board, to be elected for the service.
Before leaving the subject of the discontinuance of our Quarterly Journal, it is proper to refer to its late editor, our fellow member, Frederick A. Packard, who took charge of it a few years after its commencement, and conducted the publication with marked ability from that time till its close. The Society is indebted to his pen for many valuable articles published in the Journal, and separately.
Lunatics.—An evil of no small magnitude, in the consideration of which the Society has been earnestly engaged, is the practice which prevails of committing lunatics to our County Prison, some of whom have been convicted on criminal charges, and others “picked up in the streets, and committed for want of a better home,” as we are assured by the Prison Agent. An application, in which our Society is co-operating, is about to be made to the Legislature, which it is hoped may result in an arrangement being made which may relieve the prison of this class of its inmates.