"That the gaols were generally close and confined, the felons wards nasty, dirty, confined, and unhealthy. That even York-castle, which to a superficial viewer might be thought a very fine gaol, I thought quite otherwise; with regard to felons their wards were dark, dirty, and small, no way proportioned to the number of unhappy persons confined there. Many others are the same; as Gloucester, Warwick, Hereford, Sussex, &c. The latter had not for felons, or even for debtors, at their county gaol at Horsham, the least outlet; but the poor unhappy creatures were ever confined within doors without the least breath of fresh air. "I was asked my reasons for visiting the gaols? I answered, I had seen and heard the distress of gaols, and had an earnest desire to relieve it in my own district as well as others. It was then asked me, if it was done at my own expence? I answered, undoubtedly. Some conversation passed relative to gaolers taking off their prisoners irons; but that was private, and not at the bar of the House. "The above account, including that of garnish, which was from 3 and 4_s._ to 8_s._ which I said was a cruel custom, and connived at and permitted by gaolers, was the whole of what passed at the House as to myself, except the great honour they did me in their thanks _nem. con._" This true Patriot addressed the printer a second time, March 7, in the same year. "SIR, "I shall set off for the gaols in Westmoreland, Cumberland, and Northumberland, next Monday, and also visit again some which I have already seen, likewise Lancaster, Chester, and Shrewsbury, _if I am not taken off with the gaol distemper_; as Dr. Fothergill says, 'I carry my life in my hand, and it is a wonder I have not been taken off.' "The misery in gaols is great beyond description; Sheriffs for many years not having set foot into the prisons of most of the counties in England. There are many of them (the felons wards I mean) dirty, infectious, miserable places; so that, instead of sending healthy useful hands to our Colonies as transports out of our gaols, they become infectious, sickly, miserable objects: half of whom die on their passage; and many of those that arrive at the places of their destination infect the families they enter into. I saw lately in your paper, what I knew our Colonies complained of from Philadelphia: 'An Act passed to prevent infectious diseases being brought into that Province.' "Another great evil in gaols is, that the poor debtors on the common side in most counties have not even the felons' county allowance of bread; and I have not found twelve people that have sued out their groats in all the county gaols; that benevolent Act of 32 George II. being frustrated, as no attornies will, without pay, take a poor debtor's case in hand. These I have found some of the most pitiable objects in our gaols. "I am, &c.