_Application for County Prison granted._—In 1831, the Legislature provided for the sale of the Walnut Street Prison, and for the erection of a largely increased number of cells in the Eastern Penitentiary, so as to be prepared for the reception of the inmates of the former. The Society being apprehensive that the principle of separation might be interfered with by the sudden introduction of so large a number of prisoners, memorialized the Legislature to have another prison erected on the same principle, for the use of the county. A law was soon after passed, providing for the erection of one for the use of the city and county of Philadelphia, capable of holding at least three hundred prisoners, on the principle of separate confinement. _Bad condition of County Prisons._—The receptions into the Eastern Penitentiary from other parts of the State, afforded constant evidence of the miserable condition of the County Prisons. The prisoners received from them were so injured by the abuses and bad management and arrangements prevailing there, that it was very difficult to maintain the consistency of the Penitentiary discipline, or to secure its legitimate results in such cases, and it was, therefore, deemed essential that the system of separation for all classes of commitments should be introduced into all the County Prisons, and in 1832 a Committee of the Society was appointed to investigate the condition of these prisons throughout the State. _Matrons._—In 1833, the Society represented to the Prison Inspectors, the propriety of appointing matrons to have charge of the female prisoners. _Public Executions._—In 1834, the views of the Society were met, by the passage of an act requiring all sentences of death to be executed within the walls, or yard of the jail, limiting the number and character of the witnesses allowed to be present, and forbidding the attendance of any person under age. _Care in relation to the New County Prison._—Early in the year 1835, the new County Prison being nearly ready to be occupied, the Society became much interested in the system of discipline to be there adopted; for though the Act itself provided for individual separation, it was feared that the character of the prisoners to be received might lead to a relaxation of this essential principle. They, therefore, appointed a committee to take the matter in charge. _Plans for County Prisons._—Instructions were given to the Acting Committee in 1836, to have plans prepared for the County Jails, on the separate system. And upon their report in 1838, the legislature was memorialized by the Society, to appoint commissioners to investigate the condition of these jails.