_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.”