DEAR SIR—I rejoice to learn from your letter of to-day, that the Prison Society of our city have under consideration the propriety of petitioning the Legislature for an act enabling those convicted of crime, by a continued course of good conduct, to diminish their sentences a few days in each month. The hope of reward, and the fear of punishment, furnish the incentives to good conduct. All systems of religion are founded on these incentives, and they influence all human action. Their application to the imprisoned convict is nothing more than the application of a well-tested principle to a more difficult case to that to which it is ordinarily applied, and I have no doubt that the policy will be productive of beneficial results. There are many cases, I admit, where reformation is entirely hopeless—long experience in the administration of justice forces me to make this admission. But in all cases where there is any hope of reformation, the system proposed must, in my opinion, produce beneficial results. I regret that I am pressed for time so that I cannot say more at present, than to add to what I have already said, the expression of the hope that the proposed policy may be sanctioned by the Society and by the Legislature under judicious regulations to be prescribed by law. Your’s very truly, ELLIS LEWIS. PHILADELPHIA, _March 20, 1861_. DEAR SIR—The proposition to reduce monthly a portion of the sentences of such convicts as conduct themselves with uniform propriety, is one that meets my hearty concurrence; it is equally recommended by the strongest consideration of policy and humanity. It is the very best system of pardons which could be devised, since under it the remission of the sentence of the law against the offender is not the result of unjust favoritism or mistaken sympathy, but the fair reward of a meritorious effort on the part of the convict to amend his conduct. Such a system would be in entire harmony with our penal code, the primary object of which is to reform the offender, and all effort in that direction should be encouraged and rewarded. Respect’y your ob’t. servant, EDW’D. KING. PHILADELPHIA, _March 21, 1861_. DEAR SIR—I am disposed to regard very favorably the proposition to modify the extent of criminal sentences, by allowing the good behaviour of the convict to work a reduction of the time of his imprisonment. We all know that the hope of reward is a great incentive to human conduct, and that it will produce its natural effects even in the cell of a prison. The experience which has been obtained of such a method of reducing sentences in several of the States where it has been practically tested, seems to favor its adoption; and upon general principles it appears to offer a method of meliorating the severity of punishment, without affecting its desired results. I should be pleased if the views expressed by you could be carried out by proper legislation.