Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 1 of 2]Weld, Isaac
History
Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 1 of 2]
Weld, Isaac
Canada -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; United States -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
This diet is found, by experience, to afford the prisoners strength
sufficient to perform the labour that is imposed upon them; whereas a
more generous one would only serve to render their minds less humble and
submissive. Those who labour, are employed in the particular trade to
which they have been accustomed, provided it can be carried on in the
prison; if not acquainted with any, something is soon found that they
can do. One room is set apart for shoemakers, another for taylors, a
third for carpenters, and so on; and in the yards are stone-cutters,
smiths, nailers, &c. &c.
[Sidenote: PHILADELPHIA.]
Excepting the cells, which are at a remote part of the building, the
prison has the appearance of a large manufactory. Good order and decency
prevail throughout, and the eye of a spectator is never assailed by the
sight of such ghastly and squalid figures as are continually to be met
with in our prisons; so far, also, is a visitor from being insulted,
that he is scarcely noticed as he passes through the different wards.
The prisoners are forbidden to speak to each other without there is
necessity; they are also forbidden to laugh, or to sing, or to make the
smallest disturbance. An overseer attends continually to see that every
one performs his work diligently; and in case of the smallest resistance
to any of the regulations, the offender is immediately cast into a
solitary cell, to subsist on bread and water till he returns to a proper
sense of his behaviour; but the dread all those have of this treatment,
who have once experienced it, is such, that it is seldom found necessary
to repeat it. The women are kept totally apart from the men, and are
employed in a manner suitable to their sex. The labourers all eat
together in one large apartment; and regularly, every Sunday, there is
divine service, at which all attend. It is the duty of the chaplain to
converse at times with the prisoners, and endeavour to reform their
minds and principles. The inspectors, when they visit the prison, also
do the same; so that when a prisoner is liberated, he goes out, as it
were, a new man; he has been habituated to employment, and has received
good instructions. The greatest care is also taken to find him
employment the moment he quits the place of his confinement. According
to the regulations, no person is allowed to visit the prison without
permission of the inspectors. The greatest care is also taken to
preserve the health of the prisoners, and for those who are sick there
are proper apartments and good advice provided. The longest period of
confinement is for a rape, which is not to be less than ten years, but
not to exceed twenty-one. For high treason, the length of confinement is
not to be less than six nor more than twelve years. There are prisons in
every county throughout Pennsylvania, but none as yet are established on
the same plan as that which has been described. Criminals are frequently
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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