PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNIVERSARY. THE first anniversary meeting of the Association was held at the Tabernacle, on the evening of the 5th of December, 1845. Vice-Chancellor M'COUN, the President of the Association, in the chair, assisted by B. F. BUTLER, Esq., and Judge EDMONDS, as Vice-Presidents. The President, on taking his seat, made a few remarks. Mr. EDMONDS, as Chairman of the Executive Committee, announced to the Association, that the Prison Discipline Society of Boston was present, by its delegate, Rev. LOUIS DWIGHT; and the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Prisons, by TOWNSEND SHARPLESS and GEORGE THOMPSON, their delegates. He also read to the meeting a letter from the Philadelphia Society, and also a letter from the Rev. Dr. JENKS, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Boston Society; which were ordered to be published. He then read to the Association the annual report of the Executive Committee. On motion of Mr. BUTLER, Resolved, That the report be accepted and published. Gen. WETMORE, in behalf of the Finance Committee, read their annual report, and the audited account of the Treasurer; and on his motion, Resolved, That the same be published. ABNER BENEDICT, Esq., read the annual report of the Committee on Detentions. On motion of W. C. RUSSELL, Esq., Resolved, That it be published. Dr. JOHN D. Russ read the annual report of the Committee on Prison Discipline. On motion of JOHN DUER, Esq., Resolved, That the same be published. ISAAC T. HOPPER read the report on Discharged Convicts, which, on nis motion, was ordered to be published. RENSSELAER N. HAVENS read the report of the Executive Committee of the Female Department, and on his motion, Resolved, That the same be published. The meeting was addressed by the Rev. Mr. THAYER, of Brooklyn. Mr. EDMONDS, by direction of the Committee of Arrangements, nomi nated officers for the ensuing year, which were unanimously elected, And then the meeting adjourned. LETTER FROM REV. DR. JENKS. TO THE PRISON ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK. GENTLEMEN:-At a recent meeting of Directors of the Prison Discipline Society of Massachusetts, a communication was made, by our highly esteemed Secretary, of your kind invitation to the approaching meeting of your Society, at the anniversary of its formation, on the 5th instant. The Directors, in accepting this invitation, and providing that our Society should be represented on the auspicious and interesting occasion, conferred on me the honour of an appointment to attend the celebration, in company with my friend and brother, the Rev. Mr. Dwight. But I regret to say, that it will not be in my power, from the pressing nature of my engagements at this time, to allow the indulgence of what, in other circumstances, would be a high enjoyment-the meeting with new friends of an important religious and civil charity, and the strengthening of those bonds which unite the practical advocates of humanity and the Gospel. I must, however, in thus apologizing for my absence, take liberty to congratulate you on the formation of your Society, and convey to you my good wishes. New York, which, indeed, I have never yet visited, cannot but afford, of necessity, from its great foreign population, as well as its vast multitude of native inhabitants, and its extensive trade, a wide and important field in which such an Association may act. Crimes must, as the world is, and do, actually abound. The Prisons and Penitentiaries are often crowded; and their officers, perhaps, however alert and faithful, too much occupied to perform the duties which you will undertake, even were they in the highest degree well disposed. The task, therefore, assigned you, in the providence of God, and of which, by associating thus, you acknowledge the obligation, appears calculated to call forth all the wisdom and firmness, humanity, self-denial, and active Christian sympathy which the grace of God confers on His friends, and which He would have them cherish and bring into action. For it is not merely the giving of religious and moral instruction at stated times to the inmates, and seeing that they are furnished with Bibles and other books, that will satisfy, gentlemen, the enlightened and public-spirited philanthropy which has led to the formation and support of your Society; there must also be created a general perception, a common feeling throughout the community, that shall bear favourably on the object itself. Or, if such a feeling already exist, as I cannot but believe it does, it must be directed in a salutary channel. Of all this, no doubt, gentlemen, you are perfectly sensible, and perhaps I owe you an apology for these suggestions; but they are connected in my mind with one thing, which I fear has been too greatly overlooked—I mean the state of the public press in reference to the records of crime. God's Word, our only infallible guide, declares, "fools make a mock at sin." How often, in recording trials, or the mere charges that produce them, is the most revolting levity manifested, and rather a disposition to jest, while representing the character, conditions, and actions of culprits, than to mourn over human depravity and guilt! Is it not an encouragement to crime? There should be more of serious earnestness, more of deep engagedness in promoting reformation on the one hand, and shielding the community on the other; a wise care of establishing sound moral principles, and a clearer exhibition of high and holy compassion of the offender, while his sin is hated. And these results may be advanced, unquestionably, by an influence, healthy and vigorous, exerted through the press-as the opposite effects are, without doubt, produced by the public exhibition, in the widely circulating vehicles of intelligence and influence, of a lax morality, or a heedless disregard of the proprieties of civilized life But I am persuaded that I need not enlarge. The principles which have led to the formation of your Society must direct, in the course of its progress, to such measures as God, I trust, will approve and bless. That His blessing may accompany your efforts, emanating from a sense of solemn obligation-which, indeed, the ability to do good that He confers on you strictly imposes-and that, under His blessing, your Society may prosper in spirit, efficiency, numbers, and public patronage, is the cordial desire and prayer of, Gentlemen, your sincere well-wisher. WM. JENKS, Boston, December 4th, 1845. A Vice-President of the Massachusetts' LETTER FROM THE PHILADELPHIA SOCIETY. At a special meeting of the Philadelphia Society for alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, held 11th mo. 28th, 1845, the following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted : Whereas, This Society feels a lively interest in all measures calculated to ameliorate the penal law, diminish crime, and improve prison discipline; and, Whereas, In our opinion the establishment of Prison Societies will promote these desirable objects; and, Whereas, The Prison Association of New York, will celebrate its anniversary on the 5th of the ensuing month, and has requested us to unite with them in the said celebration in such manner as may be most agreeable to the members of this Society; therefore, Resolved, That a Committee of seven be appointed to proceed to New York, and express to the Association the best wishes of the Society for their prosperity and usefulness. [Extracted from the Minutes.] WM. BIDDLE, Secretary. TO THE PRISON ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK. "The Philadelphia Society for alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons," have the pleasure to acknowledge the kind invitation extended to them, through Judge Edmonds, to be present by a delegation at the approaching annual meeting of your Association; and in compliance with it, they have appointed a Committee to attend on that occasion. Lest, however, in the pressure of business incident to such a meeting, no opportunity may occur for a public expression of their sympathies and views, they have availed themselves of the kind suggestion contained in Judge Edmonds' note, to communicate them very briefly, in this form, with the hope that it may accord with the arrangements of your Society, to spread them before the meeting. "The Philadelphia Society for alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons" is nearly SEVENTY years old. All who were associated in its early labours, have long since been gathered to their fathers It is obvious that in originating it, no scheme, or theory, or controverted principle of modern date, could have had any influence. The efforts of its founders were probably restricted to the design which its title indicates; and contemplated, rather the alleviation of the miseries of Prisons, than any change in the predominant principles of their discipline. When, however, at a later period it became obvious, that most of the miseries which they would fain alleviate, originated in defects of structure and discipline; they naturally applied themselves to some mode of supplying these defects We need not assure you, that nothing was further from their motives, than an ambi tion to originate or advocate, any new or peculiar method of discipline. They looked abroad upon the vast accumulation of suffering and corruption, which the prisons of the country presented; and saw, as they thought, that the prolific cause of this suffering and corruption, as well as of the alarming increase and boldness of crime, was the ASSOCIATION OF PRISONERS. Upon this gigantic evil they fixed their attention; and as soon as the public mind was prepared, and the opportunity offered, they strenuously urged the great principle of separation. Association was the evil, separation the remedy; and from this position our Society has never moved. It was apparent that employment would be indispensable, as well for the moral as the physical benefit of the prisoner; and that to construct a prison for the individual separation and employment of each convict, would involve more expense at the outset, than was required in the usual mode of building; but they saw at the same time, in the saving in the police force of such a prison; in the avoidance of conspiracies and insurrections, and also of severe punishment in maintaining discipline:-in the facility of adapting care and instruction to the peculiar circumstances of each convict; in the moral influence and disciplinary virtue of seclusion; and above all, in the prevention of intercourse and acquaintance by sound or sight, and the contamination and corruption which flow therefrom;-in these they saw advantages to compensate generously for any extraordinary expense or toil, which the attainment of them might involve. Reform in prison discipline, with them, as with you, was an experiment. They had no model prison to visit; no pioneers in the march of reform, to warn them of errors or guide them to truth. Wise and benevolent men distrusted the principle. Ultra views were urged by some; and others wedded themselves inseparably to prejudice and opposition. But the Society persevered, through evil and good report, in advocating and propagating their views; and among those who had influence over, and were connected with the administration of public affairs, they were happy to find the same sentiments so far prevalent, as in due time to secure the erection of a Peniten tiary on that plan. During nearly twenty years the Separate System has been in use in our state; and although observation and experience have brought to light defects and oversights common to all the works and plans of men, they have never seen reason to doubt, for a moment, either the practicability, or the moral and physical advantages of separation. Every year has strengthened our conviction of its entire safety to the minds of the convicts; and we may add, that we have great confidence in the economy of the system, as more certainly securing the reformation of convicts, as well as preventing their mul tiplication. We find very gratifying proficiency is made by our prisoners in acquiring the elementary branches of learning; and that their isolation is altogether favourable, not only to the acquisition of knowledge, but to the influence of kind and truthful in struction, and to the excitement of grateful emotions towards those who seek their present and future good. We have, moreover, great satisfaction in the rapid increase of favour which this system has enjoyed in foreign countries,-and have reason to believe that in England and France, and other European kingdoms, it is likely to become the prevailing principle in the modification of old and in the construction of new prisons. These facts suggest claims upon our gratitude to the sovereign Disposer of all good, and urge us forward to the more vigorous prosecution of our labours. We cordially congratulate you on this (the first) anniversary of your Association. We hailed its organization, with unaffected pleasure, as the offspring of a desire to serve the cause of humanity, and the public good. Your Society, like ours, looks abroad upon the interests of the whole community, and rejoices in every plea that philanthropy utters, and in every new suggestion she makes, for "alleviating the mise |