of Attorney General for the state of Pennsyl vania, was appointed one of the judges, and was afterwards called by the illustrious Washington to fill the office of Attorney General for the United States, published "An Enquiry how far the Punishment of Death is necessary in Pennsylvania," which produced a considerable effect, and induced the other judges who had before been decidedly adverse to any alteration, to concur in the measures proposed by him. The injurious effects of mutilation, whipping, and compulsive labour were acknowledg ed, and in the year 1790, an act passed for establishing a State Prison at Philadelphia, which was placed under the superintendence of a board or committee of Inspectors, chosen from amongst the citizens; whose appointments rested strictly with the mayor and two aldermen of Philadelphia, but who afterwards, when going out of office, nominated as their successors other persons willing to undertake the duty; which appointment was always confirmed. This board consisted of twelve persons, seven of whom formed a quorum, and met once a fortnight in the Inspectors' room. Two of them were obliged to go over the whole prison together every Monday, and oftener, if occasion required. Their duty was to inspect and examine not only the keeper and other officers,

but particularly the behaviour and disposition of the prisoners, to see that they were properly and sufficiently employed, to enquire into their health, and take care that their food was served in quantity and quality agreeably to the directions of the board; that the sick were properly provided for, and that suitable clothing and bedding were furnished to all. They were to hear the grievances of the prisoners, and bring forward the cases of such whose conduct and circumstances might appear to merit the attention of the board. Besides a regular attendance of the visiting Inspectors, the prison was every day visited by some one or more of the committee; "who all took great delight, and were indefatigable, in the execution of the humane task allotted them."

Such was the effect of this assiduity on the part of the inspectors, combined with that of the governor and judges, who together with the mayor, visited the prison quarterly, that in the year 1791, it appears from the report of the inspectors to the governor, that "the prison was no longer a scene of debauchery, idleness, and profanity, an epitome of human wretchedness, a seminary of crimes destructive to society, but a school of reformation, and a place of public labour; and that of the many who had received the governor's pardon, not one returned a

convict.*

That the same fortunate results.continued to be obtained, appears from the narrative of one of the earliest and most zealous promoters of this institution, by which we are informed, that "out of near two hundred persons who had been recommended to, and pardoned by the governor, only four had been returned; that the roads in the vicinity of the city, so constantly infested with robbers, were seldom disturbed by those dangerous characters; the houses, stores, and vessels, so perpetually robbed, no longer experienced those alarming evils. There had been but two instances of burglaries in the city and county for near two years. Pickpockets, formerly such pests to society, were unknown. Not one instance had occurred of a person being convicted of that offence for two years past, and the number of persons convicted at the several courts had constantly decreased."†

* See the first Report of the Inspectors of the Prison of Philadelphia, Appendix, No. I.

+ See An Account of the Alteration of the Penal Laws of Pennsylvania, &c. in the Appendix, No. II.-This Tract was first published with Mr. Bradford's Enquiry, &c.; in 1793, and reprinted in London, in 1795, but, as it contains a very particular account of the first establishment and discipline of the State Prison of Philadelphia, I have thought it intitled to more general circulation. The worthy author is noticed by the Duke de Rochefoucauld Liancourt, who, after mention

In 1794, Mr. Thomas Eddy, a citizen of New York, convinced of the beneficial effects of such a system; procured a number of copies of the Report on the Criminal Laws of Pennsylvania, drawn up by Mr. Bradford, with an account of the Penitentiary there, and transmitted them to two of the members of the legislature at New York, then sitting at Albany, in order that they might be distributed amongst the other members. He also made several visits to the State prisons at Philadelphia, for the purpose of obtaining the most complete and satisfactory information as to the operation

ing the Quakers with approbation, says, "Un d'entr'eux (Caleb Lownes) en a presqu'à lui seul tout l'honneur. La doctrine de Beccaria et d'Howard a promptement germé dans son cœur tout humain. C'est lui qui a principalement animé ses frères de l'espérance de son exécution. C'est lui qui a provoqué le changement de régime dans les prisons; qui à proposé d'y substituer la douceur, la fermeté et la raison, aux fers et aux coups; qui s'est laissé patiemment traiter de visionnaire, sans ralentir ses démarches; dans l'entière confiance du bien que sa persévérance opérerait. C'est lui dont le zèle infatigable, intéressant à sa cause tous ceux qu'il croyait pouvoir l'aider dans sa réussite, a obtenu de la confiance de la législature, ces loix, je ne dis pas seulement de bienfaisance, mais de justice stricte, de politique bien entendue. C'est lui, enfin, qui consentant à être élu inspecteur à chaque nomination, est l'agent principal de cette œuvre respectable de raison et d'humanité.”—Voyage dans les Etats -Unis, &c.

of the new system, in which he was assisted "by his worthy and intelligent friend, Caleb Lownes." General Schuyler, a distinguished member of the senate, interested himself deeply in the cause, and a bill was brought forward by him for making alterations in the criminal laws of the state, and the erecting of State prisons, which was carried with only one dissenting voice, and in the house of assembly with but nine opposing votes. This bill was passed into a law in April, 1796.

By this law, which has since received several amendments, all those crimes (excepting treason and murder, which continue capital) that were before punished with death, were punishable by imprisonment for life; all offences above the degree of petty larceny, are punishable for the first offence by imprisonment, for a term not exceeding fourteen years, and for a second offence for life. Petty larcenies for a term not exceeding one year; and persons guilty of a second offence, were to have their punishment augmented for a time not exceeding three years. All persons convicted might also be subjected to hard labour, or solitude, or both, at the discretion of the court. Forfeiture of goods and lands, except for treason, deodands, and corporal punishments, were wholly abolished.

For the management of the prison, seven