at Sing Sing, near New Yurie. \\U 



tnent was great when I approached the spot, and saw only two 

 sentinels pacing along the height, from whence I looked down 

 upon two hundred convicts at work. Some of these were 

 labouring in a large marble quarrv, others in long wooden 

 sheds surrounding the spot, and some were engaged at various 

 parts of the new prison, an extensive stone building running 

 parallel to the river, about one-third of which had been 

 finished and made habitable. 



Captain Lyhds, the superintendent, for whom we had 

 brought a letter, joined us on the edge of the cliff, and begged 

 us to walk flown, that we might see what was going on, and 

 judge, by personal inspection, whether or not the accounts we 

 had heard were exaggerated. 



There was an air of confident authority about all the 

 arrangements of this place, which gave us a feeling of perfect 

 security, though we were walking about unarmed amongst 

 cut-throats and villains of all sorts. There was something 

 extremely imposing in the profound silence with which every 

 part of the work of these people was performed. During 

 several hours that we continued amongst them, we did not hear 

 even a whisper, nor could we detect in a single instance an 

 exchange of looks amongst the convicts, or what was still 

 more curious, a sidelong glance at the strangers. Silence in 

 fact is the essential, or I may call it the vital principle of 

 this singular discipline. When to this are added unceasing 

 labour during certain appointed hours, rigorous seclusion 

 during the rest of the day, and absolute solitude all night, 

 there appears to be formed one of the mostterhcacious com- 

 binations of moral machinery that has ever perhaps been seen 

 in action. 



The principles upon which this system of prison discipline 

 rests are very simple, and may be easily explained; perhaps, 

 however, the readiest method will be to run through the 

 routine of one complete day's operations, by which all the 

 principal parts will be seen, and their bearing on one another 

 more readily understood. 



The whole secret of the astonishing success of this plan, 

 lies in preventing the prisoners from holding any kind of 

 communication with each other, however slight or transient. 

 As a matter of indispensable necessity towardsthe accomplish- 

 ment of this object, it is obvious that the convicts must be 

 kept separate at night. To effect this completely, without 

 any great cost in the way of houseroom and of superinten- 

 dence, is a difficulty which has been completely overcome in 

 the state of New York. According to the system alluded to, 

 each prisoner, has a separate sleeping place, seven feet u. 

 length, .seven high, and three and a half wide, built of solid 

 blocks of stone, and secured by an iron door, the upper part 



) 



