196 REPORT — 1876. 



There are more than 27,000 persons lying in those prisons constantly. If from 

 arriving at a mistaken result one third or one haK of these persons are kept in 

 prisons in excess of what is necessary, the amount of the nation's happiness is 

 lessened to an extent by no means trifling. 



In admmisteriug the penalty of imprisonment, the economy of pain leads to a 

 conclusion in favoiu- of compressing the penal element into shorter periods of time 

 under a rigorous separate discipline, instead of expandmg it over longer periods of 

 time in association. 



The longer sentences tell upon the faculties of prisoners ; the severe discipline 

 does not. 



The popular opinion that a separate discipUne camiot be prolonged beyond twelve 

 months is founded on error. The objection shows that the principle of the separate 

 system is not correctly understood. The evidence is conclusive that a separate dis- 

 cipline may be enforced for long terms with perfect safety. Now and then injury 

 to the mind may be produced, but the cases ought to be very rare. Injury both to 

 mind and body will occasionally result from any form of se^-ere punishment ; even 

 cm'ative processes sometimes do great injury. 



The use of chloroform is occasionally fatal ; but this does not overthrow the use 

 of it. If at any hospital the deaths from it were frequent, this woidd be evidence 

 that it was not admuiistered properly. It is the same witli the separate system of 

 prison discipUne. 



The economy of prison laboiu- and financial economy are necessarily passed over. 



If the principles ad\'ocated in the former papers were acted U2:)on, one third or 

 one half of the cells in county and borough prisons woxdd be left vacant. 



If the principles ad\anced in this third paper were acted upon, those vacant cells 

 woidd be filled with prisoners undergoing penal servitude, and the convict prisons 

 wnidd be nearly emptied. 



Further investigation of these principles is incited. It is submitted that they are 

 based upon laws of man's moral nature, whicli govern even go\ermnents, and which 

 states cannot contravene with impunity. 



On the present extent of Slaveri/ and the Slave Trade, with a reference to the 

 Progress of Abolition since the close of the American ^Var. B// the Eov. 



AA.RON BUSACCTT. 



.Slavery now prciailed in Turkey, Egypt, Persia, Tunis, Morocco, Madagascar, 

 Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Affghanistan, and in the dominions of the Seyyid of Zan- 

 zibar, and amongst the different tribes of East and Central Africa. Every contment 

 shared in this great crime. In Turkey it was a vast national institution, degrading 

 the dignity of labour, demoralizing domestic relations, and paralyzing the iuiiuenees 

 of modern civilization. Portugal had the will but not the power to aboUsh slavery 

 throughout her territories. From GOGO to 10,000 slaves were annually conveyed 

 from the Portuguese coasts of Mozambique to Madagascar. Spain stood alone 

 among the nations of Europe in resolutely maintaining slavery in Cuba. At the 

 lowest estimate it was computed that 70,000 Africans yearly crossed the sea into 

 slaA'ery ; and, accepting Dr. Li\ ingstone's estimate of the numbers massacred by 

 slave-himters and perishing on the route to the sea-coast, it was computed tiiat not 

 less than 500,000 were annually sacrificed. The author questioned the efhcacy of 

 having treaties for the suppression of slavery, when these were only meant to 

 worry petty Arabs or African chiefs, or the Seyyid of Zanzibar, while other and 

 stronger nations were left to do what thej^ wished. lie then pointed out that at 

 tlie close of the American war 4,000,000 of slaves were set free, and he was glad 

 to say that ^"Vmerica at this moment was more se^-ere against complicity in slavery 

 tlian e-\en English law. And now that America liad lent lier influence on the side 

 of the slave, he thought there would be no difficult}' in abjUsliing slavery. Por- 

 tugal had desired tliat the slaves in some of her islands should be free, but it was 

 questionable whether the decree was in any measure operative. Tlie Queen of 

 Madagascar in 1874 issued a proclamation granting freedom to all sla-ces imported 

 since .lune 1805 (^the date of the treaty with Great Britain, America, and France) ; 



I 



