Prisons, on the plan of our state prison, are estab-
lished nearly in every state. The affairs of our
prisons have been, ef late years, sadly mismanaged,
otherwise the avails of the labour of the convicts
would be sufficient to defray the annual expenses.

I have been, for some time, much engaged in im-
proving a plan of an establishment for the accommo-
dation of insane persons; the mode of treatment that
ought to be pursued, (and which was recommended
by me to the Governors of the New-York Hospital

,
in April last year, of which communication I now
send a copy) is the one adopted at the Retreat, by the
Society of Friends, near New York.

The Governors have purchased thirty-eight acres
of land, about six miles from the city, and propose
to erect a building to accommodate two hundred
lunatic patients—the thirty-eight acres to be divided,
and laid out in walks, gardens, &c. for the amuse-
ment and exercise of the patients who are fit to par-
take of useful employment and recreation. Our
Legislature has acted very liberally, and generously
granted us 10,000 dollars a year, payable quarterly;
one half of this sum will enable us to make a loan
of 80,000 dollars, so that we shall have very ample
funds for erecting suitable buildings, and making
every necessary improvement. I send thee the last
Report of the Governors, which contains a memorial to
the Legislature on the subject, and fully explains the
plan we propose to pursue. About a month ago, I
attended the Legislature, at Albany

, for the purpose
of aiding our application, and obtained the loan
alluded to, granting us the above-mentioned annuity,
for and during the term of forty-one years.

It is a considerable time since, that I met with, in
the Quarterly Review, an account of thy very impor-
tant publication on the wealth, power, resources, &c.
of the British nation, and I have been extremely
anxious to procure a copy; it is highly spoken of by
those who have met with it in England, and it is