welfare of the state, by the prevention of crimes,
with such reasons and observations as they may
deem requisite to explain and elucidate the al-
terations or improvements they may recommend;
and to inquire into and examine the first and
present administration of the State Prison, and to
point out the defects, if any exist, in the manage-
ment and government thereof, and what alterations
and improvements in their opinion may be necessary;
and also to devise and propose a plan of prisons to
be erected in different parts of the state, for the con-
finement of persons convicted of minor offences; and
generally to suggest all such other matters, as in their
opinion may conduce to the improvement and per-
fection of the penal code. And that the Commis-
sioners so appointed, be authorized and empowered,
and are hereby authorized and empowered, to send
for persons and papers, and to reduce all examina-
tions and evidences taken by them to writing, and
annex the same to their report.

The foregoing resolution was presented to the As-
sembly, passed that House, and was sent to the Se-
nate. I believe it also passed that branch of the
Legislature, but am not informed if Commissioners
have been appointed; if they should be, their report,
I think, might afford interesting matter for your So-
ciety, on the melioration of the penal system. It has
been a favourite object with me for some years past,
to have prisons built in districts throughout the state,
two or three counties to form a district, for solitary
confinement, and divided into rooms six feet by nine,
and to be appropriated solely for the punishment of
minor offences—to be kept perfectly clean and neat,
and the term of confinement not to exceed sixty or
ninety days; their friends not to be permitted to visit
them, except by special permission in writing, direct-
ed to the keeper of the prison. They should not be
employed at any kind of work, and no book allowed
them except the Bible, or some suitable religious tract.