Mr. Aspinall, of Liverpool, read resolutions which the Liverpool
magistrates had passed, to the effect that it was desirable that
cumulative principles should be applied to the punishment of all crimes
and offences, and that the magistrates should be empowered to transfer
well conducting and deserving prisoners to homes for the remainder of
their sentences. Voluminous statistics showed that there were numerous
reconvictions up to seventy times, and that the conclusions arrived at,
by the magistrates, was that it would be better for the prisoners and
better for society if the cumulative principles were carried out.

Dr. Guillaume, of Switzerland, mentioned his experiences in some of the
cantons of his country, which had led him to the conviction that it was
better to give the reconvicted such sentences as would enable the
prisoner to learn a trade, by which he could earn his living in the
labor market without being obliged to fall back upon the lines of crime,
than to give short and severe punishments, which, by including a
lessened diet, sent the criminal back into the world, not only
unimproved in morals, but deteriorated physically.

It would seem, according to his views, that the design of imprisoning
is, to bring back to society those once injurious, but who are now
changed to good citizens.

Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, of Massachusetts, advocated the merciful and
kindly treatment as being the way to make a permanent impression upon
the criminal classes.

M. Robin, of France, stated that his experience led him to set his face
against all pains and penalties in prison, as against Christian
principles, and advocated the teaching of trades. All in all, strict
adherence to Christian principles should be at the bottom of the
treatment of criminals.

Count de Foresta, of Italy, held that the question was rather one of law
than prison discipline. He urged that there was a line of prison
discipline beyond which it was impossible to go without turning the
discipline into cruelty.

Another question touching "Prison Labor," was brought forward and
considered, as follows:

QUESTION: "Should prison labor be merely penal, or should it be
industrial?"

It was opened by the reading of a long and interesting paper by Mr.
Frederick Hill, brother of the late celebrated Recorder of Birmingham.
The substance of the paper was that labor, to be made useful and
productive, follows natural laws, which are the same in prison as out of