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The above list of Academies" made after a careful believed that a small part only of the children-thus examination of the various acts of the Legislature, in re-paid for by the commissioners, were actually taught in lation to them, is believed to be critically accurate so far the schools in which they were enrolled--from the naas it goes. It is possible, however, that in the multipli- ture of their office, the various services they have to city of enactments on the subject, some one or more of perform, and the imperfection of the laws, it was imthe seminaries of this grade, throughout the state, may possible for the county commissioners to exercise that have been overlooked. It is also possible that appro- minute and availing control over either the pupils or priations made in favour of the Academies enumerated teachers," which is a chief excellence in the present sysin the above list, may have escaped the research of the tem. committee. If so, it is attributable rather to the embarrassments and errors inseparable from such a research, than to a want of attention on the part of the committee. This will be apparent, when it is known, that after the most diligent examination, the committee have not been able to ascertain the precise location and date of the incorporation of several of the Academies in the above schedule.

The appropriations made to the Academies marked thus in the above list, were upon condition, that they should educate a certain number of poor children gratis. "Such information as may enable the Legislature to form a correct opinion of the advancing or declining condition" of these Academies, the committee cannot give, without speaking separately of each. But that it is presumed, would be going into a detail, not contemplated by the Senate, in adopting the resolutions under which this report is made. From an examinatian of answers received by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, to circular letters addressed by him to many of the Aca demies, it would seem that comparatively few of them are in an "advancing condition."

4. EDUCATION OF THE POOR.

"The first school district" composed of the city and county of Philadelphia, is, so far as the information of the committee extends, the only part of the state into which the Lancasterian system of education, has been introduced. The schools in this district are organized under an act of the Legislature, passed on the third of March, 1818. A brief history of the operations of these schools, as represented in the several annual reports of the controllers, will best enable the Senate to judge of the economy and efficiency of the Lancasterian system in the education of the poor.

The boys are instructed in reading, writing, and arithmetic; and the girls are taught the same branches, as well as needle-work, in its useful and economical departments. The several schools are regularly and vigilantly inspected by the directors under whose immediate charge they are; "while the board of controllers extend toward all of them the general supervision enjoined by the laws." The improvement made by the children, is such as might be expected from a well digested system of education, administered under the watchful superintendance of those who seek no other reward for their labour, save the satisfaction which they derive from seeing the objects of their care trained up in useful knowledge, and fitted for their several stations in society: of the moral and religious influence of these schools, some opinion may be formed from the fact, that after diligent inquiry no instance appears of any of the pupils having been arraigned for offence against the laws.

In the last annual report the controllers say, that "each successive year confirms the utility of the mode of instruction which has been adopted, and it is only to be regretted, that many parents, whose children might be brought under its auspices, remain regardless of the advantages, from the enjoyment of which they criminally withhold their offspring." The great disproportion between the number of pupils in 1820 and 1821, is attributed, in a considerable degree, to an increase in manufactories in Philadelphia and its vicinity, which "has produced a great demand for the labour of young persons, and consequently withdrawn many children from the public schools" If this be the fact, it is an evil of no inconsiderable magnitude, and may well claim the early and serious attention of the Legislature.

During the preceding session of the Legislature, acts The board of controllers was organized on the sixth of were passed modifying or repealing the general school April 1818, and proceeded to establish schools, for both law, within the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lansexes, in the respective sections of the district. It will caster, and Allegheny. Whether any, and if any, what readily be perceived, that many and vexatious difficul- benefits have resulted to these counties, from this change, ties must have been encountered, in reducing to prac- been passed by the Senate, during the present session, the committee are unable to say. The bill which has tice a plan of education, novel and untried in our state. will, if passed by the House of Representatives, no doubt The inefficiency and expensiveness of all the pre-exist-lead to the introduction of the Lancasterian system, into ing legislative provisions for the education of the poor, the city of Lancaster, and the boroughs of Lancaster

were well calculated to shake the confidence of the public, to the proposed scheme of education, and consequently to embarrass the controllers in making the necessary arrangements for introduction. But the zeal and benevolent perseverance of these public agents, has overcome the various difficulties that surrounded them, and the result of a few years experience, has placed the utility of the system beyond a question.

The number of children, in the schools, under the superintendence of the board, during the several years that they have been in operation is as follows, to wit: Boys. Girls. Total.

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county.

From the information before the committee, they are induced to believe, that the act of the 4th of April 1810, to provide for the education of the poor gratis" is wholly inoperative in many of the counties of the commonwealth, and much abused in others. This cannot be a matter of surprise, when it is considered, that it is not made the duty of any person to see that the provithe agency of assessors and county commissioners, if sions of the law be faithfully carried into effect. Thro

they attend to their duty, a list of the children between the ages of five and twelve years, in each township, ward, or district, whose parents are unable to pay for their schooling, is made out and sent to the teachers of schools within such township, ward, or district; after which the parent is at liberty to send the child to such school, at the expense of the county. But no person is appointed to see that the child is sent to school, or when sent, that it is properly instructed. The school may not be one from which the pupil can derive benefit. Gross negligence or incapacity on the part of the teacher may, and it is believed not unfrequently does defeat the object of public bounty, and renders the whole system useless in its effects upon those intended to be improved by it;-add to which it is apprehended that it is not un

usual for a county to pay for the schooling of children who are placed upon the register, but do not attend the school. Such are some of the consequences of the present system, even where the assessors and commissioners faithfully comply with the requisitions of the law, and parents avail themselves of its privileges.

But from the want of due attention on the part of those officers, or from the culpable neglect or mistaken pride of parents, it frequently happens that the children of the poor do not reap the benefit of even the precarious provision which is made for them by the act of 1809.In many counties the law is a dead letter. To revise it and provide a more efficient system, may therefore be considered as one of the most urgent duties of the legis lature. "Educate the poor" is one of the soundest maxims, one of the most important admonitions, which can reach, and dwell upon the mind of a republican lawgiver.

In those parts of the state, where the population is sufficiently dense to render it practicable, the committee would earnestly recommend the adoption of the Lancasterian system of instruction. Its superior excellence in the education of the poor, is fully exemplified, in "The first School District,' and the committee can see no reason why it may not with equal success be introduced into the various towns and boroughs throughout the commonwealth. Teachers may be qualified in the Model School, at Philadelphia, free of any charge. The expense incident to the establishment of each school will be trifling, and the annual saving will afterwards be great.

The Committee also respectfully call the attention of the Senate to a bill on its files, reported by this committee, containing provisions which will, in the apprehension of the committee, remedy some of the most prominent defects in the present law, and provide more effectually for the education of the poor gratis.

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Strasburgh Academy, incorp. Lancaster co.

respectable college in the United States. No student shall be required to pay any ma triculating fee, nor for signature of diploma. No professor shall require more than 15 dollars from each student for the season; and no student shall be required to pay any fee for his attendance on a third course. "La Fayette COLLEGE," at Easton, established and incorporated.

Washington COLLEGE, to receive 1000 dollars annually for 4 years.

2400 dollars annually for 4 years, to the Western University.

1827. Clearfield Academy incorporated, 2000 dollars granted-1000 to buildings, 1000 to perma nent fund, when 1000 shall have been raised by private subscription.

Milford Academy, incorporated in Pike county, and 2000 dollars granted.

Mifflinburgh Academy, incorporated in Union county-2000 dollars granted.

"Lancaster County" Academy, in Lancaster co.-3000 dollars granted.

Union Academy at Doylestown, Bucks county, incorporated.

"Madison College," established and incorporated, Uniontown, Fayette county.

Allegheny College, 1000 dollars annually for 4

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PENITENTIARY SYSTEM.

We would invite the attention of our readers to the

following interesting letter from Mr. Livingston, on the subject of the penitentiary system, which is shortly to be discussed by the Legislature. His long devotion to investigations connected with this subject, has amply qualified him to advise; and his recommendations should not be disregarded, without mature consideration.

FROM THE NATIONAL GAZETTE.

DISCIPLINE.

1824. Act for the education of the poor gratis, and for LETTER ON PENAL LAW AND PENITENTIARY laying a foundation of a general system of education throughout the Commonwealth, passsed.

1825. Annuity to Deaf & Dumb continued for 4 years.
1826. $3000 annually for 7 years to be paid to Dick-
inson College.

$1000 annually for 4 years to be paid to Jeffer-
son College. A supplementary act passed,
authorising the Trustees of Jefferson Col-
lege to elect ten additional Trustees, who
may be residents of the city and county of
Philadelphia, and which additional Trustees,
or any six of them, may be appointed by the
General Board of Trustees, a committee to
superintend the Medical Department, giving
instruction in the city of Philadelphia, with
such powers as to the appointment and re-
moval of Trustees, the holding public com-
mencements and conferring degrees, as the
General Board of Trustees at Canonsburg
may direct."
No degree of M. D. to be
conferred unless the candidate shall be 21
years of age, and shall have actually studied
medicine for the term of three years, under
the direction of some respectable practi-
tioner, and attended at least two full
Courses in Anatomy, Surgery, Practice of
Medicine, Materia Medica, Midwifery, and
Chemistry, or one at this, and one at some

From the Hon. Edward Livingston, to Roberts Vaux.
Red Hook, N. Y. October 25, 1828.

You are one of the very few, my good friend, to whom, at this period of general excitement, I could venture to speak with the hope of being listened to, on any other topic than those of the election or the tariffWhatever may be our opinions and preferences on these subjects, yet there are others which have so much engrossed our thoughts, and interested our feelings, that we have never found time to settle between us the great concerns of the nation, and have conversed more fre quently on reforms in penal lew and prison discipline, than on those required in the government of the country. Leaving, then, the majority of the people, under,' the direction of that wise Providence which speaks through their voice, to determine between the candidates for their favour, let me endeavour, by this letter, to supply some observations I was prevented from offering to you, verbally, by my sudden departure when last in your city.

The substitution of labour as a punishment, instead of death and other bodily sufferings, has at different periods entered into the theories of ingenious writers, and in some degree into the practice of certain nations; but think you have sufficiently shown, that to Pennsylvania, and the wise foresight of its philanthropic founder we owe the first successful experiment to prove that se

I

passion inconsistent with duty. Here again I have the authority of Mr. Lynds, who tells me, in substance, that his greatest difficulty was to find keepers who were not apt to err on the side of indulgence. But suppose this difficulty conquered, and the convicts placed under that the most rigid discipline-one keeper to every ten would not be sufficient to watch the whispers, the looks, the sighs, by which the association of ideas and reminiscences of guilt would be kept up, and plans of new arrangements formed to be executed on their discharge; and were there no other knowledge gained, that of each other's person is a serious objection to this social labour. It is not extraordinary that this system should have admirers; every visiter must admire the cleanliness, order, laborious exertion, and silence which reign in the shops, and the military parade of the convicts in their march to and from their labour is imposing. But the visiter does not see, nor can the keeper see, at all times, the signs of intelligence, or hear the whispers of communication that are made, and must from the nature of things be made, between the most abandoned felons, working for years in the same shop, within a few feet of each other. Strict discipline, we are told, presents this those who are detected are instantly punished, and the fear of a new infliction keeps them silent. It will make them cautious; but it must change their nature not only as malefactors, but as men, if it does not increase their desire of communicating with each other while there is a possibility of doing it unobserved; and that such a possibility exists it would be vain to deny-not

clusion and laborious habits may be made the means at once of punishment, reformation and example. False economy and a fatal inattention to the principles which produced this success, destroyed its effects almost as soon as they were felt; and in Pennsylvania, as well as in all the states which had followed her example, the sys-immediate inspection of task masters willing to enforce tem was found to be inefficient in the exact degree in which the seclusion became less strict, and in which the labour was enforced by chains or stripes. The promiscuous association of convicts produced an enormous increase both in the number and atrocity of offences; and it became evident that no reform could be expected, while it was suffered to exist. Classification had been tried in England, and partially here, but it was found to be an incomplete remedy-that system could only be perfected by individual seclusion: because, even when the class was reduced to two, one of them would generally be found qualified to corrupt the other; and if the rare case should occur, of two persons who had arrived at the same precise point of depravity, and the rarer circumstance of the keeper's discernment being successfully employed in associating them, their approximation would increase the common stock of guilt. The conviction of this truth, and the necessity of providing a remedy for the evil, appears to have suggested different plans, all of them in different degrees corrective of the present abuse. The corrupting influence of promiscuous association was found to be the greatest during the night, when unchecked by the presence of keepers, unemployed by labour, every opportunity was offered for confirming old offenders, and initiating the young in the mysteries of vice and crime. An obvious improve-only during the time of labour, when a word addressed ment, therefore, was a separate dormitory for each con- to one standing within a few feet could not be heard, vict. To continue this seclusion during the day, would further than was intended, by reason of the clanking of be expensive, because the accommodations must be en- hammers and the noise of machinery, but along the line larged, and the indemnity to be expected from the pri- of the lock march, in going to and returning from lasoner's solitary labour would be less if he were employ-bour, when the lips of each man are placed within a few ed, or nothing if he were kept in idleness, Economy inches of the ear of the one who precedes him, a situahere again intervened, and suggested that strict discip- tion infinitely well calculated for passing the word of line during the day might supply the place of seclusion, revolt or establishing conventional signs of intelligence prevent corrupting intercourse, and increase the profits from the rear to the front of the line almost with elecof the establishment by forced and social labour. This trical rapidity. The endeavour to overcome these faciis the foundation of Mr. Lynds' plan. It has been adopt-lities for communication, although it can never perfectly ed at Auburn and Sing Sing, and with a partial success, succeed, must be sustained by placing unlimited power which I much fear may arrest the penitentiary system in in the hands, not only of the warden, but every suborits progress to that point of perfection at which all its dinate keeper. Immediate chastisement by the inflic advocates expect it to arrive. tion of stripes!-the whole system is based upon this. It may have this effect in two ways-first, by making Every under keeper may beat any convict without any us content with a partial improvement, and relaxing our kind of restrictions. He has only to suppose an irreveendeavours to perfect it; but principally by the error of rent look, or a sign of intelligence, and it is his duty to attributing to the system, effects which are only due to apply the whip-there can be no check. He says he the talent by which it is conducted; just as the worst saw a sign made by one convict to another; the convict government may be so administered as to produce more denics having made or intended it, and he is beatenprosperity than the best, when the power is placed in not only to punish him for having made the sign, but bad hands. Compared with the discipline in the prisons until he confesses that he did make it. This is not only of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and I may add, what may happen, but what has happened, and what has most of the other penitentiaries in the United States, received the solemn sanction of a court of justice, as a that of Auburn and Sing Sing is greatly superior; but necessary and legal power to be vested, not in the warit does not, and can not from the nature of things, ever den or inspectors, but in the under keepers. Now, will approach perfection, if we allow reformation to enter any one say that this power vested in subordinate hands into our views, and if we wish to guard against the abuse is not liable to be abused, and, as it is declared to be dis of authority. The founder of the system did not ex-cretionary, abused with impunity; or that a system which pect reformation. In a letter with which he favoured can only be supported by such an investiture of power me some time ago on the subject, he considered it as can be, as it has been termed, a perfect model for imitahopeless: and although by the late returns it appears tion? The worst portion of it, in my opinion, is not the that a portion of the convicts have shown signs of amend facility it gives to corrupting associations or to arranging ment after their discharge, yet they are too few in pro- plans of escape. In both these particulars it is infinitely portion to the whole number, and the time is too short superior to any other existing institution of the kind. to give any certainty of the system's producing this ef. But it is in this, that it enables the lowest officer of the fect. Where fifty or sixty convicts, selected for their penitentiary, at his will, to alter the punishment directaptitude for a particular trade or work, not from any fit-ed by law, to one that the law has discarded as too uneness of moral feeling, are associated in the same shop, it is next to an impossibility that one or two keepers should prevent their communication with each other, be these keepers ever so vigilant, even supposing them to be inaccessible to corruption, or to a feeling of comVOL. II. 40.

qual and demoralizing and degrading to be inflicted, and thus to increase the punishment of a slight offence to a degree greater than that designated for one of a deeper dye:-And in this, that a system of labour car ried on by stripes is not (for the reasons stated in my

introductory report to the code of prison discipline) calculated to produce reformation, which I hold to be a most essential object in any plan of criminal law.

As opposed to this system I have ventured to propose one based upon labour in seclusion; as a relief from seclusion without labour; succeeded gradually by instruction, and labour in classified society; labour not co-erced, but granted as a favour; and instruction given as the reward of industry and good conduct, not enforced as a task. You will have seen the details in my code of prison discipline. Whether your opinion and mine agree as to those details I know not, but I am sure we do in the utility of seclusion accompanied by moral, religious and scientific instruction and useful manual labour.

crime, I could direct punishments as strongly as those who entertain opinions different from mine. But I be lieve convicts to be men, bad men, it is true, but bad from example, from poverty, from vice, from idleness, from inteinperance, from the indulgence of evil passions; that there are not many who, by counteracting these causes, cannot be reclaimed; and that you do more good, and save more expense to the state, and secure the safety of its citizens in a greater degree, by reforming one of them, than by punishing and then releasing ten others. The punishment of these ten acts on their fears, and on those of others as an example; but so does the punishment by which you have reformed the one: he will have no inclination to resume his inroads on soI was myself deceived by supposing that the report ciety; the ten others will recur to theirs upon every ocof the Committee of the Senate had been adopted as casion on which they flatter themselves that it can be the ground work of your penitentiary discipline, and done with impunity, and of all calculations of false ecothat absolute solitude without labour was to be substitu- nomy the greatest is that which considers the cost of reted for your present plan. But your verbal explanations forming a prisoner as a useless expense. Discharging have convinced me of my error, and I wonder exceed- an unreformed thief, is tantamount to authorizing a tax ingly that those in your several instructive publications, of an unlimited amount to be raised on individuals. Calhave not also convinced others that the design of the culate the amount annually lost by theft alone, besides new Philadelphia Penitentiary is not to inflict the dread-the property destroyed by other offences; and you will ful punishment of absolute solitude without labour and find it amounts to a much larger sum than the interest without instruction. This has been improperly assumed of all those which are required for your reformatory esin all the parallels between the Auburn discipline and tablishments, and this expense is borne by a few unforthat of your state; and discarding (as is very properly tunate individuals perhaps the least able to sustain it. done) the discipline of the old penitentiary, the ques- Therefore i would be no false estimate (and I hope it is tion has been argued as if the consequence of not taking not an irreverent one) to say that the interest and peace the Auburn plan would be a resort to absolute solitude, of the dwellers upon earth, are promoted by the refor as a punishment. If this were the case, I should be in-mation of convicts in the same degree with the joy which clined to adopt the former with all its inconveniences. as we are taught, is felt by the inhabitants of heaven on But not believing this to be a necessary alternative, I the conversion of sinners. The numerous and highly cannot but lament the efforts that are making to induce respectable advocates for the Auburn plan think that its your legislature to abandon the experiment which your discipline joined to the many other advantages it is acnoble building is so well calculated for making with ef knowledged to possess is calculated to produce reformafect. Your state has gone to great expense to solve by tion, and therefore very naturally urge its adoption by experiment (the best of all means) the great questions, the other states; but if I might be permitted to judge, whether convicts cannot, by a judicious treatment, be I should say that they urge it with rather too much of reformed as well as punished by the same process; whe- the exclusive spirit that belongs to sectarian controversy. ther they may not be made examples to follow in their That plan has done much. Why should they discou lives after punishment, as they are examples to avoid in rage experiments founded on at least plausible reasons, their conduct preceding it. Whether the whip is the to do more; and why should they represent the one you most proper instrument to inculcate lessons of religion, are about to try as a system of solitary imprisonment morality, industry and science; and whether a man will without labour or instruction, which, unless I greatly love labour the better for having been forced by the in- misunderstand it, is to combine both? But I find I am fliction or the fear of the lash to perform a certain quan-writing a treatise instead of a letter, the only object of tity of it every day? Would it be wise to abandon this which when I began it was to press upon you earnestly experiment at the very moment that you have incurred the importance of persevering in the plan of combining all the expense it required, and overcome all the diffi- solitary imprisonment with instruction and labour (neiculties it at first presented? Besides, it seems to me ther of them coerced) as the modes which may most that if I were a Pennsylvanian, without the fullest con- reasonably be expected to produce the end we have in viction that the plan devised by Penn, and so success-view; and to keep social labour and social instruction in fully executed in the State afterwards, was impractica- classes, is a reward to stimulate to exertion and improveble, I should never consent to abandon it for one founded ment. on directly opposite principles. I shonld feel some I have now done, but it is "very stuff of the conState pride (and surely there can be no better founda- science" with me, never to write or speak on this subtion on which to place it) in showing that as Pennsylva- ject without saying that whatever partial good you may nia was the first to propose the system, so she would do by penitentiary punishments, nothing radically inhave the credit of bringing it to perfection. I would portant can be effected, unless you "begin (as the fairy not be dazzled by the praise that has been bestowed on tale has it) at the beginning." Force education upon the Auburn plan, or debarred by the erroneous view the people, instead of forcing them to labour as a punthat has been taken of your own; I would closely scru-ishment for crimes which the degradation of ignorance tinize the former, to discover to what part its success is due; I would follow that, but would not copy those parts which diverge from the principles on which all penitentiary punishments ought to be founded. The seclusion by night, which Mr. Lynds introduced, was a great step towards perfection; the indiscriminate association by day was a retrograde movement, the ill effects of which are partially counteracted by thu severe discipline of personal chastisement by stripes, a practice more injurious than the evil it purports to correct. I am not, in what I say to you and have published to the world on this subject, governed by any sickly feeling of compassion for the sufferings of convicts. If I had the powers, and thought them necessary to prevent

has induced them to commit; teach religion and science and a simple system of penal law in your primary schools; adopt a system of penal procedure that shall be expedi tious, gratuitous, casily understood, and that shall banish all hope of escape from the defects of form, as well as every vexation to the parties or the witnesses. Provide subsistence for the poor who cannot labour, and employment for those who can. But above all do not force those whom you are obliged to imprison before trial be they innocent or guilty, into that contaminating society from which, after they are found to be guilty, you arc so anxious to keep them. Remember that in Philadelphia as well as in New York, more than two thousand five hundred are annually committed; of whom not

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one fourth are found to be guilty; and that thus you that in general they know so little of the interior of the surrounded. It is a reproach upon the Philadelphians, have introduced every year more than 1800 persons presumed to be innocent, into a school where every vice state; and this reproach is frequently made by intelliand every crime is taught by the ablest masters, and we gent men residing west of the mountains, without reshut our eyes to this enormous evil, and inconsistently flecting that the ignorance of our citizens on this intergo on preaching the necessity of seclusion and labeur, esting subject, is in a great degree attributable to those and industry after conviction, as if Penitentiaries were who make the complaint. At all events, they might the only places in which the contamination of evil so- throw much light upon the subject; but they hide their ciety were to be dreaded. Why will not Pennsylvania light under a bushel, and wonder that we do not see it. take the lead in perfecting the work she began; and in- If one or two competent men in each county, were to stead of patchwork legislation that can never be effec-go to the trouble of preparing a full description of their tual, establish a complete system, in which all the differ-respective counties, and publish the result of their reent but mutually dependant subjects of education, pauperism, penal law, and prison discipline should be embraced? I am preaching I know to the converted, when I urge the consideration of these subjects upon you: but mutual exhortation is of service even between those who think alike, and there is no cause to the success of which I would more willingly devote my feeble talents and the exertions of my life, including as it does the cause of religion, humanity and social order, than the one which forms the subject of this letter; there is none I am sure more interesting to you, and therefore I will mix with it no other than that of the high esteem with which I am always, my dear sir, your friend and humble

servant,

ROBERTS VAUX, Esq.

EDW. LIVINGSTON.

We have frequently expressed our desire to be furnished with information respecting the different portions of the interior of the state; but have, excepting in one or two instances, never received a communication upon the subject. We are therefore happy to see the remarks contained in the following communication to the United States Gazette, and hope they will arrest the attention of gentlemen of leisure and ability to communicate facts respecting their immediate neighbourhoods. Such information is very desirable to persons at a distance, and can only be accurately obtained from those who reside in the districts described. In every town and county, there must be certainly some one capable of imparting such information and having the leisure to do it. We have therefore been surprised at its being so generally neglected-especially as most men feel some pride in exhibiting the advantages possessed by the section of country or town in which they reside. We hope that hereafter we shall not have so much reason to complain upon this subject. Communications made to us, will be recorded in a permanent form, and as soon as received.

PENNSYLVANIA TOWNS.

searches in the village papers, the information would be eagerly copied into the city prints, and by such means, the evil complained of, would in a great degree be removed. Besides, such information would lead to emigration, and the consequent improvement of the state. Descriptions of the villages in paragraphs even as brief as the following, would be acceptable to the Philadelphians. These remarks are extracted from a journal kept during a journey into the interior last summer:

JOHNSTOWN, in Cambria county, is about seven miles from the base of the Allegheny mountain, at the junction of Stony Creek and the Little Conemaugh, about two hundred roods above the Connemaugh. The vil lage contains about two hundred inhabitants, and thirty tenantable houses, with out houses, two taverns, five stores, and one mill. A basin for the western division of the Pennsylvania canal, it is supposed, will be made in the heart of the town, which has occasioned a rapid laid out, on a plot of upwards of two hundred acres of rise in the value of property. The town is regularly ground, completely surrounded by mountains. The water advantages are very considerable, affording a direct communication with Pittsburg.

EBENSBURG, the county town of Cambria, is situated on the Allegheny mountain, and commands a grand and extensive view of the surrounding country. It contains about thirty houses, two meeting houses, a third building, five taverns, seven stores, and a post office; a handthe state, but there is at present no teacher in it, as they some brick academy was built by an appropriation from are unable to fix upon a suitable person, the Welsh population withing to have a North Britton, and the opposing party a preceptor who will teach the dead lanthe mountain, than the language of Fluellen. Religious guages, which it must be allowed, are less understood on prejudices, also, I understand, prevent an understanding on this subject. A new court house has been erected, but not sooner than it was wanted. The courts have been held for years in the second story of an old rickety wooden building, the lower story being occupied as a jail. Some years ago a ludicrous circumstance took place in consequence of this proximity of the hall of pendents of the mountain, attending court, became so justice and the place of punishment. One of the inde. noisy that his conduct finally amounted to a contempt, and Judge Young, in order to maintain the dignity of his station, found it necessary to commit him to prison, The unruly litigant was accordingly conducted from the upper apartment to that beneath, and justice again moved on without interruption. But this triumph was of short duration-for but a short time had elapsed, when the clamour made by the advocate addressing the jury, was drowned by a stentorian voice singing psalms be

This state is characterized by its honesty and solidity, and the plodding, straight-forward industry of the citizens. There is nothing now done upon fictitious capital, but all upon a solid foundation; consequently every step we make, is so much gained; for we have no apprehension of a retrograde movement. The natural advantages of the state are immense; and the improve-neath. A command was issued to silence the prisoner; ments in progress, will induce to their rapid and full de- but he was in a state to laugh at the order; he knew his velopement. True, we have nothing like the lake coun- hour, and determined to exercise it. He went further; try in the state of New York; but then we are exempt he hired a fellow prisoner to assist him in his devotions, from the destructive fevers that annually visit those sec- and together they sent forth such a discordant noise, that tions, which otherwise would be as delightful as the the judge, in self defence, was compelled to adjourn imagination could well conceive. Nearly one third of the court until the time for which he had committed the Pennsylvania is mountainous and broken land, which prisoner should expire. The new court house will preadds to the purity and salubrity of the atmosphere; and vent a recurrence of this novel case, which, though not it is remarkable that the fertility of the extended val-reported, is of quite as much consequence as many to leys with which this state abounds, is usually in propor- be found in the book, recorded with the opinions of the tion to the sterility of the mountains by which they are 'judges seriatim.

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