USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > History of the Albany penitentiary. > Part 13
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object and spirit of the Institution ; although, at the same time, Mr. Dyer is quite convinced that the aim in this respect has decidedly improved within the last five years; and this has been par- ticularly the case since the Superintendent has habitually attended the main chapel service on Sunday morning, which has been the case during the period named.
The general conduct of the prisoners, as far as it falls under the notice of the Chaplain, he reports as good, and this is especially true of their demeanor during divine service. He says that it is a real pleasure to preach to them, for that every eye is fixed upon him, and every ear atten- tive to his utterances. Conversations afterwards held with them, show that they give their minds to what is said by the preacher.
The Chaplain is not accustomed to have special conversations with the prisoners, either on their reception or their liberation, an omission much to be regretted, but necessarily resulting from his non-residence at the Prison. Great good might be effected by such interviews, and it is our convic- tion that it should be made a part of the regular duty of all Prison Chaplains to hold them. It is of the utmost importance that the best counsels
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should be given to convicts, both on their entrance into, and their departure from prison.
No secular instruction is imparted to the pri- soners here, an omission which we grieve to record. Nevertheless, all prisoners who so desire, are furnished with spelling books, and quite a number, especially of the colored convicts, learn to read, and take great pleasure in learning.
The prison library contains some seven hun- dred volumes. Books of a general religious tone and character predominate; next comes history, biography, etc. There are a few scientific books. The privilege of the library is greatly prized, and the books are much read. The books are exchanged every Sabbath morning. The prisoners have considerable time for reading, viz., an hour at noon, except what time they are eating, from six to half-past seven in the evening, and all day Sundays. The Chaplain regards the library as an excellent aid to other reformatory agencies, but thinks, and in this opinion we concur with him, that it will not do as a substitute for them, and particularly not as a substitute for the labors of a Prison Chaplain.
We repeat the conviction, strongly felt by the Prison Association, and expressed in former
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reports, that this Prison should have the full ser- vices of a resident Chaplain. General Pilsbury himself is of the same opinion, but he is husband- ing the resources of the Institution for the pur- pose of completing the important, and we admit, much needed improvements mentioned as in con- templation in a previous part of this report. We can appreciate this feeling on the part of the worthy General, but we cannot agree that the important objects to be gained by the appointment of a full Chaplain should be postponed to any such considerations, and we earnestly trust that the purpose expressed by him to the committee of acting in accordance with his own conviction, as well as ours, may not be long delayed.
APPENDIX.
THE following letter referred to on page 105, was written by General Pilsbury, on resigning the Super- intendence of the Metropolitan Police.
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE,
No. 413 Broome street, New York, Feb. 23, 1860. 5
To the Hon. the Board of Police Commissioners :
Gentlemen : In May last your board saw fit to confer upon me the office of General Superintendent. This 1 was a surprise to me, and I did not conclude to accept the position without mature deliberation and frank consultation with the Commissioners, then, as now (with a single exception), composing the board. My experience in executive duties had taught me that a department like the police could not be effectively governed otherwise than by a single and controlling head; and, as a preliminary to any consideration of the matter, I stipulated that I should be invested with " all power consistent with law." Had any dissent been expressed at that time, from the bestowal of such power upon me, I would have relinquished all idea of under- taking the heavy responsibilities with which you pro- posed to clothe me. But as the declaration of one of your number (Mr. Bowen), at an informal interview held on the day subsequent to the election, that " you
33
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would load me down with power," seemed to meet with entire acquiescence from his associates, I regarded that point as definitely settled. Still I took the pre- caution to embody that condition in my final letter of acceptance, that your records might show that I had not consented to take charge of so important a branch of the public service, without such assurances of confi- dence and support, on your part, as would enable me to act according to the dictates of my best judgment, in promoting the discipline and efficiency of the force. It was at the urgent solicitation of members of your board, and of other citizens of the highest respectability, that I, after several weeks' deliberation, sent in my letter of acceptance, and I was much surprised at finding the two members of your board (Messrs. Bowen and Stra- nahan) who, more than any others, had urged my acceptance, and made the most liberal promises of sup- port, then objecting to that part of my letter which stated the conditions of my acceptance. I had then resigned my previous position, and made all my arrangements to take charge of the police department, and as the board, by a vote of five to two, sustained my views, I felt that I could not recede. I regarded the action of a majority of the board as a pledge that I should not be trammeled by its interference with my plans for the government of the department, so long as I faithfully discharged my duties and adhered to the letter and spirit of the law. From the day upon which I sent in my letter of acceptance to the present time, I have not received from the two members of your board already mentioned, either advice, encou- ragement, or support, and I had hardly been in the service long enough to acquire a familiarity with its duties and requirements, when I felt myself seriously
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embarrassed by my want of power to make such dis- posal of members of the force as the exigencies of circumstances demanded. In one instance I had, for misconduct, sent back from detail to ward duty, an officer who was subsequently convicted and sentenced to be reprimanded for the offense, but I had no sooner returned him to post service than ward politicians, whose services he had been engaged in, besieged me with importunities to rescind my order. I peremp- torily refused, and they then appealed to the president, who yielded, and proposed that their demands should be complied with. To have surrendered the point would have been to give up the administration of the department to the pressure of outside personal or political influences, consequently I remained firm, though by so doing I was obliged, much to my regret, to take issue with the president. Upon the advent of the new mayor, he claimed the right to select the men who should do duty at the twenty-sixth precinct. I expressed a willingness to extend all due courtesy to that officer, but I could not, without sacrificing my self-respect, virtually surrender to him the control of a considerable detachment of my command. It would have been sanctioning a dangerous precedent, to assent to a rule that every incoming mayor should be permitted to use the police department to reward such of its members as were his personal or political friends and supporters, by assigning them to favorite places, or to punish those to whom he had a dislike, by removing them from posts of duty for which experience had spe- cially qualified them. Accordingly I declined to com- ply with the mayor's sweeping requisition. Forthwith he appealed to the board, and the result was the adop- tion of the resolution of January 16th, transferring an
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important part of the executive power of the General Superintendent to a committee of the board. No charge had been preferred against me that I had abused the confidence of the board, or acted without exclusive reference to the real interest of the depart- ment. It can not be truthfully said that I have in a single instance been governed by personal or political influences. For any dereliction of duty, I am subject to trial and dismissal, and therefore there was no necessity for adopting any indirect method of visiting censure and reproach upon me. Since the power taken from me has been exercised by a committee of your board, men who were removed by me for cause have been restored to detailed positions; men have been taken from wards where, in my judgment, they were needed, and placed in precincts where they were already as many men as were required. Some have been taken from positions for which their knowledge and past experience peculiarly fitted them, to make room for men whose chief claim seemed to be their personal or political relations and services. Under these circunstances I can not but regard the course you have pursued as indicative of a purpose to wound my self-respect, by placing me in the embarrassing position of being responsible for the proper govern- ment and efficiency of the police force, without pos- sessing the authority that is indispensable to enable me to accomplish these objects. When the resolutions to which I have referred were adopted, my impulses led me to tender at once my resignation; but, apart from the objection that such a course might be deemed hasty and inconsiderate, I thought proper to await such further action as your board might take when its num- ber was full. Being now satisfied that I can not, by a
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longer continuance in this office, be as serviceable to the public as will be expected, nor command the proper respect of the force under my charge, nor pre- serve its discipline and good order, unless I am its actual as well as its nominal head, a just regard for my own reputation leaves me no other alternative than to tender to you, as I now do, my resignation of the office of General Superintendent.
Very respectfully, yours,
AMOS PILSBURY.
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