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ties at all times within the legitimate sphere of their dirty.
These suggeetions are of too much practical weight to need
more than the expression of an earnest desire on my part that
you will give to them the consideration to which they are
fairly entitled.

MARYLAND PENITENTIARY.

1 would particularly recommend to your notice the condi-
tion of the Maryland Penitentiary. There are now confined
within the walls of that institution six hundred and gutty-
three convicts of all classes—an aggregate greatly in excms
of the capacity of the buildings. A careful inspection of its
various departments satisfies me that its affaire have been well
managed by the present able and efficient Board of Directors;
and that every thing has been done to place it upon the best
possible footing, with the limited means at their disposal.
The enlargement of the Institution has become a necessity
which cannot much longer be postponed, without detriment
to the claims of humanity as well as the financial interests of
the State. The Space upon which the institution is located is
entirely too contracted, and the buildings are of such limited
proportions and inconvenient arrangement as to require prompt
enlargement and adaptation to existing wants, which could
only be advantageously accomplished by the selection of
another site, or the purchase of additional grounds to those
already occupied. I am not prepared to say, in the absence
of reliable and detailed estimates, whether the appropriation of
the present site with such additional improvements as might
be found practicable, or a removal to a more convenient;and
suitable location would be most advantageous to the State.
With the daily increasing growth of our population, and the
reforms which have been adopted so successfully elsewhere in
the establishment of improved systems of prison discipline, I
feel constrained to express the opinion that the State of Ma(y-
land is far behind many of her sister States in the provision
which she has heretofore made for this unfortunate class of
her citizens. In some of the details of the management there
are evils and omissions which should be remedied. The pro-
per classification of the prisoners is strongly urged as a most
valuable feature in all such institutions—especially should the
more youthful offenders be kept separate and distinct from
association with, the experienced and hardened criminals. In
the present arrangement of the buildings, this would be diffi-
cult if not impossible. The want of a permanent Chaplain,
who could devote the whole of his time to the moral and reli-
gious improvement of the convicts, and who could give valuable
aid to the Executive in his exercise of the pardoning power,
is also severely felt. The importance of introducing by law a
system of abatements in the period of confinement, graduated