870 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Mar. 17;

REPORT .

To the Honorable the

General Assembly of Maryland:

The undersigned, the Joint Committee appointed by your
Honorable Body for the purpose of visiting and examining
the condition of the Maryland Penitentiary, the House of
Refuge, the Maryland Hospital, and other reformatory and be-
nevolent institutions in which the State is interested, would re-
spectfully report, that in the discharge of the duty assigned
them, they visited the Maryland Penitentiary, made a
thorough inspection of this prison of the State, and were ma-
terially assisted in its labors, in that connection, by the Di-
rectors and Warden of that institution.

The apparent healthful condition of the convicts, and their
cleanly appearance, indicated that everything consistent
with the necessary restrictions of prison discipline, had been
done for them which experience and human foresight could
suggest, to maintain a desirable sanitary condition, and the
medical records of the prison exhibit the fact that appear-
ances in that connection have not proved deceitful.

The alacrity, seemingly, with which the prisoners plied
themselves to their tasks, gave to the place more the sem-
blance of a thriving manufacturing village, than of a peni-
tentiary department of workshops, where labor is inflicted as
a part of the penalty for infractions of the law. Those thus
engaged really exhibited upon their faces expressions of
cheerfulness, in striking contrast with the stolid countenances
of such as were unemployed.

At the date of the examination the inmates numbered 700,
and were divided in sexes and colors as follows :

281 White Males.

6 " Females.

287 Total Whites.

337 Black Malea.
76 " Females.

433 Total Blacks.