Intheoutskirts，standsagreatprison，calledtheEasternPenitentiary:conductedonaplanpeculiartothestateofPennsylvania。Thesystemhere，isrigid，strict，andhopelesssolitaryconfinement。Ibelieveit，initseffects，tobecruelandwrong。
Initsintention，Iamwellconvincedthatitiskind，humane，andmeantforreformation；butIampersuadedthatthosewhodevisedthissystemofPrisonDiscipline，andthosebenevolentgentlemenwhocarryitintoexecution，donotknowwhatitisthattheyaredoing。Ibelievethatveryfewmenarecapableofestimatingtheimmenseamountoftortureandagonywhichthisdreadfulpunishment，prolongedforyears，inflictsuponthesufferers；andinguessingatitmyself，andinreasoningfromwhatIhaveseenwrittenupontheirfaces，andwhattomycertainknowledgetheyfeelwithin，I
amonlythemoreconvincedthatthereisadepthofterribleenduranceinitwhichnonebutthesufferersthemselvescanfathom，andwhichnomanhasarighttoinflictuponhisfellow-creature。
Iholdthisslowanddailytamperingwiththemysteriesofthebrain，tobeimmeasurablyworsethananytortureofthebody:andbecauseitsghastlysignsandtokensarenotsopalpabletotheeyeandsenseoftouchasscarsupontheflesh；becauseitswoundsarenotuponthesurface，anditextortsfewcriesthathumanearscanhear；thereforeIthemoredenounceit，asasecretpunishmentwhichslumberinghumanityisnotrouseduptostay。Ihesitatedonce，debatingwithmyself，whether，ifIhadthepowerofsaying\'Yes\'or\'No，\'Iwouldallowittobetriedincertaincases，wherethetermsofimprisonmentwereshort；butnow，Isolemnlydeclare，thatwithnorewardsorhonourscouldIwalkahappymanbeneaththeopenskybyday，orliemedownuponmybedatnight，withtheconsciousnessthatonehumancreature，foranylengthoftime，nomatterwhat，laysufferingthisunknownpunishmentinhissilentcell，andIthecause，orIconsentingtoitintheleastdegree。
Iwasaccompaniedtothisprisonbytwogentlemenofficiallyconnectedwithitsmanagement，andpassedthedayingoingfromcelltocell，andtalkingwiththeinmates。Everyfacilitywasaffordedme，thattheutmostcourtesycouldsuggest。Nothingwasconcealedorhiddenfrommyview，andeverypieceofinformationthatIsought，wasopenlyandfranklygiven。Theperfectorderofthebuildingcannotbepraisedtoohighly，andoftheexcellentmotivesofallwhoareimmediatelyconcernedintheadministrationofthesystem，therecanbenokindofquestion。