women itself. Our late report, written with great
care and conscientious adherence to the truth, which called
the attention of the legislature to certain abuses in one of
our institutions, and to some defect in the systems
established in the others, has, thus far, elicited no
official action, has brought censure upon us from the press,
while great dissatisfaction has been created in our own body
by the failure of a portion of its members to sustain the
allegations to which the entire board, with the exception of
one absentee, had affixed their names.

When the State of Rhode Island shall call its best women to
an equal participation with men in the direction of its
penal and reformatory institutions, I have no doubt they
will gladly assume the duties and responsibilities of such
positions; and I am also sure that the beneficent results of
such cooeperation will soon be manifest, both in benefit to
individuals and in safety to the State. But under present
circumstances I most respectfully decline to serve any
longer on the advisory board of women.

_Valley Falls, R. I._ ELIZABETH B. CHACE.

GOVERNOR LIPPITT: _Dear Sir_: When I accepted an appointment
on the Ladies' Board of Visitors to the Penal and
Correctional Institutions of the State, I did so with the
hope that much good might be accomplished, especially toward
the young girls at the reform school, in whose welfare I
felt a deep interest. To that institution my attention has
been chiefly devoted during my brief experience in this
office. This experience, however, has convinced me that a
board of officers constituted and limited like this can have
very little influence toward improvement in an institution
whose methods are fixed, and which is under the exclusive
control of another set of officers, who see no necessity for
change. Those causes render this women's board so weak in
itself that I cannot consent to retain my position therein.
I therefore respectfully tender to you my resignation.

ABBY D. WEAVER.

_Providence, R. I._

GOVERN