JB/116/404/001

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Extract of a letter from the Rev. D. Forde, Ordinary of Newgate, (dated Septemr. 29. July th 1802) to Willm. Wilberforce Esq. at York.

The hurry, which generally attends an Election for
M. of P. being now pretty well subsided, I trust you will
not think me intrusive by endeavour.g to draw yr. thoughts
to the subject, on which I had the hon.r of conversing with you
at Broomfield. Were I not well convinced, that the scheme of
Reformation is practicable, and highly necessary to be carried into
execution, be assured, Sir, I w.d not presume to obtrude on you,
or any other Gen.n with any romantic ideas of mine; — but after
the approval of Mr. Bentham's plan, by the late Ministry, no arguments
need be attempted, by me, to enforce the necessity of it:
and since the Governt. either can not, or will not, attend to it, I am
certain, if a subscripn. were once set on foot, there are thousands
of liberal & humane persons, who would freely come forwards. —

It is well said, by Ruggles, (in his history of the Poor Laws)
that "Idleness is the root of all evil; & articles of Excise are the moisture
which nourishes it." — This moisture is a subject too delicate
for me to touch upon: — however, if Governt. can not do without
the Excise, something might be brought to bear, in order to lessen,
or palliate the evils, which accrue from the immoderate use of Beer,
Ale, & Spirituous Liquors. — A repugnance to labour is the first grievance,
which results from drunkenness, and plundering is the 2d. —
To prevent crimes of every description, would be a vague attempt: —
human nature is not yet perfect: but, in order to give Idlers an
opportunity to reform, a House of Industry ought to be provided.

I need not say, that I should wish to be selected, as an humble
instrument, to preside over an institution, calculated not only
for

Identifier: | JB/116/404/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 116.
Date_1	1802-07	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	116	Main Headings	panopticon versus new south wales
Folio number	404	Info in main headings field	extract of a letter from the rev. dr forde, ordinary of newgate, (dated july 1802) to willm wilberforce esq. at york
Image	001	Titles
Category	correspondence	Number of Pages	2
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering
Penner	rev. dr thomas forde	Watermarks	tw 1796
Marginals		Paper Producer	francis hall
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1796
Notes public	see note to letter 1545, vol. 6	ID Number	37937
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