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Letter 3
28 Decr 1802
XVII Hulk Mortality
Would there have been any thing wild, incongruous
speculative, incongruous, unprecedented, so much as unaccustomed incongruous in
a choice so guided by considerations such as above mentioned suggested? Let us look back a little. In the case of Convicts
such a principle of selection? Howard was the first investigator
of the system of abuse: Howard's was the hand first chosen
mischief to apply for the application of the remedy.+1 In another a succeeding list, to known
zeal in this line of service, rank afforded an additional
pledge—an additional recommendation. Whereas a second The superintending managerial
set of Superintendents were to be looked out for, sought or unsought
of the original Penitentiary House was offered to Lord
it was destined for Minto and Sir Charles Bunbury: and neither Lord
Minto nor Sir Charles Bunbury disdained the office.
Lord Pelham had other views Other principles of
selection guide Lord Pelham. The Abuse being brought
to light by these busy body intruders busy-bodies, what was to
be done? in consequence?+ Employ a man some man of confidence
in a sure man and give it him in charge to cover up:
to cover it up: the such busy-bodies will thus
in future want a pretence the pretence for inquisitiveness meddling
will thus be taken from all such busy-bodies.+3 By the one
and the very same operation, already obtained concealment; favourites, obtain provision; Ministers,
obtain patronage. By a transformation metamorphosis as prompt as
it was ingenious: out of the bitter thus cometh forth sweet.
The busy-bodies thought to have cleared away put an end to the abuse thus thought to the public
compleatly taken in, compleatly jockey'd. A new serum new serum is bought for the abuse,
Lord Pelham taps the wainscoat as usual, for the gentleman sit on
the other side of the wainscoat: by whom every thing is done:+4 and the gentleman by whom on t'other
side of the wainscoat everything is done has a friend in his pocket for
the place.
That recommendations for the fitting of official situations /in case of the by subordinates should be listened to by taken without enquiry
is natural enough, customary enough, certainly not illegal
superior, is a sort of arrangement which if it be not
necessary or at any rate both natural sound usual unforbidden
and so far without dispute therefore at any rate not culpable. In the present instanter, judging To judge of the propriety
of the recommendation, and of the views which gave it birth,
two points may are to be regarded afford some light: the one antecedent, to
the person recommended for the office, and his conduct
invested with it.
+1 I speak of the Penitentiary
establishment
in its first intended
shape.
+2 Ingenuity of one
sort is not
wanting: the official
answer was not neither
difficult nor tender. What
the eye does not see, the
heart will not see.
have served the public.
Good creatures; they are
and the public pays for it.
+3 There (as Blackstone
would have said) "every
thing is as it should be".
+4 by whom, whether
any thing be or be not thought
of or no, every thing
at any rate is done.
The wainscoat sounds
Ld Pelham takes the
wainscoat: and in comes
the gentleman, with a friend in his pocket for
the place.
+5 the appointment; the
other subsequent: the
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Identifier: | JB/116/592/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 116.
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1802-12-28 |
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116 |
panopticon versus new south wales |
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592 |
letter 3 |
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001 |
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correspondence |
1 |
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recto |
d9 / f49 |
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jeremy bentham |
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letter was never sent; see note 8 to letter 1747, vol. 7 |
38125 |
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