JB/117/095/003

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measures, which I could speak of boldly as beneficial to the Public, it may
be Imagined whether I can have Confidence enough left, for coming forward
with Claims, of a tendency such as I could not myself represent as otherwise
than purely burthensome: and after having for such a length of time
been permitted to entertain prospects, such as those delineated in the Plan
which the Committee have before them, it is easier to conceive than express
the reluctance with which, were it even in my power, I should see myself
fastened as a Dead weight upon the Public I had hoped to serve. As to
terms mine is not a Situation to make terms. Were I to say I cannot do
so and so upon such terms, the answer might be — then it cannot be
done at all.

Turning aside from what some in my Situation might call
Justice, considering what, if any thing, in the way of compensation retained
a Chance of being found practicable, an Idea that occurred to me not
long ago was — that in the event of the Penitentiary System's being proceeded
with, there might perhaps be no great objection to the turning over
the Convicts to me, a little earlier than would otherwise be done, to be
provided for under the present Plan, until the Penitentiary House
should be in readiness for their reception, as since the passing of the
Act of the 7th of July 1794, it was impossible that the Persons now occupying
the Situation in Question, should not have long ago made up
their Minds to the Parting with it — as they have already retained it so
much longer than they could have expected, while I have been Kept out of
my expected Situation so much longer than I had Reason to Apprehend
— as under such Circumstances the reputation of the Persons in
question could not suffer the smallest prejudice, from a Transfer made
and declared to be made, for no other than such a Cause the Idea
seemed to me to be free from objection on that Score. A Step would
thus be taken and might be taken immediately, (for no more than
three Months warning is requisite) which would evidently and
declaredly be a Step, and that a decisive one, towards the Establishment
of the Penitentiary System; the Opportunity I should have of
becoming acquainted with the Character I should have to deal with
would be accelerated; and the Transition would thus be smoother
in many respects, than if Persons as well as Local Situation were

Identifier: | JB/117/095/003 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 117.
Date_1	1798-06-23	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	117	Main Headings	panopticon
Folio number	095	Info in main headings field
Image	003	Titles	examination of jeremy bentham esqr june 23rd 1798
Category	collectanea	Number of Pages	4
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f1 / f2 / f3 / f4
Penner		Watermarks	j whatman
Marginals		Paper Producer	admiral pavel chichagov
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	38712
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