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the Assurance of his perfect readiness to proceed with his Part of the Business.
It is in the Judgment of Your Committee no small recommendation of the Plan alluded to
that the Contractor proposes to employ the Prisoners on his own Account, receiving a proportionably
smaller Sum from the Public for their Maintenance.
But it must be noticed and remembered, that the great an important Advantages, which
Distinguishes that Plan from any other which has been hitherto suggested, consist in the certain
Employment and Industrious livelihood which it insures to those whose terms of Confinement are
expired; in the Responsibility which the Contractor proposes to take upon himself for the future
good Behaviour of the Criminals intrusted to his care, even when they shall no longer be under
his Controul, in the Publicity which is meant to be given to the whole Conduct and Effect of the
Establishment, moral, medical, and aeconomical, as well by an Annual Report of its State and
Proceedings as by that Constant Facility of Inspection which will in an unusual manner be
afforded by the very Form and Construction of the Building, upon which the Prompt and
easy exercise of the superintending Powers of the Governor himself principally depend.
Your Committee are led to dwell the more on the Importance of these Advantages, when they
contemplate the Accounts which have been furnished to them of the Periods of Enlargement
of the several Convicts now confined in the Hulks to which they desire to direct the most serious
Attention of the House, bearing in mind, as they do, the Evidence given by an experienced
Magistrate, of the pernicious Effects produced upon the unfortunate Persons who are confined in
those Seminaries of Vice; recollecting too, not only that New South Wales is at the Present Moment
having outlived the Periods of their Sentence, may return again to afflict the Society
from which they have been separated.
It appears, that of 1,534 Convicts on Board the Hulks on the 5th of June, 1798, 93 will be
enlarged this Year, 346 in the next and 1,411 within the Period of Seven Years.
If a similar Progress be made in the Enlargement of those who are still confined in the
Different Gaols, the whole number of Felons that will be turned loose on the Public will Amount to
1,791 a discharge at the Rate of 254 per Annum continuing for a Period of Seven Years.
Of the 2,934 unemancipated and unsettled Convicts existing in New South Wales and
Norfolk Island on the 22d of October 1796, It is probable from a Consideration of the Years in
which they have been several sent thither, that the Periods of Discharge of a still greater
number will have expired int he same seven Years; and if it could be supposed that the
return to the Scene of their Former Delinquency the Prospect would indeed be dreadful, when
already had of the Effect of such Returns.
Mr Colquhoun's testimony on this Point is, That of all the Delinquents that have returned
from these Settlements who have come within his Knowledge, are either at this Moment
Thieves on the Town, or have been executed for new Offences.
Your Committee therefore trust that no further Delay will interfere with the Execution
of the Contract abovementioned, not only because any such delay would add to the loss
already sustained by the Contractor, and thereby enlarge his Claim to compensation, but
because it would deprive the Public for a longer Time of the Benefits of a Plan which they
cannot but look to as likely to be Productive of the most essential Advantage, both in Point
of Oeconomy and Police. A Mode of Compensation has indeed been proposed by the Contractor,
which so far as it goes has the Advantage of not being attended with any expence to
the Public, and to which it does not appear to your Committee that any substantial objection
can be made.
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Identifier: | JB/149/118/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 149.
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149 |
panopticon versus new south wales |
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118 |
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002 |
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copy/fair copy sheet |
2 |
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recto |
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tw 1794 |
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francis hall |
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1794 |
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49972 |
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