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so far as he is faithfull, to his trust witnesses and Judges, should he ever be
unfaithfull to his trust. So as they are but there, what the motives were that
drew then thither, is perfectly immaterial: whither the relieving of their
anxieties by the affecting prospect of their respective friends and relatives
thus detained in durance; or merely the satisfying that general curiosity
which an establishment, on various accounts so interesting to human
feelings, may naturally be supposed to incite excite.
You see, I take for granted, as a matter of course, that, under the
necessary regulations for preventing interruptions and disturbance, the doors
of these establishments will be, as, without very special reasons to the contrary,
the doors of all publick establishments ought to be, thrown wide open to the
body of the curious at large, the great open committee of the tribunal of the
world. And who ever objects to such publicity, when it is practicable, but those whose motives for objection
afford the strongest reasons in favour of the measure?
Letter VII
Decomposing the plan, I will now take the liberty of
offering you a few separate considerations, applicable to the different purposes
to which it is capable of being applied.
A Penitentiary house more particularly is, I am sorry I
must correct myself and say, was to have been, what every prison might be,
and in some degree ought to be, designed at once as a place of safe custody
and a place of industry. Every such place necessarily must be, whether
designed or not an Hospital: a place where sickness will be found at least,
whether provision be or be not made for its relief. I will consider the plan
in its application to these those distinguishable purposes.
Against escapes, and in particular on the part of Felons of every
description, as well before as after conviction, persons, from the desperateness
of whose situation attempts to escape are more particularly to be
apprehended, It it would afford, as I dare say, you see already, a degree of security
which, hap perhaps, has hitherto been scarcely reached by conception, much
less by practice. Overpowering the guard requires an union of hands,
and a concert among minds. But what union, or what concert, can there
be among persons, no one of whom will have set eyes on any other, from the
moment of his entrance? Undermining walls, forcing iron bars, requires
commonly a concert, always a length of time exempt from interruption.
But who would think of beginning a work of hours and days without
a tolerable prospect of making so much as the first motion towards
it unobserved? Such attempts have been seldom made, without the
assistance of implements, introduced by accomplices from without.
But who would expose themselves, even to the slightest punishment, or even
or so much as to the mortification shame of the disappointment, without so much as a tolerable
chance of escaping instantaneous detection? Who would think of bringing
in, before the Keeper's face, so much as a small file, or a phial of aqua
fortis, to a person, not prepared to receive any such thing, nor in a condition
to make use of it? (a) Upon all plans hitherto pursued, the thickest walls
(a) Should such strictness be thought requisite, visitors, if admitted in to the intermediate
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