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Life of Thomas Eddy

SW_WH1793_Page_186

deal in old metals, old ships stores, and apparel andfurniture bought at second hand. The first, namely,dram shops, corrupt the morals; while the second, byholding out facilities to thieves, by purchasing what-ever may be offered for sale, without asking questions,and that too at an under price, become the fosterers ofcrimes. In the tract on constables, you will see, under various heads, what provisions our laws have madefor the prevention of the corruption of morals, andthe commission of crimes. By the adoption of thefarther regulations recommended in my treatise onthe police of the metropolis, and also by the selectcommittee of the House of Commons, much might bedone in this country to diminish the number of offenders of all descriptions. Not being able to pro-cure a copy of this very interesting report in a separatevolume, an opportunity is afforded me of requestingyour acceptance of the whole of the interesting reports of the select committee on finance, from which thestatesman, the politician, the financier, and the poli-tical economist, will be able to acquire much usefulinformation, highly beneficial to America. The twenty-eighth report in the second volume, treats onthe general police, where, on this subject, you will finddetails highly interesting, as they relate to the mea-sures proposed for the prevention of crimes, and thepunishment of offenders. On the subject of penitentiary punishment, I sendyou Mr. Bentham's two volumes, explaining the con-struction and general currency of his Ponoplicon; also,a parcel containing the annual reports of the peni-tentiary house in Dorsetshire, with other papersdelivered to me by that distinguished senator, William Morton Pitt, Esq., member of Parliament for the countyof Dorset, to whose indefatigable attention this estab-lishment owes its superiority over every similarinstitution m this country. Mr. Morton Pitt has beenmuch fascinated by your work, and as I have already