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hands of evil doers, and thereby lessen the demandfor punishment. To you, sir, and to many otherbenevolent characters, the United States are under great obligations; but your labours are not yetterminated. Since by punishment alone, we are notto look for that amelioration in the state of society,which is to arise from the diminution of crimes,the minds of your chief magistrates and activesenators, ought ever to be alive to the means ofprevention. To those who are likely to commitoffences, there cannot be a greater act of humanity;while on society at large, a greater benefit cannot beconferred. It is not the mere loss of property thatis to be deplored. In the ramifications of vice extend-ed broad and wide, a nation bleeds at every pore inthat general contamination, which poisons the mind,renders the corporeal functions useless, and abridges that industry and exertion in beneficial labour, whichconstitutes the support of every state and bodypolitic. It is not enough to frame excellent laws to punishdelinquents. The history of all civilized countries,has proved how inefficacious they are in the improve-ment of morals. With every attention which humanwisdom can bestow, where multitudes are congre-gated together in gaols, who have long been apostatesfrom virtue, vice must in general be triumphant.As you advance in population, under the unavoidablehazard of contamination by frequent importationsof depraved characters, who have fled, in many instances, from the punishment due to their crimesin Europe, a vigilant and active preventive policebecomes necessary. Nor should a free country com-plain of such a system, since crimes and criminalpeople constantly abridge the privileges of innocence.Restraints which attach only to evil doers, can neverdisturb the proceedings of the peaceful citizen in thegeneral intercourse of society. Let the American government, before it becomes too unwieldy, guard