SW_WH1793_Page_287

the Reformation of Offenders, which I submit withgreat diffidence to your judgment and experience;and should feel still more, if I had not, in almostevery respect, conformed to your views, and availedmyself of your excellent writings on this subject,which do the greatest credit both to yourself and yourcountry; on which account, you will find I have notonly occasionally quoted you, but have given the Re-port of the State Prison of New York for 1815 (whichcontains so many of your excellent remarks) entire. From the portion of my tract which relates to thiscountry, you will perceive, that we are not insensibleto the great importance of the penitentiary system,and that some idea of such a plan has been enter-tained, even from a remote period; but that which hasalways been wanting, has been to place it on a pro-per ground, and to substitute a system of benevolenceand reformation for one of revenge and punishment. If this can be fully effected, every thing else willnaturally flow from it, as from a parent stream; andfrom the united efforts that are making in almostevery civilized part of the world, and the free com-munication of sentiments between those who areearnest in the cause, I trust that such a foundationwill be laid for the moral improvement of mankind,as may allow us to indulge the warmest hopes of aspeedy and happy result. The publications you were so good as to send me,were of the highest value, as they show, by a varietyof experiments, not only what ought to be done inestablishing a penitentiary system, but what oughtto be avoided. On this head, you will see I haveexpressed myself with great freedom, and will, per-haps, think I have been more ready to blame thanto commend. If, however, I have written withoutreserve, I have also endeavoured to give reasons formy opinions; and it would give me the greatest plea-sure, if any suggestions of mine should be thought worthy the attention of those in your country, who