measure, as an argument, that it would reduce the extent of the
power of government to grant pardons to deserving convicts, and
that government would thus lose the advantage which was derived
from the labour of those prisoners; but to the former objection
it may be replied, that the certainty of an alleviation, and of
the advantages which would attend a meritorious conduct during
the specified period of punishment, would prove a powerful
incentive to the convicts, and would tend to produce more good
members of society and useful settlers than could be expected,
unless some reward was to be the certain result of meritorious
conduct; without this stimulus, there might be, as there has
been, some good characters to reward, but their numbers would be
comparatively insignificant: To the latter objection it will only
be necessary to say, that if government loses the labour of these
convicts, it also disburdens itself of the weight of supporting
them and of providing them clothing, etc.

Against the perpetual imprisonment of convicts the following
reasons may be brought forward:--The restlessness and
indifference which generally pervade the conduct of delinquents
of this description, who, seeing no termination to their
captivity, lose the inclination to labour, if they ever possessed
it, and become indolent and careless as to the colour of their
future fate; the impossibility of any governor, however diligent
and compassionate, being enabled to discover all the meritorious
convicts of this description who might be entitled to their
liberation in pursuance of the present system, since he could not
possibly, at any time, keep an eye upon the whole, scattered as
they are through the settlements, and in the employ of various
persons; many deserving prisoners, having never been in the