1826.] Jotes for the Month. 279 
Now the root of this mischief lies in the expensiveness to the country 
of the punishment of transportation beyond seas. We let the rat loose 
after we have caught him, because we don’t care to put him to death, 
and it is too much trouble the carrying him toa distance. And, if there 
‘were no other resource than that of incurring this heavy charge, or of 
substituting capital punishment freely for transportion, we must let things 
remain as they are ; but a scheme has been proposed by which convicts 
transported might be made to pay their own expenses, and, without 
assuming to decide in this place upon its practicability, we are certain 
that it is a question which ought to be inquired into. It is matter of 
notoriety, that the demand for convict labour, both in Australia and 
Van Diemen’s Land, is intense. The heaviest misfortune that could 
befal the residents in these colonies, would be that the people of Great 
Britain should all become honest. The very caterpillers that prey upon 
society in this country, become, by their mere change of place, active 
and valuable subjects on the other side the hemisphere ; applications 
are made to the authorities for their services, long before they reach 
their new country; and the general demand for them is not only con- 
‘stant, but far greater than it is possible to satisfy. Under such cir- 
cumstances is it difficult to doubt, looking to the high wages obtained 
by free workmen, in these countries, and the demand already described 
for the services of transports, that a vast deal, if not the whole, of that 
valuable labour which is now given gratuitously by government, might 
be sold? and notwithstanding some alleged difficulties in the details, we 
have yet heard no perfectly satisfactory reason alleged why it should not 
be so. The same parties who now contend so actively for the posses- 
sion of convict labourers—and with reason, for to such men the meat, 
drink, and clothes that they furnish, does not amount to one-third of the 
wages that they must pay to a free labourer—such employers would 
gladly pay to government a moderate premium for the services of each 
individual ; and a tax of only two shillings per week received on the 
hire of each convict, would, in four years, more than pay all the charge 
of his transportation. 
We know that one objection taken to this plan has been, that it would 
lead to abuse. That culprits transported from this country for robbery, 
and carrying with them (as it frequently happens) a considerable booty, 
would be taken on hire by some previously liberated associate, and live 
in a condition of ease and idleness, instead of suffering punishment. 
But besides the difficulty which might be thrown in the way of these 
arrangements by the practice of disposing of the labourers by lot, the 
fact is, that already the man who carries about him a stock of money, 
will live at his ease in Botany Bay—as he would every where else! 
The settler, to whom such a person may be allotted, wants nothing of 
him but his labour ; and as long as he will pay that settler the hire of a 
free servant, he may enjoy his leisure, and his liberty, and welcome, 
for the free workman is of course more valuable than himself. This 
objection, therefore, which, at first sight, appears considerable, dwindles 
almost to nothing in importance upon closer consideration, and we con- 
fess we have not heard any other which is capable in the slightest 
degree of being maintained. 
At any rate, we think it is much to be desired that the attention of a 
Committee of the House of Commons were addressed to this particular 
subject. No system can be devised that will be wholly free from objec- 
