I^Ot. ON THE BRIDEWELL ACT. I4I 



At the time this bill was under difcuffion at one of the 

 county meetings of the heritors, it was afferted, from a re- 

 ipedable quarter, that there was a probability that, this Bride- 

 well might become a profitable concern : Tliat the monies arif- 

 ing from the labours of the confined would be more than fuffi- 

 cient to fupport them, and thence a revenue would arife ; for 

 fuch had turned out to be the cafe in former Bridewells in 

 England. Should ever this happen to be the cafe with the 

 Edinburgh Bridewell, is it at all probable, that the tenantry 

 will be received into a participation of thefe profits ? If not, 

 how unjuft is it to make them eredt, or contribute towards the 

 eredtion, of a work which is to add to the revenues of their 

 lairds, or to the good town only ? Should they even be allow- 

 ed a fhare of the profits, which is very improbable, the injuf- 

 tice now done them would be ftill more glaring, becaufe the 

 tenantry of that day, although tiie fuccelTors of thofe of the 

 prefent, would in few iuftances, or perhaps in no inftance at 

 all, if the time was remote, be the heirs or ailignees of the pre- 

 fent ; of confc()acnce the reveime arifing from the monies ex- 

 adled from the prefent tenantry would operate as an induce- 

 ment for others to compete agalnft them for the pofTeffion of 

 their farms. Thus their own money would be m.ade to ope- 

 rate againfl; their own intereft. 



The proprietors are not, however, in this predicament : if any 

 revenue Ihould ever arife from the Bridewell, it will go, if not 

 to the heirs, at leafl: to the aflignees of the prefent race of 

 lairds, and as fuch would be a real advantage to their families. 



It ought to be adverted to, that the tenants who have leafes 

 of their lands, took them in the idea that no addition to the 

 rent could be laid upon them during the currency of thefe 

 leafes, without their own confent. But thefe Bridewell affeff- 

 ments are real additions to the rent, for they are laid upon the 

 land itfeif, which the tenant cannot divell himfelf of; fo tliac 

 he has not even the fcmblance of an option : unlike to the gene- 

 rality of revenue taxes, which, although ftri£lly exigible upon 

 certain commodities or luxuries, yet as no man is ablblutely ob- 

 liged to ufe them, fo it becomes optional with a man to fub- 

 jeft himfelf to the payment, or not, as he pleafes. Let it be 

 alfo adverted to, thdt altliough the lairds, very properly in- 

 deed, took care to be informed of every particular relating to 

 this Bridewell, before they confented to fubjefl themfelves to 



