230 HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, E T C, 



and it has excited no little astonishment that any one should conceive 

 the idea of affording to criminals the refined amusements of society, 

 or that books, music, &c, should be furnished them. 



I have given this short sketch of the Social System in order to show- 

 its general plan. For a more full account of it, I would refer to 

 Captain Maconochie's papers, published at different times. I spent 

 several agreeable hours with him ; and am satisfied that with the well- 

 educated description of criminals, and with those who may have 

 friends to return to, it will probably answer ; but I am disposed to 

 think that the great objection lies in the feelings of society, and 

 its reluctance to readmit its outcasts on any terms, much less place 

 them on a footing of equality. 



There are two forms of social management proposed, one by 

 Captain Maconochie, the other by Lord Howick ; the former has 

 been sufficiently explained. The latter includes both punishment 

 and training in the insular penitentiaries, from which release may be 

 complete ; or merely through the medium of a ticket-of-leave in the 

 colonies. 



The latter form I believe is that which has been adopted, and from 

 what I learn, it seems to be succeeding, although I have not been 

 informed that any public account has yet been given of it. The 

 system is about being adopted in Van Diemen's Land, which is a 

 convincing proof that government has become somewhat satisfied 

 with its efficacy ; and it is noticed in one of the late Gazettes, that 

 Captain Maconochie had treated his prisoners on the Queen's birth- 

 day (with the approbation of the government) to a play, and punch, 

 which is a proof that some had already reached the probationary state. 



The ration of the soldiers in New South Wales consists of one 

 pound of meat, one pound of bread, two-thirds of a pint of rum, and 

 an allowance of five-pence for small stores, consisting of salt, sugar, 

 tea, &c. They receive as pay eight-pence per day, and are obliged 

 to serve twenty years before they can claim their discharge. 



The convict gets one pound of bread, one pound and a quarter of 

 meat, and one pint of meal. Indeed, there is very little difference in 

 the condition of a soldier and a convict, and were it not for the name, 

 one would be almost induced to prefer the situation of the latter. 



There is a description of convicts, as has been mentioned, known 

 under the title of ticket-of-leave men. These, from good behaviour 

 before the expiration of their term of sentence, are permitted to hire 

 themselves out, upon the employer entering into a stipulation to 



