218 HISTORY, GOVERNTMENT, ETC., 



for it is not the body alone that is to be kept captive, but the will also ; 

 and the more care that is taken to guard the former, the less can the 

 latter be attended to. 



The peculiar trait in the Social System is, that after punishment 

 every culprit's lot would be in his own hands. His companions would 

 be of his own choice, and the length of his detention and comfort 

 would depend upon the conduct of himself and his associates. 



In seeking the reformation of the culprit, the mutual action of 

 companions on each other would be resorted to, and this would be 

 productive of great advantages. No system could be more just ; and 

 its language to the criminal would be, — " Having made you pay the 

 penalty for your crime, I now retain you until you are qualified to 

 meet the requisitions of society on your return to it, that you may not 

 fail as you have before done." 



The results of this system could not but be far different from the 

 plans in present use, which have reference only to crime and retribu- 

 tion, and may be considered useless in promoting reformation. I 

 understood that Sir George Gipps had already partially and success- 

 fully adopted the Social System with the convicts in government 

 employ, by associating them in bands of ten to twenty, and letting 

 them work on the public roads. Some of them were pointed out to 

 me, and in point of appearance were as orderly and cheerful as any 

 free labourers. I was informed that they do more work than when 

 watched by overseers df soldiers. 



I saw, however, many iron-gangs, but was informed that they were 

 composed of individuals who had committed offences in the colony. 

 After the commission of several crimes in the colony, they are again 

 transported, to Norfolk Island, where Captain Maconochie is stationed ; 

 and it may well excite surprise if he should succeed in reforming these 

 double-refined villains. 



Many circumstances have been told me, by those who are well 

 acquainted with the facts, that such is their detestation of Norfolk 

 Island, and their horror of remaining there, that convicts have drawn 

 lots to commit crimes, and even murder, in order to be sent back to 

 Sydney for trial.* 



Captain Maconochie's system is looked upon by many as Utopian, 

 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 



* It is the intention of the government to erect on Norfolk Island a penitentiary, on the 

 plan of that at Sing Sing, in the State of New York. The estimated cost was £200,000. 



