hands of evil doers, and thereby lessen the
demand
for punishment. To you, sir, and to many other
benevolent
characters, the United States are under
great obligations; but your
labours are not yet
terminated. Since by punishment alone, we are
not
to look for that amelioration in the state of society,
which
is to arise from the diminution of crimes,
the minds of your chief
magistrates and active
senators, ought ever to be alive to the means
of
prevention. To those who are likely to commit
offences, there
cannot be a greater act of humanity;
while on society at large, a
greater benefit cannot be
conferred. It is not the mere loss of
property that
is to be deplored. In the ramifications of vice
extend-
ed broad and wide, a nation bleeds at every pore in
that
general contamination, which poisons the mind,
renders the corporeal
functions useless, and abridges
that industry and exertion in
beneficial labour, which
constitutes the support of every state and
body
politic.
It is not enough to frame excellent laws to punish
delinquents. The
history of all civilized countries,
has proved how inefficacious
they are in the improve-
ment of morals. With every attention which
human
wisdom can bestow, where multitudes are congre-
gated
together in gaols, who have long been apostates
from virtue, vice
must in general be triumphant.
As you advance in population, under
the unavoidable
hazard of contamination by frequent
importations
of depraved characters, who have fled, in many
instances, from the punishment due to their crimes
in Europe
becomes necessary. Nor should a free country com-
plain of such a system, since crimes and criminal
people constantly abridge the privileges of innocence.
Restraints which attach only to evil doers, can never
disturb the proceedings of the peaceful citizen in the
general intercourse of society. Let the American
government, before it becomes too unwieldy, guard