Page:Transportation and colonization.djvu/200

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186
TRANSPORTATION

self into the jury-box, or petitioning for the elective franchise. These anomalies of the New South Wales political system would be unheard of under a different and rational system of management. The emancipated convict would know his place in society, and would keep it; and would not require to be repressed.

In short, the main points of difference between the system of management recommended for the future, and the one hitherto in practice, are,—

1st, That during the period of their penal servitude, the convicts are, under the present system, dispersed over the territory in the service of private individuals;—a mode of employment, which relieves them in great measure, if not entirely, from that "strict discipline, regular and severe labour, and constant superintendence," to which they would necessarily be subjected under the system of management proposed for the future: and,

2nd, That on their obtaining tickets of leave, or conditional freedom, the convicts are at present allowed and encouraged to concentrate themselves in towns and villages, in which the temptations to drunkenness and every other species of dissipation are almost irresistible; whereas, under the proposed system, they would be dispersed over the