When,incountriesthatarecalledcivilised,weseeagegoingtotheworkhouseandyouthtothegallows,somethingmustbewronginthesystemofgovernment。Itwouldseem,bytheexteriorappearanceofsuchcountries,thatallwashappiness;buttherelieshiddenfromtheeyeofcommonobservation,amassofwretchedness,thathasscarcelyanyotherchance,thantoexpireinpovertyorinfamy。Itsentranceintolifeismarkedwiththepresageofitsfate;anduntilthisisremedied,itisinvaintopunish。
Civilgovernmentdoesnotexistinexecutions;butinmakingsuchprovisionfortheinstructionofyouthandthesupportofage,astoexclude,asmuchaspossible,profligacyfromtheoneanddespairfromtheother。Insteadofthis,theresourcesofacountryarelavisheduponkings,uponcourts,uponhirelings,impostorsandprostitutes;andeventhepoorthemselves,withalltheirwantsuponthem,arecompelledtosupportthefraudthatoppressesthem。
Whyisitthatscarcelyanyareexecutedbutthepoor？Thefactisaproof,amongotherthings,ofawretchednessintheircondition。Bredupwithoutmorals,andcastupontheworldwithoutaprospect,theyaretheexposedsacrificeofviceandlegalbarbarity。Themillionsthataresuperfluouslywastedupongovernmentsaremorethansufficienttoreformthoseevils,andtobenefittheconditionofeverymaninanation,notincludedwithinthepurlieusofacourt。ThisIhopetomakeappearintheprogressofthiswork。
Itisthenatureofcompassiontoassociatewithmisfortune。IntakingupthissubjectIseeknorecompense—Ifearnoconsequence。Fortifiedwiththatproudintegrity,thatdisdainstotriumphortoyield,IwilladvocatetheRightsofMan。
ItistomyadvantagethatIhaveservedanapprenticeshiptolife。