[A second letter to Sir John Cox Hippisley, bart. on the mischiefs incidental to the tread-wheel, as an instrument of prison discipline: containing an examination of the official reports upon this subject.] Returned to the secretary of state's office during the present session of parliament / [John Mason Good].

  • John Mason Good
Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [A second letter to Sir John Cox Hippisley, bart. on the mischiefs incidental to the tread-wheel, as an instrument of prison discipline: containing an examination of the official reports upon this subject.] Returned to the secretary of state's office during the present session of parliament / [John Mason Good]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    2/76 (page 2)
    points on which it touches, that it had called for a more minute and accurate developement: for, under the circumstances of the case, so generalized are the reports which have been received as to lead to nothing decisive upon the questions actually put forth ; while, had they even been full and unan¬ swerable, they would have settled only one of the numerous and weighty objections which have been urged against the Tread-Wheel as a mean of penal punishment. As the discussion, however, now stands, nothing can be more unfortunate for this far-famed ma¬ chine. For if, on the one hand, it is in danger of falling a sacrifice to its opponents, on account of the baneful effects of which they have accused it; it is, on the other hand, far more in danger of falling a sacrifice to its advocates from the new and inappropriate qualities with which they have in¬ vested it. The Tread-Mill, it must not be for¬ gotten, was at first brought forward by the Prison Discipline Society as an instrument of terror, and as having no claim whatever for support but from its working by a discipline of terror. On which account, and on which account alone, it was at first dignified with the name of the Discipline Mill*. And without such an explanation nothing can be more incongruous than the machine, and • “ The Discipline Mill, invented by Mr. Cubitt, of Ipswich, &c. Description of the Tread-Mill, published by the Prison Discipline Society, p. 3.1822. “ At the Cambridge county-gaol