Thirdly, a wasteful one. This may perhaps appear strange, but is indisputable, so long as the state maxim holds good—that a numerous population is the most advantageous. It is allowed that a state would not lose any thing by the Gipseys, as Gipseys; on the contrary, it would be a gainer, because an obstacle to the general welfare would be removed: but this is not the matter in question. If the Gipsey do not know how to make use of the faculties with which nature has endowed him; let the state teach him, and keep him in leading-strings till the end is attained. And though the root of this depravity lie so deep, that it cannot be removed in the first generation, a continuation of the same care will, in the second and third descent, be sure of meeting its reward. Now let us reflect on a Gipsey when he has discontinued his vagrant mode of living—consider him with his fecundity and numerous family, who by being reformed are made useful citizens—and we shall perceive how great a want of economy it was to throw him away as dross.
Nearly the same idea has occurred to other authors; at least they so far agree in what has been advanced, that they advise rendering the Gipseys useful: only the means they recommend are liable to powerful objections. They think the state might make public slaves, or penitentiaries, of these people, and put them to all kinds of work. But such dependants, even supposing them to be employed in the most beneficial way, are always a nuisance and burthen to a state. Besides, in the above scheme, there is no proposal made for the bettering these people: they must, therefore, remain under the restraint of convicts, from generation to generation. And, if allowed to increase, what could be done at last with this multitude and their brood? Would not whole districts be required, merely to turn the thousands of these wretches into? Moreover, what an expense and inconvenience to superintend them! Plausible, therefore, as that proposal appears at the first glance, little will it stand the test of a closer examination.
Banishment was not the proper method to be adopted; nor would it have been adviseable to make them penitentiaries or galley-slaves: but care should have been taken to enlighten their understandings, and to mend their hearts.