Second Thoughts are Best: Or a Further Improvement of a Late Scheme to Prevent Street RobberiesDefoe, Daniel
History
Second Thoughts are Best: Or a Further Improvement of a Late Scheme to Prevent Street Robberies
Defoe, Daniel
Robbery -- Great Britain
The butchers are now so extravagant in their way of living, that usual
and moderate profit will not content them; they cannot drink malt
liquor, and the poor must pay for the wine, which they swill down at an
unmerciful rate.
The price of meat should therefore be regulated according to the price
of cattle, but not according to the baker's rule afore mentioned.
But as for the tallow-chandlers, their oppressions call aloud for
redress. To what an exorbitant pitch have they raised candles; just
double what it was some years ago: nay, they threaten to have them at
tenpence per pound. How can the poor work when candles are so dear? But
we may thank our own luxury for these impositions. I see no reason why
we should not humble these upstarts by making our own candles; aye, and
our own bread too, as our forefathers have done before us.
The tallow-chandlers, to excuse themselves, lay the fault on the
melters. The melters shift it from themselves to the butchers; and so
the game goes round.
Oh but, say they, the government will lose part of its revenue: to which
I answer, that rather than they shall raise candles to double their
value, on pretence of paying a penny per pound excise; in case the
parliament will take off the duty on candles for the ease of the poor, I
will present them with a project gratis, which shall bring in almost
double the money now levied by candles, and that without the least
hardship on the subject.
Having, I hope, taken sufficient care of street-robbers, I proceed now
to clear the roads from highwaymen, footpads, &c.
Let parties of horse be stationed at all the outgoings from the city of
London; so that if a coach, wagon, &c., want a convoy, two, three, or
more may be detached by the commanding officer; these shall be
registered, and answerable for their charge; and for encouragement shall
receive so much per mile, or in the whole, convoy money.
This may be likewise practised from town to town all over England, so
that the roads will be as safe as the streets; and they who scruple the
trifle of convoy money above proposed, merit not safety.
For those who walk on foot to the adjacent villages, parties of foot may
be stationed in like manner; so that not only the subject will be free
from danger, but the soldier employed and prevented from corrupt
measures by this additional perquisite to his pay.
Nothing remains but that robbers be prosecuted at the public charge; the
trials fixed to respective days, that prosecutors may not lose so much
time, and the rewards paid in court without deduction or delay; nor
should any robber be admitted an evidence after he is taken, or pardoned
after conviction.
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[Transcriber's Note:
The transcriber made this change to the text to correct an obvious
error:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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