第36章

First For the appointment of proper persons to direct this new department of government，which will be found ultimately to prove the most important of all its departments；consequently，those individuals who possess the highest integrity，abilities，and influence in the state，should be appointed to its direction.

Second -For the establishment of seminaries in which those individuals who shall be destined to form the minds and bodies of the future subjects of these realms should be well initiated in the art and matter of instruction.

This is，and ought to be considered，an office of the greatest practical trust and confidence in the empire；for let this duty be well performed，and the government must proceed with ease to the people and with high gratification to those who govern.

At present there are not any individuals in the kingdom who have been trained to instruct the rising generation as it is for the interest and happiness of all that it should be instructed.

The training of those who are to form the future man，becomes a consideration of the utmost magnitude；for，on due reflection，it will appear，that instruction to the young must be，of necessity，the only foundation upon which the superstructure of society can be raised.Let this instruction continue to be left，as heretofore，to chance，and often to the most inefficient members of the community，and society must still experience the endless miseries which still arise from such weak and puerile conduct.On the contrary，let the instruction to the young be well devised and well executed，and no subsequent proceedings in the state can be materially injurious.For it may truly be said to be a wonder-working power；one that merits the deepest attention of the legislature；with ease it may be used to train man into a demon of mischief to himself and to all around him，or into an agent of unlimited benevolence.

Third -For the establishment of seminaries over the United Kingdoms；to be conveniently placed，and of sufficient extent to receive all those who require instruction.

Fourth -For supplying the requisite expenditure for the building and support of those seminaries.

Fifth -For the arrangement of the plan which，for the manner of instruction，upon a due comparison of the various modes now in practice，or which may be devised，shall appear to be the best.

Sixth -For the appointment of proper masters to each of the schools.And，Last -The matter of instruction，both for body and mind，in these seminaries，should be substantially beneficial to the individuals and to the state.For this is，or ought to be，the sole motive for the establishment of national seminaries.

These are the outlines of the provisions necessary to prepare the most powerful instrument of good that has ever yet been placed in the hands of man.

The last national improvement which remains to be proposed in the present state of the public mind，is，that another legislative act should be passed，for the purpose of obtaining regular and accurate information relative to the value of and demand for labour over the United Kingdoms.This information is necessary，preparatory to the adoption of measures which will be proposed，to provide labour for those who may be occasionally unable to procure other employment.

In this act provision should be made，to obtain accurate quarterly returns of the state of labour in each country or smaller district；the returns to be made either by the clergy，justices of the peace，or other more competent persons.These returns should contain，First -The average price of manual labour within the district for the period included in the return.

Second -The number.of those in each district who depend on their daily labour or on the parish for their support；and who may be at the period of these returns unemployed，and yet able to labour.

Third -The number of those who，at the period of each return，are but partially employed；and the extent of that partial employment.

Provision should also be made to obtain a statement of the general occupations in which the individuals had been formerly employed，with the best conjectures as to the kind and quantity of work which each may be supposed still capable of performing.

The want of due attention to this highly necessary branch of government，occasions thousands of our fellow subjects to be made wretched；while，from the same cause，the revenues of the empire are annually deteriorated to an enormous amount.

We have stated，because it is easy of proof，that the revenues of all countries are derived directly or indirectly，from the labour of man；and yet the British Government，which，with all its errors，is among the best devised and most enlightened that has hitherto been established，makes extravagant and unnecessary waste of that labour.It makes this waste，too，in the midst of its greatest pecuniary difficulties，and when the utmost efforts of every individual in the state are requisite！

This waste of human labour，as it is highly unjust to all，is not only impolitic in a national view，but is most cruel to the individuals who，in consequence of this waste，are the immediate sufferers.

It would be an Herculean task to trace through all their ramifications the various injurious effects which result from the fundamental errors by which man has been，and is governed；nor is the world yet fully prepared for such development.We shall，therefore，now merely sketch some of the most direct and palpable of these effects，relative to the oversight of governments in regard to the non-application or misapplication of the labour of the poor and unoccupied.