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public bank, his land, stock, and effects fhall be anfwerable to the amount of his deficiency to the publick, in preference to all other debts: whereby the paper currency, will always preferve a ftandard value; and, at the fame time, afford a moft convenient medium for traffic and exchange. If any further difficulties, more than I have forefeen and guarded against, should still be objected, I flatter myfelf that the falutary establishment of Frankpledge will be fufficient to obviate them all. For this maxima fecuritas, renders every individual completely responsible for all debts or demands that can justly be made upon him, and for all charges against him whatever, because the refidence of the meaneft member of fociety can be most expeditiously known by the public books; fo that he may be immediately traced at any time to his very chamber, and no individual in frankpledge can refift the united power

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of a free people—for if any one should neglect or defpife the fummons of the public bank, his tithing or dozen may be compelled (on the penalty of a heavy fine for neglect) to produce him: and should the tithing or dozen neglect, the hundred is fummoned to enforce fatisfaction, and fo on with respect to higher divisions, until the strength of the whole community is united, as one man, to render executive justice, to fine, or otherwife punish all contumacious delinquents against common fenfe, and to enforce obedience to the determined juftice of the majority. This occafional mention of misdemeanors and fines, reminds me that I have omitted to add to the amount of my calculation of Revenue, the profit of the public fines and forfeitures, which must always be very confiderable where Frankpledge is established; not only, because the regularity and order of the system renders the levying of fines and forfeitures

forfeitures extremely easy, expeditious, and free from expence, but also, because the penalties of fines and forfeitures are, in Frankpledge, extended to the minutest immoralities, and negligences, in order to render the peace and regularity of society as perfect as poffible. Add to this a very particular advantage, which the ancient mode of punishing by fines and forfeitures, will acquire by the application of my propofal of univerfal calculation by days labour-an advantage which could never before be obtained; viz. that the poorest man has, thereby, something to forfeit, even fometimes very confiderable, because his perfonal labour is equally valuable, and probably more so, than the labour of a man of fuperior rank; so that even the happy fyftem of Frankpledge itself is very materially improved, and rendered much more effectual, as well as more profitable, by the pro

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All contempts of legal fummonses to labour, would, of course, be finable; as also apparent floth, or remiffness in working; both of which would thereby be made effectual to increase the value of the paper currency, instead of diminishing it, as might be expected. Likewife all contempts of court, neglects of summons to attend juries; want of punctuality in attending the duties of Watch and Ward, in the rotation of the public rofter; and all inattention or difobedience while on duty; all breaches of the fabbath, swearing, drunkenness, and immodesty, as well as fornication and adultery (both of which should be very strictly, and very feverely mulcted, for the more effectual promotion of honourable marriage) giving or accepting a challenge to fight, even though no mischief fhould enfue; all unneceffary wrangling, fighting, ftriking, and even every wilful provocation by word or gefture, and every

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misbehaviour that is inconfiftent with the peace, order, and quiet of a happy fociety, would be punished by a fuitable fine of days' work, in proportion to the offence, by which altogether this effential article of fines and forfeitures (which, in England, through neglect of Frankpledge, are hardly an object of confideration) would neceffarily occafion a much larger addition to the public revenue than I can venture, at prefent, to estimate; and, therefore, I must beg leave to reserve this valuable article of fines, to make up any deficiencies, which, perhaps, may be afterwards difcovered in my other calculations; to which must also be added, as a further referve, the profits arising from the fale of land for day labour, not yet estimated, though it would probably amount even to more than the fines.

I have already, without these profitable articles, carried my eftimation of the public Revenue nearly to the amount of 40001.

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