Editor’s NoteEditor’s Note1393To Edward Boodle3 November 1798 (Aet 50)

Hendon Middlesex 3d Novr 1798

Sir

Understanding that the management of Lord Grosvenors Concerns is reposed in your hands and in particular of such parts of his Estates as border upon Tothill Fields, and that apprehensions have been entertained, that those Estates should sustain some prejudice, if the Bill (of which notice has been given by the Treasury) for the Division of that Spot for the purpose of allotting the greater part of it to the use of the intended Penitentiary Establishment should pass into a Law I take the liberty of addressing myself to you for the purpose of saying that being the person under whose management the Establishment is intended to be placed I should be extremely happy to wait upon you at any time and place most agreable to yourself for the purpose of giving any explanation in my power which you may wish for on that subject: and in the mean time that we may be the better prepared for the consideration of the business, I inclose certain papers which may serve to shew the ground on which it rests: begging of you to rest assured that no endeavours will be wanting on my part (should any be necessary which is more than pg 112I am aware of) to prevent the Establishment from being productive of any such ill consequence as the above.

If it be agreable to you to call on me at my abode in Queens Square Place Westminster which is within a quarter of a mile of the Spot, we would adjourn thither together. My present residence being, for an uncertain number of days to come here in the Country I would beg the favour of three compleat days Notice directed to me at Q.S.P. with a Note in the Corner 'To be forwarded with the next packet'—I have the honour to be

• Sir
•   Your very obedient and
•     humble Servant
• Jeremy Bentham

Bootle Esqr

P.S. You will have the goodness to return the papers when we meet.

• I Papers inclosed

  No 1 Heads of the proposed Bill which having undergone the revisal of the Attorney and Sollicitor General is intended to [be] brought in at the opening of the Session.—

  No 2 Sketch referred to in the Bill exhibiting the Division proposed to be made.—

  No 3 Case stating the considerations by which the choice of the spot was determined—

• II Besides the above I should have sent the following had they not been all of them comprized in the 28th Report of the Committee of Finance:—a document which, I presume you can be under no difficulty about obtaining a Sight of.

  No 4 Report (the 28th) of the Committee of Finance intituled 'Police including Convict Establishment' pages 17 to 21 and 30.

  No 5 Examination of Patrick Colquhoun Esqr printed in the Appendix to the said Report—

  No 6 Proposal (Mr Benthams) for a new and improved mode of confining and employing Convicts—(referred to in No 5 and printed in the said Appendix)

  No 7 Examination of Jeremy Bentham Esqr also printed in the said Appendix.—