ill 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.

* * * * *

[Transcriber's Note:

The transcriber made this change to the text to correct an obvious
error:

1. p. 12,
a watchman to every forty houses, twenty on
it one side of the way, and twenty on the other; for
is observable that a man cannot well see distinctly
beyond the extent of twenty houses in a row;

-->

a watchman to every forty houses, twenty on
one side of the way, and twenty on the other; for
it is observable that a man cannot well see distinctly
beyond the extent of twenty houses in a row;

End of Transcriber's Notes]

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Second Thoughts are Best: Or a Further
Improvement of a Late Scheme to Prevent Street Robberies, by Daniel Defoe

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SECOND THOUGHTS ARE BEST ***

***** This file should be named 32404.txt or 32404.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: