nd [wm 1798]

12

Mr. Bentham’s Plan for preventing Forgery of Paper Money.

[marginal heading:] depending on resemblance to an individual pattern and to word

the description accordingly.

Note, that the instrument or production, thus taken for the subject of

prohibition, must in each instance be of such a sort, as after the warning so

given by the law, or rather (if possible) without any such warning, it will be

morally impossible that a man should set about producing, with any other

intention than a criminal one: viz: the intention of producing the mischievous

imitation, which it is the object of the plan to prevent. To apply this to the

cases of a Bank Note, framed and worded as at present. –

[marginal heading:] Application of these two principles on the in the present

plan.

The indication that would be afforded by a plate, fabricated in imitation of a

Bank Note of the present form, answers this purpose, as far as it goes, as

effectually as can be wished. Nothing but the very words employed in a genuine

Note could afford the Forgerer any the smallest hope of succeding in the

fabrication of a spurious one: and, supposing a plate, with these words upon it,

to be found in the possession of any uncommissioned individual, no evidence

could be more perfectly conclusive of the existence of the criminal intention in

question, on the part of the individual at least by whom the plate was made to

exhibit these words, whatsoever possible circumstances might be adducible, in

exculpation of him in whose possession the plate was found.

[marginal heading:] 7. - in the proposed plan

But in addition to the one source of obstruction and detection thus afforded by

the existing plan, the proposed plan affords eight other impediments of the same

sort, all which however are comprizable under two heads: viz: those which regard

the Portraits, and those which regard the Types. The business is, so to order

both these articles, as that for the purpose of prohibition and punishment, and

that without peril