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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Bentham to Mr Dundas. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 10 (Memoirs Part I and Correspondence) [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

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Bentham to Mr Dundas.

“Queen Square Place,
4th February, 1793.

“Sir,—

Marie Duquesneau, a Frenchwoman, who, for about a fortnight or three weeks, has lived with me in the capacity of cook, has just brought me an order, signed by his Majesty, and countersigned by Mr Dundas, directed to a person by the name Monsieur Duquesneau, who, she says, is her husband, enjoining him, in pursuance of the late act, to quit the realm on or before the 6th instant, which is the day after to-morrow. She appeared to me in great affliction, saying that her husband had lived in this country these ten years, and prefers it to his own; that he is a journeyman shoemaker by trade, and can have a very good character from the master for whom he has worked for these last four or five years. Upon my questioning her whether her husband may not have been meddling with politics, and whether that may not have been the occasion of his receiving such an order, she assured me to the contrary with great earnestness, saying that he is altogether at a loss to conceive how government should be so much as apprised of his existence, unless it be by means of a man who obtained £50 of him, on pretence of taking him into partnership, and who, he apprehends, may have taken advantage of the late act, in the view of getting rid of him and his demand. Certain that nothing can be more foreign to your intentions than to convert an instrument of public security into an engine of private injustice and oppression, I take the liberty of conveying to your notice the statement which has been made to me. My intention is to give him the offer of living at my house, as above, from the day in which the order begins to be in force—viz. Wednesday—to the end that if he really be a dangerous person, the officers of government may know where to meet with him, and if not, that he may not be in the power of his adversary to get him sent away, or committed without the knowledge of his friends; and if not, that he may find protection with me, against any project for hurrying him, or getting him even thrown into jail, without the knowledge of his friends.

“P.S. The person suspected to have been the author of the information is one Frederick Grote, a German, a jeweller, whose promissory note to Duquesneau, dated 11th January, 1792, for £37, 1s. 6d., I have now before me. The ground of suspicion is, that upon some words happening lately between them on account of the non-payment of the money, Grote said to Duquesneau, he would take care and do for him.

“The person for whom Duquesneau works, is a Mr John —, a master shoemaker, No. 44, Castle Street, Oxford Market, whose certificate in his favour lies before me.”

I give a copy of this royal order, as a sample of the manner in which foreigners might be sent out of the country without reason given:—

“George R.

“Our royal will and pleasure is, that you, Monsieur Duquesnau, [the name is misspelt,] not being a natural born subject of this realm, nor having received letters-patent of denization from us, or any of our royal predecessors, nor having been naturalized by act of Parliament, do, on or before the sixth day of this instant February, depart this realm, and you, the said Monsieur Duquesnau, are hereby commanded to depart this realm accordingly.

“Given at our court of St James’s, the third day of February, 1793, in the thirty-third year of our reign.

“By his Majesty’s command.

“Henry Dundas.”

The Bishop of Killala and Achonry (Law) was the instrument of publishing Bentham’s book on Law Taxes in Ireland. His brother (Thomas) writes—