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if after remaining out of the colony twenty days, 
they ihould unfortunately happen, either by their 
cloaths or otherways, to communicate the infedion, 
they were made liable to pay, to the party injured, 
treble damages, and cofts of fuit. Thus the 
pradfice of inoculation for the fmall-pox flands 
wholly interdidted within the colony, and laid under 
fuch difadvantages and difcouragements, when per- 
fons go abroad to procure it, that we are in a great 
meafure deprived of the only method, ever difcovered 
to the world, to efcape the hazards attending that 
difeafe, which has made fuch havock of the human 
fpecies. 
Was inoculation, upon fome of our fmall iflands 
on the fea coaft, or on fome point of land, at a 
proper diftance from inhabitants, impradicable, with 
fafety to the inhabitants of this colony, I fhould 
not think it unreafonable wholly to fupprefs it j but 
without all doubt it may be fo regulated, as to be 
wholly fafe, and without danger of communication ; 
and therefore, I think, 1 may juftly fay, to deny 
liberty of inoculation to perfons in trade, feamen, and 
fuch as are more immediately expofed to the difeafe, 
or to lay thofe who would go out of the colony to 
obtain it under fo great difadvantages, is an inva- 
fion of the natural rights of mankind, and an ol> 
ftrudion to their purfuing the firft law of human 
nature. 
The well-peopling the colonies, and fecuring our 
new acquiliiions, are matters of great importance to 
our mother country, as well as to ourfelves ; and the 
more it is effeded from the colonies themfelves, 
without tranfporting- fettlers from the kingdoms of 
Great- 
