We may all remember the Time when our Mother Country, as a Mark of her parental Tenderness, emptied her Jails into our Habitations, “for the BETTER Peopling, as she express’d it, of the Colonies.” It is certain that no due Returns have yet been made for these valuable Consignments. We are therefore much in her Debt on that Account; And as she is of late clamorous for the Payment of all we owe her, and some of our Debts are of a kind not so easily discharg’d, I am for doing however what is in our Power. It will show our Good Will as to the rest. The felons she planted among us have produc’d such an amazing Increase, that we are now enabled to make ample Remittance in the same Commodity. And since the Wheelbarrow Law is not found effectually to reform them, and many of our Vessels are idle thro’ her Restraints on our Trade, why should we not employ those Vessels in transporting the Felons to Britain.

See Report of the Board of Trade against the Plantation Act prohibiting the Importation of Convicts.

I was led into this Thought by perusing the Copy of a Petition to Parliament, which fell lately by Accident into my Hands. It has no Date, but I conjecture from some Circumstances, that it must have been about the year 1767 or 68. [It seems that if presented it had no Effect, since the Act passed]. I imagine it may not be unacceptable to your Readers, and therefore transcribe it for your Paper, viz

This Petition as I am informed, was not receiv’d by the House; and the Act passed.

On second Thoughts, I am of Opinion, that besides employing our own Vessels as above proposed, every English Ship arriving in our Ports with Goods for Sale, should be obliged to give Bond, before she is permitted to Trade, engaging that she will carry back to Britain, at least One Felon for every Fifty Tons of her Burthen. Thus we shall not only discharge sooner our Debts, but furnish our old Friends with the means of “better Peopling” and with more Expedition, their promising new Colony at Botany Bay. I am, Yours, &c