The political side of the vaccination system; an essay read at the Birmingham Anti-Vaccination conference, October 26th, 1874 / by F.W. Newman.

  • Francis William Newman
Date:
[1874?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The political side of the vaccination system; an essay read at the Birmingham Anti-Vaccination conference, October 26th, 1874 / by F.W. Newman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    OK THK VACCINATION SYSTEM. A Paper read at the Conference in Birmingham, October 26, iSj^, By Emeritus Professor F. IV. iVewman. The most precious of human possessions to every one of us is Just Law. This it is which makes national attachment to national in- stitutions a sacred duty. This it is which makes self-devotion for their maintenance a wise and noble patriotism. Only under just law can a great community soundly flourish, and be rightfully proud of their country. In proportion as just law is valuable, so is unjust law pernicious and detestable. The more law-abiding a community is, so much the more deadly does unjust law become. Some indeed will tell us that law, however unjust, is sacred by the mere fact of its being enacted ; but when a clear and strong case of injustice is presented, such as that of slavenj, few will persevere in so arbitrary and para- doxical an assertion. In every case where the injustice of a law is clear, even though the thing be trifling, it becomes a mere question of personal prudence whether to risk encountering the penalties by disobedience. Where the injustice is intense, it may be the part of noble heroism to violate the law and accept all the risks ; as in aiding fugitive slaves to escape, or otherwise imparting to them human rights and human kindness against the command of inhu- man legislation,
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