Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-04-28
WILLIAM PENN ON TIE SURRENDER OF
FUGITIVE SLAVES.

We find the following article in several Of our
exchange papers: So
"A curious document has been recently brought
to light by c. L.. Ward. Esq. of Tnwands, Penn
sylvania, by which it is shown that William Penn,
the Quaker, did not believe in harburing aud keep
ing runaway slaves, when their masters demanded
them. The document referred to is said to have
been accidentally discovered in one of the public
Offices of Pennsylvania, containing the early ar
chives of the State. 1t was marked ON the outside,
: VIM. Penn to TIC Sasquehanna MdiaRs,' a.d is as
follows:
"'MY Coon FRIENDS: The people of New York
having again wrote earnestly to me about those
prisoners taken, by you, especially We woman and
We boy, saying that they bought them fairly Of the
Governor of Carolina, who sold them for slaves
Aud they bong very good friends and neighbors,
and all under the same King, | must therefore de-
sire you to deliver the said woman and boy to the
bearer hereof, Sylvester, who will carefully carry
them to New Castle, and there put them on board
Of a vessel bound directly for New York--and by
SO doing, you will greatly oblige your very good
friend and brother, VIZ. PENN"
The Importance Of this document, if authentic,
is not 50 great as our brethren of the press appear
TO imagine il. The attainment to sound views of
human right, as well rs of other subjects, was a
thing Of progressive steps with the early Friends,
and we have good reason to believe that Penn and
Others of his society, would not only re, tore slaves
to those claiming to own them, Tut that he himself
oUHed StlCtS. wac JdnuCy 5 Lie OF tenni SYO, p.
42l, as follows:
'In a letter to James Harrison, under date 25th
Of 9Th mo-, 1856, he says: Il have sent a garden
er by this ship, or he soon follows, with all requi-
sites; a man of recommended great skill, let him
have what help he can, not less than two or three
at any time he W Il cast things into a proper pos
ture. He has his passage paid, EDO at 8 years,
and 60 acres Of land, and a month in the year to
himself, no. hindering my business; aud he is to
train up two men and a boy in the art. 1t were
better they were Hacks, for then a man has them
lchHe they kice.' Again he writes, under date, 4th
of 10th month, 'S5: The blacks of Capt. Allen |
have as good as bought, SO part not with them
without my order
From these passages We may conclude that,
like many others of the colonists, he fell into the
practice of holding slaves. This was within n
year after his return to England, from his first Wis
it to Pennsylvania, at which time the subject had
not claimed sufficient attention for the moral and
social bearings of the system to be fully under
stood. Men whose characters were otherwise ir-
reproachable, were induced, By the habits of tho't
then prevailing, and by the supposed convenience
of slave labor. to purchase the African captives
brought to their shores thus entailing upon the
descendants of the colored race a degrading bond
age, and i~nflicting upon the country u severe in,
injury, from which it has never yet recovered.
George Fox was one of the first to obtain clear
err views, and to inculcate q more humane treat
ment."