Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-02-04
From the N. Y. journal Of Commerce.
AbO1itiOn-sThe Quakers.

In the reports of Anti.Slavery meeting,
the attendance of few persons ain th
garo OF Friends" is usually noticed Their
are some OF the Society who do attend thes
gatherings, it must be admitted. but cer
talnly not ten in thousand either approx
OF the proceedings or countenance the do
ugs of such.
1t these few suppose the cause of trutl
and justice is advanced by doing So. VIII,
it is their privilege, and cannot be depiec
them but surely all must agree that the,
subject themselves to an unenyiable con
splcuouS, aud, it is TO be feared Gil the MIA
ces OF such as would be better qualified
for the duty in another sphere. What tho
mass ''of the Society of Friends" can nm
prove is optIy set forth in the accompany
ing narrative published some twenty wears
ago during much Of such state of excite.
ment as now exists.
From what l have recently witnessed q
disposition appears in many esteemed citi
zens to entertain feeling Of shall | say af
iectlonate regret towards the two denomi.
nations OF Friends in regard 10 their sun.
posed views on the subject of abolition
1t is time, l think, that both North and
South were correctly informed and put
right on this subject. 1t is true that all
Quakers are Aboltionists-their religion
and their discipline require them to be so,
and so far as they can by the influence of
love gain upon the minds of others to sec
as they do, they rejoice in the advancement
OF good persevering in this spirit, under
the guidance of Divine wisdom they en-.
tertain patient faith that the wise Crea.
tor will, in his own time, through the inAu-
ence of His own good spirit working on
the minds of the children of men accom-
plish the great work of emancipation,
But the body Of the society," embrace
both parts-have no part or lot in the mod
ern excitement that has appeared in fevered
discussions iu what is called the Anti-slaye-
ry Society. Friends abide, or the great
body OF them, say ninety-nine out of one
hundred, in their primitive original view on
this interesting subject, wherein the mas
ter is as much the object Of their tender
sympathy and love as the slave is of their
atectonate concern and iu justice TO the
Society, this ought to be generally known ::
for, under present impressions, it would be
at some risk to appear in Quaker costume
In some places, because it would he taken
to appertain to the Garrison sect than
which nothing could be more incorrect, for
Quaker abolition is founded in love-loye
and good will to master and slave, as prac-
tised by John Woolman and Warner Mif-
tin : the former Travelled on foot through
the Slave States under a concern of love,
in which he preached the Gospel of Christ
to both master and slave, and by the form.
er was received with the kindeSt hospitali-
ty, aud hy all as messenger Of peace and
good will
Warner Miflin was a Virgnian by
birth. When about twenty or twenty
three years of age, he settled in Kent coun-
ty, Delaware, but always retained sim
cere love for Virginians; he was well known
to Washington, aud between them mutu.
al esteem existed as also with many 9TH
er distinguished Virginians
During the severe trials of our Revolu-
tionary war, Warner had free access to and
through both armies and when, at the
battle of GermantoYn, many Virginia Off
GERS and meu were taken prisoners, on hear
ing OF the event. Warner, or his brother
Daniel, or both, repaired to Virginia for
the special purpose of visiting the several
families of the prisoners, procuring money,
linen, blankets, &c, as well as cheering
news Both officers and men we're astound-
ed when the two brothers arrived in Phila.
delphia with so many comforts for them.
mention this only as trait of the genuine
Quaker character, whether applied to the
warrior or the Shareholder all these
officers were shareholders. And yet the
Quaker, as every true one will, administer
ed to them most affectonateIy when in ad-
versity.
Now, friend Editor to give an ilustra-
tion OF the private, and also present the
true character of q Quaker AbOlitiouist,
permit me to relate an anecdote of Warner
Mlfflln several years before the Society of
Friends adopted rule of discipline, That |
it would be breach of unity to longer |
hold men in slavery Daniel Mfflin, Of
Accomac county, Va, the father of War
ner, manamitted one hundred slaves. Wen, |
SO it happened. at some day or two previ-
Gus to the manumission, an officer levied an
execution on one Of them named Thomas,
a bout fourteen years of age, a fine promis
ing lad, for recovery of military fine of
Rl2 or ELS (which Quakers pay not), and
being prior to manumssion, poor Tom had
10 abide the law, and was sold and bought |
by Col. c., one of the officers taken at
The battle of Germantown, and administer
ed TO by Warner, as before stated.
This, OF course, was q severe trial to
Thomas, to be thus separated from his
Drethern but Col c. was a kind mas
ter, and Thomas was a faithful and favorite
servant. Warner Miffln visited his father
1t least yearly. and when there being but
! few hours ride from Col C--'s, he sell |
1om failed to make at least a friendly call, /
n which he always more or less remember
I'd Thomas. He would say to the Colonel:
"Well. now, my friend, how about poor
Thomas he has served thee faithfully for |
'ome six or seven years he is now Of age,
Nj his bretheren are free, as my dear faith
IT intended he should be; he cost thee but
ome ELS. Now, my friend, don't thee
hiDk he has well paid thes els, and like
lis brethren set at liberty BY father, ought
% DO free r brs N G J