The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-11-12
THE TRAFFIC IN MEN.

THE TRAFFIC In MEN.
Who Were the First EmaneiRatio4Istss
To the Editor Of the CfnefsBati Gazette;
Some months ago claimed in your
columns that the ''Society of Friends"
was the first religious organization to
declare the holding of the cOlored PEG
pie in slavery sin, and the first to prac-
tice what il preached. l also referred to
JOhA WOelman, of New Jersey, Quak-
er preacher, as the real apostle of eman
cipation, and pointed ont that the
"Frieuds" at Germantown, Pa, held the
noble position of nrigiRatOrs of the agi-
tation against slavery, in 1888, an Rgita-
ton which continued until, in one hun
dred years, no slave was held by a Quak-
err, and, in less than two hundred years,
none existed in the United States.
By fortunate chance the original pa
per on the subject, presented to the
monthly meeting 1T Germantown, in the
year 1888, has been found, end ! have q
Photographic copy OF it. It was lately
discovered among the archives of the
Arch street meeting of "Friends," in
Philadelphia, somewhat defaced with
mold, but substantially perfect. send
you literal copy as follows:
This is to go Monthly Meeting at Rich
ard W0rrePS::
These are the reasons why we are
against the tratflck uf men-bOdV, as fol-
lOweth: Is there any that you'd be done
or handled in this mannerf viz, to be
sold as slave for all the time of his
lifes How fearful and faint Hearted are
many on sea, when they see q strange
vessel, being afraid it should be Turk,
and they should be taken, and sold for
in No hot 10 .tc hot
ter done, rs Turks doe? Yea, rather is
il worse for them, which say they arc
Christians; for we hear that we most part
of such meyers are brought hither against
their will and consent, and that many of
them are stolen. Now, tho they are
black, we cant conceive there is more
liberty to have them slaves. as it is to
have other white ones. There Is q say
ing that we should doe to ali men like
as we will be done ourselves; making
no difference of what generation, de-
scent, or colour they are. And those
who steal, or robb men, and those who
buy or purchase them, are not alikes
Here is liberty of conscience, web is
right and reasonable: here ought to be
likewise liberty of we body, except of
evil doors, web is another case. But
TO bring men hlther, or to rob and
sell them against their will, we stand
against. In Europe there are many OPP
pressed for conscience sake: and here
there are those oppressed who are of
black colour. And we know that men
must not commit adultery-some do
commit adultery, in others, separating
wives from their husbands and giving
them 10 othersi and some sell the chill
dren of these poor creatures to other
men. All! doe consider we'll this
thing, you who doe it, if you would be
done at this manner? and if it is done
according TO Christianity? You surpass
Holland and Germany in this thing
This makes an i'll report in all those
countries of Europe, where they hearoH,
that We Quakprs doe here handel men as
they handel there We cattle. And for
that reason some have no mind or inci-
nation to come hither And who shall
maintain this your cause, or pleid for ii
Truly we can not do so, except you shall
inform us better hereof, viz, that Chris
tians have liberty to practise these
things. Pray, what thing in the world
can be done worse towards us, than If
men should rob or steal US away, and
sell US for slaves to strange countries,
separating husbands from their wives
and children. Being now this is not
done IN the manner we would be done at
therefore we contradict and are against
this traffic of men-bOdy. And we who
profess that it is not lawful to steal.
must, likewise, avoid to purchase such
thing as are stolen, but rather help To
stop this robbing and stealing if possible.
Aud such men ought to be delivered out
of We hands of We robbers, and set free
as we'll as in Europe. Then is Pennsyl-
vania to have a good report. instead il
hath now bad one for this sake In
other countries. Especially whereas We
Europeans are DESTROYS toknow in what
manner We Quakers doe rule IN their
province; = and most of them doe
look upon US with an envious eye. But
if this is done well. what shall we say Is
done evilY
If once these slaves (wch they say are
so wicked and stubborn men) should
joint themseYes,-fght for their freedom
and handel their masters and mastris-
SEES as they did haddel them before; will
these masters and mastrisses take the
sword at hand and war; against these
poor slaves, licke, we are able to believe,
some will not refuse 10 doe; or have
these meyers not as much right to fight
for their freedom, as you have to keep
them slaves?
Now consider well this thing, If it is
good or bad9 And in case you find TO
be good to handel these blacks at that
manner, we desire and require you here
by lovingly, that you may inform US
therein, which at this time was never
done, viz, that Christians have such
liberty to do so. To the end we shall be
satisfied IN this point, and Statistic like
wise our good friends and acquaintance
in our natlf country, to which it is a
terror, or fairful thing, that men should
be handled so in Pennsylvania.
I, s. oN
town, held the IS of the month, 1888,
TO be delivered TO the monthly meeting
at Richard Worrel's.
GARRETT HENDERIcK,
Derrick UPDEGRAFF,
FRANCIS DASIELL PAsroIoUs,
ABRAHAM UPDEGRAEF.
"At our monthly meeting at Dublin,
We 80, mo-, 1888, we having inspected
We matter, above mentioned, and consid-
cred of il, We find il so weighty that We
think it not expedient for us to NEEDLE
with it here, but do rather commit il 10
We consideration of We Quarterly meet
ing. We tenor of being nearly We Truth.
On behalf of ye monthly meeting,
signed, P 10. HART. !
This, above mentioned, was read in
our Quarterly meeting at Philadelphia.
We of ye 4ih mo-. 80, and was from
| thence recommended to the Yearly
Meeting, and the above said Derrick, and
the other two mentioned therein, 10 pre-
sent the same TO ye above said meeting;
it being thing Of too great a weight for
this meeting to determine.
Signed by order of ye meeting,
ANTHONY NORRIS
The foregoing is g copy of the origi-
nal paper, which was in the clerkiy
handwriting of Carrot Henderick, with
the minutes of the monthly and quarter.
II meetings on the same sheet. Il went
to the yearly meeting and received the
following Endorsement:
AT yearly meeting held at BurIing.
ton, n. J., the fifth day of the seventh
month, 1888. . paper being here pre-.
scented by some German Friends con.