Middletown transcript., 1897-07-03
lcoNTINUED FROM LAST WEEK ]

creased number of slaves owned by Friend
is sustained by the Yearly Meeting. in 175.
| (it had made no minutes concerning slay
cry for ten years. in an epistle addressed
to the people. in which was the following
I'VE have with sorrow to observe that th,
number is of late increased among us.
Among other adyices and cautions, th.
letter stated in substance that Friends mus
no longer be concerned in promoting th,
bondage of such unhappy people," Th,
royal law" ofdoing to others as we would
be done by was set forth. They were up
holding the system of iniquity by buying
slaves born here, as much as if they had
been imported. Was it not man stealing
the only crime punishable by death ac
cording to the Mosaic law? This letter car
ried conviction to those who were willing
to be convinced. 1t went forth with telling
effort, and those who had once led the van
against slavery faced about This weighty
letter is supposed to have emanated from
the pen Of Anthony Benezet.
In 1855, the Yearly Meeting declared that
''the inconsistency of the practice of being
concerned in importing or buying slav es''
has been weightily revived; that the rule
of Discipline" will now be used; and that
the overseers be instructed to speedily in
form the Monthly Meeting of any trans-
gressors. Nor did the good work stop here.
The meeting in 1853, said, Three appears a
unanimous concern prevailing to put a stop
to the increase of the practice of importing,
buying, selling, or keeping slaves for term
of life.h 1t was believed that friends could
be induced to set their slaves at liberty and
several willing persons were appointed by
the meeting to wait upon such Friends as
had slaves, and treat with them. Wool
man was one of the committee. By their
brotherly kindness, they succeeded in their
arhuous and delicate task beyond the hope
of the most sanguine. The meeting re-
leased the committee in 1882. Isaac jack
son, of the visiting committee, made very
interesting report. He said he had visited
in single Quarterly Meeting the owners
of more than eleven hundred slaves. Some
had excuses for not liberating their slaves,
others needed no excuses. One man says
he brought up his eleven slaves, and "now
they must work to maintain him." A sec.
ond knows that it is wrong. but "cannot
release his slaves" A third confesses that
it is not right, but says ''he will not part
with his negroes-no, not while he lives"
Robert Ward wants to release his slaves
but his wife and daughters hold back"
Another is the owner of fifty, and "means
to keep them" "OId Richison has forty,
and is determined to keep them" Another
who has fifty and owns that it is not light,
can't see his way clear out of it. Perhaps"
says the report, interest dims his vision -
The question was no longer asked, ''Do
Friends observe the former advices of our
Yearly Meeting, not to encourage the i'm
portation of negroes, nor to buy them after
imported, F" but ''are Friends clear of inn
porting or buying negroes?" IF not it was
decided, they must not be permitted to sit
in Meetings for Discipline, or to be employ
I'd in the affairs of Truth, or to. receive
from them any contributions towards the
relief of the poor, or other services of the
meeting" Those in possession of negro
slaves were disqualified for the "station
'felderso in ITO; and in 1774, Friends were
advised not to hire slaves, nor to serve as
executors or administrators to estates where
'lsves were to be disposed Of Only few
lad refused to liberate their slaves, and |
hey were promptly disowned. The work
# liberating was carried on SO persistantly |
hat by the year 1887, it appears that not a |
recognized Friend had a single slave in his |
'osession. A solitary case of slave holding
vas reported in 1874.
Perhaps no greater philanthropic move
nent was ever promulgated and carried /
'ut SO successfully by any other religious
'ody. Hundreds of slaves were given
heir liberty by masters who had lost
hundreds of thousands of dollars by the
"At single monthly meet
ng in Pennsylvania eleven hundred slaves
7ere set at liberty" Many did more than
their slaves under the difficult
les of the law and the penalties of manu-
Mission, where they once became convinced
the unlawfulness of holding them in
ondage. Some even paid their adult ne
roes at their discharge, the sum which
rbitrators awarded them for past service.
he negro found the Quaker still his friend.
he efforts of the Friends to free them
lives from the blight of slavery must al
'ays remain as one of the noblest instances
funselfshness recorded in history.
They did not stop with their own success. !
heir zeal led them to use their influence
II the same purpose in other states, and to
stition Congress on the subject of slavery.
hey in a measure encouraged the dis
of the use of the products of
ave labor. However they were in later
'ars accused of virtually sustaining slav-
y at the polls for political ends. This
large was brought against them especially
+ voting for General TAYLOR.