one says that the abolition of the slave-trade must immediately throw the West Indian islands into convulsions, and soon complete their utter ruin." Amongst others, the amiable and gifted Cowper did not fail to utter his sentiments in regard to the cruel system. Who has not been impressed by the following lines? "We have no slaves at home-then why abroad? Of all your empire-that where Britain's pow'r George Fox, the venerable founder of the society of the Quakers, took strong and decided ground against the slave-trade. He was cotemporary with Richard Baxter, being born not long after him, and dying much about the same time. When he was in the island of Barbadoes, in the year 1671, he delivered himself to those who attended his religious meetings in the following manner: "Consider with yourselves," says he, "if you were in the same condition as the poor Africans are, who came strangers to you, and were sold to you as slaves; I say, if this should be the condition of you or yours, you would think it a hard measure; yea, and very great bondage and cruelty; and therefore consider seriously of this; and do you for them, and to them, as you would willingly have them, or any others do unto you, were you in the like slavish condition." In the year 1727, we find that the whole society, at a yearly meeting held in London, adopted the following resolution: "It is the sense of this meeting, that the importing of negroes from their native country and relations, by Friends, is not a commendable nor allowed practice, and is therefore censured by this meeting." In the year 1758, the Quakers thought it their duty, as a body, to pass another resolution upon this subject. At this time the nature of the trade beginning to be better known, we find them more animated upon it, as the following extract will show: "We fervently warn all in profession with us, that they carefully avoid being any way concerned in reaping the unrighteous profits arising from the iniquitous practice of dealing in negro or other slaves; whereby, in the original purchase, one man selleth another, as he doth the beasts that perish, without any better pretension to a property in him than that of superior force; in direct violation of the Gospel rule, which teacheth all to do as they would be done by, and to do good to all; being the reverse of that covetous disposition which furnisheth encouragement to those poor ignorant people to perpetuate their savage wars, in order to supply the demands of this most unnatural traffic, by which great numbers of mankind, free by nature, are subject to inextricable bondage; and which hath often been observed to fill their possessors with haughtiness, tyranny, luxury, and barbarity, corrupting the minds and debasing the morals of their children, to the unspeakable prejudice of religion and virtue, and the exclusion of that holy spirit of universal love, meekness, and charity, which is the unchangeable nature and the glory of true Christianity. We therefore can do no less than, with the greatest earnestness, impress it upon Friends every where, that they endeavor to keep their hands clear of this un-righteous gain of oppression." At the yearly meeting of 1761, they agreed to exclude from membership such as should be found concerned in this trade; and in the meeting of 1763, they endeavored to draw the cords still tighter, by attaching criminality to those who should aid and abet the trade in any manner. The society was now ready to make an appeal to others, and to bear a more public testimony in favor of the injured Africans. Accordingly, in the month. of June, 1783, when a bill had been brought into the house of commons for certain regulations to be made with respect to the African trade, the society sent the following petition to that branch of the legislature : "Your petitioners, met in this their annual assembly, having solemnly considered the state of the enslaved negroes, conceive themselves engaged, in religious duty, to lay the suffering situation of that unhappy people before you, as a subject loudly calling for the humane interposition of the legislature. "Your petitioners regret that a nation professing the Christian faith, should so far counteract the principles of humanity and justice, as by the cruel treatment of this oppressed race to fill their minds with prejudices against the mild and benificent doctrines of the Gospel. "Under the countenance of the laws of this country, many thousands of these our fellow-creatures, entitled to the natural rights of mankind, are held as personal property in cruel bondage; and your petitioners being informed that a bill for the regulation of the African trade is now before the house, containing a clause which restrains the officers of the African company from exporting negroes, your petitioners, deeply affected with a consideration of the rapine, oppression, and bloodshed attending this traffic, humbly request that this restriction may be extended to all persons whomsoever, or that the house would grant sech other relief in the premises as in its wisdom may seem meet." This petition was presented by Sir Cecil Wray, who, on introducing it, spoke very respectfully of the society. He declared his hearty approbation of their application, and said he hoped he should see the day when not a slave would remain within the dominions of this realm. Lord North seconded the motion, saying he could have no objection to the petition, and that its object ought to recommend it to every humane breast; that it did credit to the most benevolent society in the world; but that, the session being so far advanced, the subject could not then be taken into consideration; and he regretted that the slavetrade, against which the petition was so justly directed, was, in a commercial view, necessary to almost every nation of Europe. The petition was then brought up and read, after which it was ordered to lie on the table. This was the first petition (being two years earlier than that from the inhabitants of Bridgewater) which was ever presented to parliament for the abolition of the slave-trade. In the same year, 1783, an event occurred which will be found of great importance, and in which only individuals belonging to the society were concerned. This event seems to have arisen naturally out of existing or past circumstances. For the society, as before stated, had sent a petition to parliament in this year, praying for the abolition of the slave-trade. It has also laid the foundation for a public distribution of books, which had been published with a view of enlightening others. The case of the ship Zong had occurred this same year. A letter also had been presented, much about the same time, by Benjamin West, from Anthony Benezet, in America, to the Queen, in behalf of the injured Africans, which she had received graciously. These subjects occupied at this time the attention of many Quaker families, and among others, that of a few individuals who were in close intimacy with each other. These, when they met together, frequently conversed upon them. They perceived, as facts came out in conversation, that there was a growing knowledge and hatred of the slave-trade, and that the temper of the times was ripening towards its abolition. Hence a disposition manifested itself among these, to unite as laborers for the furtherance of so desirable an object. An union was at length proposed and approved of. The first meeting was held on the seventh of July, 1783. At this "they assembled to consider what steps they should take for the relief and liberation of the negro slaves in the West Indies, and for the discouragement of the slave-trade on the coast of Africa." To promote this object, they conceived it necessary that the public mind should be enlightened respecting it. They had recourse therefore to the publie papers, and they appointed their members in turn to write in these, and to see that their productions were inserted. They kept regular minutes for this purpose. It was not, however, known to the world that such an association existed. This was the first society ever formed in England for the promotion of the abolition of the slave-trade. The Quakers in America early manifested a deep and compassionate feeling toward the afflicted African. It is true that, at first, they with others became the owners of slaves, the manner in which they were procured not being at that time generally known. Most of them, however, treated their slaves with great kindness. But notwithstanding their mildness toward them, and the consequent content of their slaves, some of the society soon began to entertain doubts in regard to the lawfulness of holding the negroes in bondage at all. So early as in the year 1688, some emigrants from Krieshiem, in Germany, who had adopted the principles of William Penn, and followed him into Pennsylvania, urged in the yearly meeting of the society there, the inconsistency of buying, selling, and holding men in slavery, with the principles of the Christian religion. In the year 1696, the yearly meeting for that province took up the subject as a public concern, and the result was advice to the members of it to guard against future importations of African slaves, and to be particularly attentive to the treatment of those who were then in their possession. In the year 1711, the same yearly meeting resumed the important subject, and confirmed and renewed the advice which had been before given. In the year 1754, the same meeting issued a pertinent and truly Christian letter to all the members within its jurisdiction. This letter contained exhortations to all in the connection to desist from purchasing and importing slaves, and, where they possessed them, to have a tender consideration of their condition. But that the first part of the subject of this exhortation might be enforced, the yearly meeting for the same provinces came to a resolution, in 1755, that if any of the members belonging to it bought or imported slaves, the overseers were to inform their respective monthly meetings of it, that "these might treat with them as they might be directed in the wisdom of truth.” In the year 1776, the same yearly meeting carried the matter still further. It was then enacted, "that the owner of slaves who refused to execute proper instruments for giving them their freedom, were to be disowned likewise." In 1778, it was enacted by the same meeting, "that the children of those who had been set free by members should be tenderly advised, and have a suitable education given them." Whilst the body were thus decisive in their measures, individuals of the society were zealous and devoted in their endeavors to promote the same humane Amongst these Anthony Benezet stands conspicuous. This distinguished philanthropist was born at St. Quintin, in Picardy, of a respectable family, in the year 1713. His father was one of the many protestants who, in consequence of the persecutions which followed the revocation of the edict of Nantz, sought an asylum in foreign countries. After a short stay in Holland, he settled, with his wife and children, in London, in 1715. Anthony Benezet, having received from his father a liberal education, served an apprenticeship in an eminent mercantile house in London. In 1731, however, he removed with his family to Philadelphia, where he joined in profession with the Quakers. His three brothers then engaged in trade, and made considerable pecuniary acquisitions in it. He himself might have partaken of their prosperity, but he did not feel himself at liberty to embark in their undertakings. He considered the accumulation of wealth as of no importance, when compared with the enjoyment of doing good; and he chose the humble situation of a schoolmaster, as according best with his notion, believing that by endeavoring to train up youth in knowledge and virtue, he should become more extensively useful than in any other way to his fellow-creatures. He had not been long in his new situation before he manifested such an uprightness of conduct, such a courtesy of manners, such a purity of intention, and such a spirit of benevolence, that he attracted the notice, and gained the good opinion, of the inhabitants among whom he lived. He had ready access to them, in consequence, upon all occasions; and if there were any whom he failed to influence at any of these times, he never went away without the possession of their respect. In the year 1756, when a considerable number of French families were removed from Acadia into Pennsylvania, on account of some political suspicions, he felt deeply interested about them. In a country where few understood their language, they were wretched and helpless; but Anthony Benezet endeavored to soften the rigor of their situation by his kind attention towards them. He exerted himself also in their behalf, by procuring many contributions for them, which, by the consent of his fellow-citizens, were entrusted to his care. One of the means which Anthony Benezet took to promote the cause in question, (and an effectual one it proved, as far as it went,) was to give his scholars a due knowledge and proper impressions concerning it. Situated as they were likely to be, in after life, in a country where slavery was a custom, he thus prepared many, and this annually, for the promotion of his plans. To enlighten others, and to give them a similar bias, he had recourse to different measures from time to time. In the almanacs published annually in Philadelphia, he procured articles to be inserted, which he believed would attract the notice of the reader, and make him pause, at least for a while, as to the lawfulness of the slave-trade. He wrote, also, as he saw occasion, in the public papers of the day. From small things he proceeded to greater. He collected, at length,` further information on the subject, and, winding it up with observations and reflections, he produced several little tracts, which he circulated successively, (but generally at his own expense,) as he considered them adapted to the temper and circumstances of the times. In the course of this employment, having found some who had approved his tracts, and to whom, on that account, he wished to write, and sending his tracts to others, to whom he thought it proper to introduce them by letter, he found himself engaged in a correspondence which much engrossed his time, but which proved of great importance in procuring many advocates for his cause. In the year 1762, when he had obtained a still greater store of information, he published a larger work. This he entitled, "A Short Account of that Part of Africa inhabited by the Negroes." In 1767, he published "A Caution and Warning to Great Britain and her Colonies, on the Calamitous State of the enslaved Negroes in the British Dominions:" and soon after this appeared "A Historical Account of Guinea, its Situation, Produce, and the General Disposition of its Inhabitants; with an Inquiry into the Rise and Progress of the Slave-trade, its Nature, and Calamitous Effects." This pamphlet contained a clear and distinct development of the subject, from the best authorities. It contained also the sentiments of many enlightened men upon it; and it became instrumental, beyond any other book ever before published, in disseminating a proper knowledge and detestation of this trade. Anthony Benezet may be considered one of the most zealous, vigilant, and active advocates which the cause of the oppressed Africans ever had. He seemed to have been born and to have lived for the promotion of it, and therefore he never omitted any the least opportunity of serving it. If a person called upon him who was going a journey, his first thoughts usually were, how he could make him an instrument in its favor; and he either gave him tracts to |