Garret henderich,
derick up de graeff, Francis daniell Pastorius, and Abraham up Den graef.
A Minute Against Slavery, Addressed to Germantown Monthly Meeting, 1688.
This is to ye Monthly Meeting held at Richard Worrell's.
These are the reasons why we are against the traffick of men-body, as
foloweth. Is there any that would be done or handled at this manner? viz., to
be sold or made a slave for all the time of his life? How fearful and
faint-hearted are many on sea, when they see a strange vessel, - being afraid it
should be a Turk, and they should be taken, and sold for slaves into Turkey.
Now what is this better done, as Turks doe? Yea, rather it is worse for them,
which say they are Christians; for we hear that ye most part of such
negers are brought hither against their will and consent,and that many of them
are stolen. Now, tho they are black, we can not conceive there is
more liberty to have them slaves, as it is to have other white ones. There is a
saying that we shall doe to all men like as we will be done ourselves; making
no difference of what generation, descent or colour they are. And those who
steal or robb men, and those who buy or purchase them, are they not all alike?
Here is liberty of conscience wch is right and reasonable; here
ought to be liberty of ye body, except of evil-doers,wch
is an other case. But to bring men hither, or to rob and sell them against
their will, we stand against. In Europe there are many oppressed for conscience
sake; and here there are those oppressed wh are of a black colour.
And we who know than men must not comitt adultery, - some do committ adultery,
in separating wives from their husbands and giving them to others; and some
sell the children of these poor creatures to other men. Ah! doe consider will
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 ill report in all those countries of Europe, where they hear of,
that ye Quakers doe here handel men as they handel there ye
cattle. And for that reason some have no mind or inclination to come hither.
And who shall maintain this your cause, or pleid for it. Truly we can not do
so, except you shall inform us better hereof, viz., that Christians 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 that 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 is
is not lawful to steal, must, likewise, avoid to purchase such things as are
stolen, but rather help to stop this robbing and stealing if possible. And such
men ought to be delivered out of ye hands of ye
robbers,and set free as well as in Europe. Then is Pennsylvania to have a good
report, instead it hath now a bad one for this sake in other countries.
Especially whereas ye Europeans are desirous to know in what manner ye
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 evil?
If once these slaves (wch they say are so wicked and stubbern men)
should join themselves, - fight for their freedom, - and handel their masters
and mastrisses as they did handel them before; will these masters and
mastrisses take the sword at hand and warr against these poor slaves, licke, we
are able to believe, some will not refuse to doe; or have these negers not as
much right to fight for their freedom, as you have to keep them slaves?
Now consider will this thing, if it is good or bad? And in case you find it
to be good to handle these blacks at that manner, we desire and require you
hereby lovingly, that you may inform us herein, which at this time never was
done, viz., that Christians have such a liberty to do so. To the end we shall
be be satisfied in this point, and satisfie likewise our good friends and acquaintances
in our natif country, to whose it is a terror, or fairful thing, that men
should be handeld so in Pennsylvania.
This is from our meeting at Germantown, held ye18 of the 2 month,
1688, to be delivered to the Monthly Meeting at Richard Worrell's.
Garret henderich
derick up de graeff
Francis daniell Pastorius
Abraham up Den graef.
Monthly Meeting Response:
At our Monthly Meeting at Dublin, ye 30 - 2 mo., 1688, we have
inspected ye matter, above mentioned, and considered of it, we find
it so weighty that we think it not expedient for us to meddle with it here, but
do rather commit it to ye consideration of ye Quarterly
Meeting; ye tenor of it being nearly related to ye Truth.
On behalf of ye Monthly Meeting,
Signed, P. Jo. Hart.
Quarterly Meeting Response:
This, above mentioned, was read in our Quarterly Meeting at Philadelphia,
the 4 of ye 4th mo. '88, and was from thence recommended to the
Yearly Meeting, and the above said Derick, and the other two mentioned therein,
to present the same to ye above said meeting, it being a thing of
too great a weight for this meeting to determine.
Signed by order of ye meeting,
Anthony Morris.
Yearly Meeting Response:
At a Yearly Meeting held at Burlington the 5th day of the 7th month, 1688.
A Paper being here presented by some German Friends Concerning the
Lawfulness and Unlawfulness of Buying and keeping Negroes, It was adjusted not
to be so proper for this Meeting to give a Positive Judgment in the case, It
having so General a Relation to many other Parts, and therefore at present they
forbear It.
Sources:
Walton, Joseph, ed. Incidentes Illustrating the Doctrines and History of
the Society of Friends. Philadelphia: Friends' Book Store, 1897.
see also
Hartzler, J.S. and Kauffman, Daniel, eds. Mennonite Church History.
Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Book and Tract Society, 1905.
