Benezet published his letters at his own expense and distributed them
with the accompanying circular letter below.
"Copy of the substance of a letter written to several persons of note,
both in Europe and America, on sending them some of the negroe
pamphlets, viz. account of Africa, &c. particularly to the ARCHBISHOP
OF CANTERBURY, dated about the year 1758, and since.
* * * * *
"With the best respects I am capable of, and from, I trust, no other
motive but that of love to mankind; and from a persuasion of thy
sincere desires for the suppression of evil and the promotion of that
righteousness which alone exalteth a nation, I make bold
affectionately to salute thee, and to request a little of thy
attention to a subject which has long been a matter of deep concern to
many, vast many, well disposed people of all denominations in these
parts, viz. that of the negroe trade, the purchase and bringing the
poor negroes from their native land, and subjecting them to a state of
perpetual bondage, the most cruel and oppressive, in which the English
nation is so deeply engaged, and which with additional sorrow we
observe to be greatly increasing in their northern colonies, and
likely still more to increase by the acquisition the English have
lately made of the factories on the river Senegal. I herewith send
thee some small treatises lately published here on that subject,
wherein are truely set forth the great inhumanity and wickedness which
this trade gives life to, whereby hundreds of thousands of our fellow
creatures, equally with us the objects of Christ's redeeming grace,
and as free as we are by nature, are kept under the worst oppression,
and many of them yearly brought to a miserable and untimely end.
"I make bold earnestly to entreat, that thou wouldst be pleased
seriously to read them, when I doubt not thou wilt perceive it to be a
matter which calls for the most deep consideration of all who are
concerned for the civil, as well as religious welfare of their
country, and who are desirous to avert those judgments, which evils of
such a dye must necessarily sooner or later bring upon every people
who are defiled therewith, and will, I trust, plead my excuse for the
freedom I take in thus addressing myself to thee. How an evil of so
deep a dye, has so long, not only passed unnoticed, but has even had
the countenance of the government, and been supported by law, is
surprising; it must be because many worthy men in power, both of the
laity and clergy, have been unacquainted with the horrible wickedness
with which the trade is carried on, the corrupt motives which give
life to it, and the groans, the numberless dying groans, which daily
ascend to God, the common father of mankind, from the broken hearts of
those our deeply oppressed fellow creatures."[120]
* * * * *
"PHILADELPHIA, TENTH MONTH, 30th, 1772.
"I herewith send thee a small tract (which I desire thou mayest keep)
lately sent me by Granville Sharp; it is an appendix to his former
treatise, and was published on account of the late negroe trial. He
has wrote me a long intelligent letter, with relation to the situation
of things in London on that head, which I shall be well pleased to
have an opportunity to communicate to thee. It seems lord Mansfield,
notwithstanding truth forced him to give such a judgment, was rather
disposed to favour the cause of the master than that of the slave. He
advised the master to apply to the parliament then sitting, which was
done accordingly, but without success. He fears such an application
will be renewed at the next session, and is preparing through his
friends in parliament and the bishops, to endeavour to prevent its
taking place, and calls for our help from this side the water. In this
case as he desires a speedy answer, I stand in need of the advice of
my friends what answer to make him. I have already let one opportunity
pass; there will be soon another to Liverpool. I have also to
communicate an interesting letter from Benjamin Franklin on the same
subject."
* * * * *
"PHILADELPHIA, ELEVENTH MONTH, 30th, 1772.
"_Dear Samuel_,
"I received both thy letters, inclosing the petition, and have been
concerned that I have not sooner acquainted thee with what had been
resulted thereon; but the care of a large school, engagement upon
engagement, I think four or five evenings last week, on committees,
&c., and the books which I received from England, which I intended to
send thee not being all returned, occasioned the delay. The vessel
from Virginia being near its departure when the petitions came to
hand, had but just time to confer with James Pemberton, on the
expediency of forwarding them, when we concluded best to take more
time and wait for a future opportunity which he thought would offer. I
herewith send thee such of the pieces relating to slavery, &c. of the
negroes, which I have been able to get back; people are shamefully
careless in not returning borrowed books. That wanting, wrote by a
West Indian, I will send hereafter. I have received since I saw thee,
a letter from the chief justice of South Carolina, which will I
believe afford thee much satisfaction."
* * * * *
"PHILADELPHIA, TWELFTH MONTH, 14th, 1773.
"_Beloved Friend_,
"The passage we were seeking for is Psalms 68, 31, 'Princes shall come
out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God,'
under which name all that part of Africa inhabited by negroes may be
comprehended, and that these are the people here intended is clear
from Jer. 13, 23, 'can the Ethiopian change his skin?'
"Since my return I have received letters from Thomas Nicholson in
North Carolina, Edward Stabler in Virginia, and James Berry in
Maryland, all leading members in their several yearly meetings (these
I shall be glad to communicate to thee) expressive of their concern
for forwarding the great and good work we are engaged in. Edward
Stabler, clerk of the yearly meeting of Virginia, expresses, that
though they have not yet received the encouragement they desire to
their petition in England, yet it has not abated the zeal of some of
their leading men against the traffic."
* * * * *
"PHILADELPHIA, FOURTH MONTH, 28th, 1773.
"_Doctor John Fothergill_,
"Thy kind letter of the twenty-eighth of Eight Month last, I received
in due time, and gratefully acknowledge thy kind sympathy therein
expressed. I am likeminded with thee, with respect to the danger and
difficulty which would attend a sudden manumission of those negroes
now in the southern colonies, as well as to themselves, as to the
whites; wherefore except in particular cases the obtaining their
freedom, and indeed the freedom of many even amongst us, is by no
means the present object of my concern. But the best endeavors in our
power to draw the notice of the governments, upon the grievous
iniquity and great danger attendant on a further prosecution of the
slave trade, is what every truly sympathising mind cannot but
earnestly desire, and under divine direction promote to the utmost of
their power. If this could be obtained, I trust the sufferings of
those already amongst us, by the interposition of the government, and
even from selfish ends in their masters, would be mitigated, and in
time Providence would gradually work for the release of those, whose
age and situation would fit them for freedom. The settlements now in
prospect to be made in that large extent of country, from the west
side of the Allegany mountains to the Mississippi, on a breadth of
four or five hundred miles, would afford a suitable and beneficial
means of settlement for many of them among the white people, which
would in all probability be as profitable to the negroes as to the new
settlers. But I do not desire to take up thy time especially with
matters of so remote a nature, it being indeed with reluctance I take
up any of it, which I would have avoided, was there any person to whom
I could have addressed myself with the same expectation, that what I
have in view would be thereby answered. An address has been presented
to our assembly, desiring it would use its utmost endeavours with the
king and parliament, that an end may be put to the slave trade, by
laying a duty of twenty pounds on all slaves imported. It was thought
necessary that some friends with you should be acquainted with the
further steps that had been, or were likely to be taken, so as to
enable you to speak in support of the law, if necessary: to which end
I herewith send thee a copy of the address, also a copy of what I now
write to our agent, Benjamin Franklin, on that head, in order to make
him acquainted with what passes here on this momentous concern.
"I have also enclosed a number of copies of a pamphlet wrote at the
time we presented the petition, in order to lay the weight of the
matter briefly before the members of the assembly, and other active
members of government in this and the neighbouring provinces. It was
written by Benjamin Rush, a young physician of the Presbyterian
communion, a person who I understand thou was acquainted with, when
pursuing his studies three or four years past with you. I almost send
a small collection of religious tracts, chiefly compiled for the use
of inquiring people in our back countries, where such books are much
wanted. I endeavoured so to collect them as to be plain, instructive
and edifying, without touching upon that which might be of fruitless
debate.
"ANTHONY BENEZET."
* * * * *
"PHILADELPHIA, FOURTH MONTH, 1773.
"_Granville Sharp_,
"I wrote thee at large, by a vessel for Ireland, about six weeks past,
and also three weeks ago by the packet from New York, respecting the
steps taken, and likely to be pursued in the several more northern
provinces, in relation to the slave trade. I am glad to understand
from my friend Benjamin Franklin, that you have commenced an
acquaintance, and that he expects in future, to concert with thee in
the affair of slavery. I herewith send thee some pamphlets, and in a
confidence of thy goodness of heart, which by looking to the
intention, will construe the freedom I have taken in the best light,
"I remain with love,
"ANTHONY BENEZET."
* * * * *
"HANOVER, January 18, 1773.
"_Dear Sir_:
"I take this opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of Anthony
Benezet's book against the slave trade: I thank you for it. It is not
a little surprising, that the professors of christianity, whose chief
excellence consists in softening the human heart, in cherishing and
improving its finer feelings, should encourage a practice so totally
repugnant to the first impressions of right and wrong. What adds to
the wonder is, that this abominable practice has been introduced in
the most enlightened ages. Times, that seem to have pretensions to
boast of high improvements in the arts and sciences, and refined
morality, have brought into general use, and guarded by many laws, a
species of violence and tyranny, which our more rude and barbarous,
but more honest ancestors detested. Is it not amazing, that at a time,
when the rights of humanity are defined and understood with precision,
in a country, above all others, fond of liberty; that in such an age,
and in such a country, we find men professing a religion the most
humane, mild, gentle and generous, adopting a principle as repugnant
to humanity, as it is inconsistent with the bible, and destructive to
liberty? How few in practice from conscientious motive!
"Would any one believe that I am master of slaves, of my own
purchase! I am drawn along by the general inconvenience of living here
without them. I will not, I cannot justify it. However capable my
conduct, I will so far pay my devoir to virtue, as to own the
excellence and rectitude of her precepts, and lament my want of
conformity to them.
"I believe a time will come when an opportunity will be offered to
abolish this lamentable evil. Every thing we can do, is to improve it,
if it happens in our day; if not, let us transmit to our descendants,
together with our slaves, a pity for their unhappy lot, and an
abhorrence for slavery. If we cannot reduce this wished for
reformation to practice, let us treat the unhappy victims with lenity.
It is the furthest advance we can make towards justice. It is a debt
we owe to the purity of our religion, to show that it is at variance
with that law, which warrants slavery.
"I know not where to stop. I could say many things on the subject; a
serious view of which, gives a gloomy perspective in future
times!"[121]
* * * * *
"PHILADELPHIA, TENTH MONTH, 23d, 1774.
"_Dear_ ----.
"I was pleased to hear from thee. I have not been unmindful of
endeavoring to lay before all the delegates I have conversed with, the
dreadful situation of the people in the most southern provinces, and
the absolute necessity they are under of ceasing, at least from any
farther import of negroes. With Patrick Henry I went further, he gave
some attention when I mentioned from whence I apprehended we must look
for deliverance, even from God alone, but pursuing such methods as
would be most agreeable to the nature of the Beneficent Father of the
family of mankind, whose love and regard to his children, even such
who were influenced by wrong dispositions, remained unchangeable. That
we could not conciliate the Divine regard, but by acting agreeably to
the Divine attribute, which was love, and was to overcome by
suffering.
"That whatever wound might be given or received, between us and the
mother country, if ever that which was right prevailed, we should
mourn over. That as christianity knew of no enemies, we could not
expect deliverance by the violent method proposed, without departing
from the true foundation. To this with seriousness he replied, that it
was strange to him, to find some of the Quakers manifesting so
different a disposition from that I had described. I reminded him
that many of them had no other claim to our principles, but as they
were children or grandchildren of those who professed those
principles. I suppose his remark principally arose from the violent
spirit which some under our profession are apt to show, more
particularly in the congress, amongst whom I understand one of the
deputies from your city, and one from ours, appear as principals for
promoting such measures. I feel but little apprehension at the
prospect of things, which to many is so alarming. People are afraid of
being disturbed in their enjoyments, in their ease, their confidence
in the world, and the things of it. But I fear nothing more than
giving way to a spirit whose hope and expectation is from the
unchristian, yea unnatural, and cruel measures proposed by many, too
many, who seemed to have worked themselves to such a pitch, that it
looks as if they were athirst for blood! Its from God alone, by true
faith in his promises, deliverance must arise; and if from the
prevalence of other measures affliction and distress should be our
lot, it will be our own fault if it does not work for our good. Oh! if
a sufficient concern prevailed to experience grace to gain the
victory, to know all worldly inclinations and desires to be brought
under the regulation of the humbling power of the gospel, many would
feel so much of self in themselves, inducing to hope and seek for
comfort from the world, from our ease and plenty, which is yet as a
bar to obtaining an establishment in the pure, the humble, self
denying path of truth. If we properly felt our wants, the gulf between
us and true peace, if the combat between nature and grace were duly
maintained, the dread of outward evils would have little weight with
us, however we fall by outward commotion, even if the earth should be
dissolved, if in proper dispositions we cannot fall lower than in
God's arms.
"ANTHONY BENEZET.
"P.S. I should have been glad to have seen thyself and dear companion
before you left us, but make it a rule to take no exception where no
slight is intended; indeed where it is, to bear it, and take the first
opportunity to return kindness for the contrary, as most noble, and
most conducive to peace."
* * * * *
"PHILADELPHIA, THIRD MONTH, 30th, 1774.
"I was sorrowfully disappointed in not seeing thee in town. I had just
received a long letter from Granville Sharp, which I should have been
glad of an opportunity of showing thee, and taking thy advice upon a
suitable answer, more particularly upon a matter he appears to have
much at heart, viz. our procuring as many petitions as possible from
persons of some weight in the several provinces, to the same purport
as ours to the assembly, immediately to the king alone. As I shall not
send my letter before William Dillwyn goes, which may be some time
first, perhaps I may still have an opportunity of consulting thee on
this matter. Inclosed I send the copy of an argument, &c. I found in
Granville Sharp's letter which strikes me boldly and deeply. I hope
the idea will have a tendency to raise generous sentiments in some of
thy brethren of the law, whose hearts are not yet quite scared with
the love of the world, to appear in the noble cause of real liberty. I
showed it to Dr. Rush, and inquiring whether we should publish it in
the prints, he replied, 'they would knock us on the head if we did,' I
believe it will in future be profitably made use of. Remember me
affectionately to James Kinsey, I should be glad to know his
sentiments on the law reasoning of the argument. What a great thing it
is to stand up for liberty, true liberty, from a mind truly delivered
from all selfishness, in an unfeigned love to God and mankind. O the
selfishness of the human heart, how much of it is apt still to cleave
to us, even when our designs are upright."
* * * * *
"_Dear Samuel_,
"I herewith send thee a dozen pamphlets. I shall be glad that these
and more of the same may be handed to the members of your assembly,
and such others in your province, with whom they may be likely to
promote a representation being made to the king and parliament against
the slave trade."
* * * * *
"Seventh day, 4 o'clock.
"_Dear Friend_,
"I should have been very glad to have got thee to peruse the notes (on
slavery) I intend to make, as they will be large, and I wish if
possible to put them into the hands of the members of every assembly
on the continent, except South Carolina and Georgia, but do not desire
thou shouldst be put out of the way on that occasion. I suppose it
will be eight or ten, or more days before in the press. It might
preserve me from inadvertently publishing something which might rather
weaken the cause we have both at heart. However, in this, and all
other things, I desire to stand clear in the purity of my design, and
leave the event, but watch against my national activity."
* * * * *