d 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.