burden, and lived frugally, so that their servants were
well provided for, and their labor moderate, I felt more easy; but
where they lived in a costly way, and laid heavy burdens on their
slaves, my exercise was often great, and I frequently had conversation
with them in private concerning it. Secondly, this trade of importing
slaves from their native country being much encouraged amongst them,
and the white people and their children so generally living without
such labor, was frequently the subject of my serious thoughts. I saw
in these southern provinces so many vices and corruptions, increased
by this trade and this way of life, that it appeared to me as a dark
gloominess hanging over the land." "Journal of John Woolman," 93.

[178] Note that this essay was not published until eight years after
Woolman's journey. The publication in 1754 was due partly to the
suggestion of Woolman's father, who, just before his death, persuaded
his son to publish the essay. This essay may be found in "Slave-Trade
Tracts," Vol. 2.

[179] See Some Considerations, etc.

[180] In this connection, Woolman has two striking passages on page 61
of his "Journal," viz., "Receiving a gift, considered as a gift,
brings the receiver under obligations to the benefactor, and has a
natural tendency to draw the obliged into a party with the giver. To
prevent difficulties of this kind, and to preserve the minds of judges
from any bias, was the Divine prohibition: 'Thou shalt not receive any
gift; for a gift bindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the
righteous.'" (Exod. XXIII, 8.)

Again, "Conduct is more convincing than language, and where people, by
their actions, manifest that the slave-trade is not so disagreeable to
their principles, but that it may be encouraged, there is not a sound
uniting with some Friends who visit them."

[181] Woolman answered this argument by showing that Noah and
his family were all who survived the flood, according to Scripture;
and as Noah was of Seth's race, the family of Cain was wholly
destroyed. Woolman's opponent, however, replied that after the flood
Ham went to the land of Nod and took a wife; that Nod was a land far
distant, inhabited by Cain's race, and that the flood did not reach
it; and as Ham was sentenced to be a servant of servants to his
brethren, these two families, being thus joined, were undoubtedly fit
only for slaves. Woolman answered that the flood was a judgment upon
the world for the