tal, in the Divine Hand, in faithfully maintaining
our Christian testimony against slavery; bearing in mind, that
the labors of your ancestors have greatly increased your
responsibility, by separating you from those influences which so
deaden the feelings and harden the heart against the claims of
our brethren in bonds. May these considerations, viewed in
connection with the difficulties which obstruct the progress of
emancipation in this land, stimulate you to increased exertion;
and when you are summoned to the bar of that final tribunal,
towards which we are all hastening, may you have the
inexpressible consolation of reflecting, that you have performed
all you could towards 'undoing the heavy burden and letting the
oppressed go free.'

"I am, very sincerely,

"Your friend,

"JOSEPH STURGE."

"New York, Seventh Month 17th, 1841."

The above letter so fully embodies my view of the state of the Society
in reference to the anti-slavery cause, that I shall think it needless,
after a few general observations, again recur to this subject. I feel
bound to acknowledge that this public mode of making my sentiments known
was disapproved by some Friends; yet of all the objections that were
made to the proceeding, none tended to impugn the accuracy of my
representation of the existing state of things. This is approved by
some, and deplored by others, but my statement has not been denied by
any. In consequence of a remonstrance made to me on special grounds in
the kindest and most Christian manner by two beloved friends, I felt
called upon to subject my motives and conduct, in issuing such an
address, to deliberate reconsideration; and the result was, that I not
only felt myself clear of just censure, but that in no other way could I
have discharged my duty according to my own interpretation of its
dictates. Of other objectors, I may add, that simply to enumerate their
reasons, stated to me in private conference, would be the severest
public animadversion that could be made, either on the individuals
themselves, or on the Society whose views they professed to represent.

In the present state of this great controversy, the abolitionists may
justly say, "he that is not with us, is against us," while the
pro-slavery party can witness, "he that is not against us, is on our
side." Hence the praise bestowed on the neutrality of the Society of
Friends by the great