the treatment which the miserable Indians
underwent that he returned to _Spain_, to make a publick remonstrance
before the celebrated emperor _Charles_ the fifth, declaring, that
heaven would one day call him to an account for those cruelties, which
he then had it in his power to prevent. The speech which he made on the
occasion, is now extant, and is a most perfect picture of benevolence
and piety.

But his intreaties, by opposition of avarice, were rendered ineffectual:
and I do not find by any books which I have read upon the subject, that
any other person interfered till the last century, when _Morgan
Godwyn_, a _British_ clergyman, distinguished himself in the
cause.

The present age has also produced some zealous and able opposers of the
_colonial_ slavery. For about the middle of the present century, _John
Woolman_ and _Anthony Benezet_, two respectable members of the
religious society called Quakers, devoted much of their time to the
subject. The former travelled through most parts of _North America_
on foot, to hold conversations with the members of his own sect, on the
impiety of retaining those in a state of involuntary servitude, who had
never given them offence. The latter kept a free school at
_Philadelphia_, for the education of black people. He took every
opportunity of pleading in their behalf. He published several treatises
against slavery,[001] and gave an hearty proof of his attachment to the
cause, by leaving the whole of his fortune in support of that school, to
which he had so generously devoted his time and attention when alive.

Till this time it does not appear, that any bodies of men, had
collectively interested themselves in endeavouring to remedy the evil.
But in the year 1754, the religious society, called Quakers, publickly
testified their sentiments upon the subject,[002] declaring, that "to
live in ease and plenty by the toil of those, whom fraud and violence
had put into their power, was neither consistent with Christianity nor
common justice."

Impressed with these sentiments, many of this society immediately
liberated their slaves; and though such a measure appeared to be
attended with considerable loss to the benevolent individuals, who
unconditionally presented them with their freedom, yet they adopted it
with pleasure: nobly considering, that to possess a little, in an
honourable way, was better than to possess much, through the medium of
injustice. Their example was gradually