eat Britain, who
are themselves so eminently blessed in the enjoyment of
religious and civil liberty, have long been, and yet are, very
deeply concerned in this flagrant violation of the common rights
of mankind, and that even its national authority is exerted in
support of the African Slave Trade, there is much reason to
apprehend that this has been, and, as long as the evil exists,
will continue to be, an occasion of drawing down the Divine
displeasure on the nation and its dependencies. May these
considerations induce thee to interpose thy kind endeavours in
behalf of this greatly injured people, whose abject situation
gives them an additional claim to the pity and assistance of the
generous mind, inasmuch as they are altogether deprived of the
means of soliciting effectual relief for themselves; that so
thou mayest not only be a blessed instrument in the hand of him
'by whom kings reign and princes decree justice,' to avert the
awful judgments by which the empire has already been so
remarkably shaken, but that the blessings of thousands ready to
perish may come upon thee, at a time when the superior
advantages attendant on thy situation in this world will no
longer be of any avail to thy consolation and support.

To the tracts on this subject to which I have thus ventured to
crave thy particular attention, I have added some which at
different times I have believed it my duty to publish[A], and
which, I trust, will afford thee some satisfaction, their design
being for the furtherance of that universal peace and good-will
amongst men, which the Gospel was intended to introduce.

[Footnote A: These related to the principles of the religious
society of the Quakers.]

"I hope thou wilt kindly excuse the freedom used on this
occasion by an ancient man, whose mind, for more than forty
years past, has been much separated from the common intercourse
of the world, and long painfully exercised in the consideration
of the miseries under which so large a part of mankind, equally
with us the objects of redeeming love, are suffering the most
unjust and grievous oppression, and who sincerely desires thy
temporal and eternal felicity, and that of thy royal consort.

"ANTHONY BENEZET."

Anthony Benezet, besides the care he bestowed upon forwarding the cause
of the oppressed Afric