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Quaker Slaves

Quaker Slaves image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
July
Year
1841
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

It is worthy to be recorded in the anïiala of bigotry, that in 1659 two of the ,ancestors of Joseph Southwick, formerly f resident of the Massachusetls Anti-SlaVery Society, were sentenced to be soldj as slaves, for not attending the public worship of the Puritnns, among whom they lived; they being members of the Society ofFriends. The following order was isBucd by the General Court of Boston. "Whereas, Daniel Southwick, and Provided Southwick, son and daughter of Law-i rence Southwick, absenling themselves! from public ordinances, have been fined by I ihe courts of Salem and Ipswich, pretend-' ing they havo no estate3, and resolvingi not to work: the court, upon perusal of a! law, which was made upon the account ofj debts, in answer to what should be done; for the satisfaction of fines, resol ves, that the treasurers of the several counties are, and shall bc fully empowered to solt the said persons to any of the. English nation, at Virginia or Barbadoes, to answer the said fines, &c.Edwahd Rawson, Sec'y. Edmund Butler, one of tho Treasurers, for the sake of gain,sought to effect a sale; but tho moral sentiments; ofthó people, ivhich has si nee changed the laws was even then beginning io go -.head of them . Not a sea captain was found willing to underlake the business. One rnaster of a ship, by way of excuse, pretended that they would spoil all the ship's company with their heresy ; to which Butler replied, "you need not fear that; for they are poor harmless creatures, and will not hurt anybody." "ís if so?'1 rejoined ttie shipmaster and will yo j offer to make alavés of such harmles? creaitïres?17 This disgraèeful order was answered at large, in print, by Gr. Bishop who quoted the Scripture Tvhez4 God judgments are ♦Tlist is, wonld notwork out the fine.denounced against those "who sell the righteoua for ailver, and the poor for a pair