Early Quaker education in Pennsylvania

by Thomas Woody

QUAKER LEADERS AND THE NEGRO PROBLEM

Slavery’s opponents

However auspicious may have been the opportunity for attempts to plant slavery on the soil of Pennsylvania, it was neither destined to meet unqualified success nor to pass without rigorous opposition. The German population from the very outset, as we have already stated, was hostile to the idea of slavery.[1156] Likewise, the Quakers were dominated by men who believed that slavery had no justification, and throughout their lives were actuated by this belief. Brief mention may be made of three of these leaders, sufficient at least to indicate their viewpoint and the remedy which they advocated.

George Fox

Pleads for education of Negro and Indian

George Fox, their revered founder, was quite naturally referred to in matters of importance and far reaching consequence. Through the influence of his ministry, the doctrine of the freedom of all men and of inherent rights, which they possessed by virtue of being men, came to be accepted in the church organization, and was published in the discipline and various letters of that body.[1157] These acts of the church organization will be dealt with presently. Fox defends his position mainly on the religious basis; it is quite likely that a religious training and education is uppermost in his mind throughout his plea for the Negro. He does not limit himself to their case, but insists, also, on the education of the Indian natives. The education (religious) which he specifically mentions, is for the purpose of their salvation, but the attention of Quakers was not limited to that alone. Religious education did, however, receive their first consideration. The essence of Fox’s influential utterances on this subject is contained in the following extract.

And, also, you must instruct and teach your Indians and Negroes, and all others, how that Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man and gave himself a ransom for all men to be testified in due time; and is the propitiation not only for the sins of Christians, but for the sins of the whole world; and that He doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, with His true light, which is the life in Christ by Whom the world was made.[1158]

John Woolman

His sermons, tracts, etc.

From among the Quaker exponents of the freedom of all men, we can scarcely select one of greater influence than John Woolman. He was born in 1720,[1159] and thus grew up to manhood in a period when the opposition to slavery on the part of Friends was on the increase, and lived through its zenith, after which slavery among Pennsylvania Friends scarcely existed.[1160] He was well educated. The greater part of his life was spent travelling as a minister from place to place, now working among the Indians[1161] and again visiting meetings in the interest of the freedom of the Negro.[1162] His journeys throughout the colonies served to keep the individual meetings awake to the problem before them, and the firm conviction of the man won no less number of supporters than the eloquence of his appeal. The influence of Woolman did not, however, limit itself to the channels of his sermons; in 1754 appeared one of his best expressions on the traffic, entitled Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes. Nothing was permitted to stand in the light of his conviction as to the right; he refused to continue his practice of writing wills in all cases where the disposition of slaves was involved.[1163]

But it is impossible to give in this limited space an adequate resumé of the work of this great spokesman of freedom. A brief representative statement from his works, added to what has already been said, is perhaps the most satisfactory treatment that can be given.

Woolman on slave holding

Many slaves on this continent are oppressed, and their cries have reached the ears of the most High. Such are the purity and certainty of His judgments, that He can not be partial in our favor. In infinite love and goodness He hath opened our understandings from one time to another concerning our duty to this people; and it is not a time for delay. Should we now be sensible of what He requires of us, and through respect to the interest of some persons, or through a regard to some friendships which do not stand on an immutable foundation, neglect to do our duty in firmness and constancy, still waiting for some extraordinary means to bring about their deliverance, it may be by terrible things in righteousness, God may answer us in this matter.[1164]

Man is born to labor, and experience abundantly sheweth that it is for our good; but where the powerful lay the burden on the inferior, without affording a Christian education, and suitable opportunity for improving the mind, and a treatment that we in their case should approve, that themselves may live at ease and fare sumptuously, and lay up riches for their posterity, this seems to contradict the design of Providence and, I doubt not, is sometimes the effect of a perverted mind; for while the life of one is made grievous by the rigor of another, it entails misery to both.[1165]

Anthony Benezet; his influence through books, pamphlets, etc.

While speaking of the life and work of the two above mentioned Quaker reformers, one other person seems to call imperatively for attention. His work was equally widespread and the public was kept open to his influence through several of his books and pamphlets published on the subject of slaves and slaveholding.[1166] A French Hugenot by birth, Anthony Benezet came early to America, where he was a staunch member of Friends, and in whose society he performed a continuous service for the freedom and education of the Negroes, until the time of his death in 1784.[1167] His immediate connection with the Negro School, established by Friends in 1770[1168] will be considered more fully elsewhere. The arguments advanced by him against slavery are based on the grounds of practicality and justice. The system is injurious to the slave and the master, and inconsistent with the ideals of a free community. We, ourselves, must agree with him in his position as set forth in the following selection.

Extract from Benezet

The bondage we have imposed on the Africans is absolutely repugnant to Justice. It is highly inconsistent with civil policy: First, as it tends to suppress all improvements in arts and sciences, without which it is morally impossible that any nation should be happy or powerful. Secondly, as it may deprave the minds of the free men, steeling their hearts against the laudable feelings of virtue and humanity. And lastly, as it endangers the community by the destructive effects of civil commotions; need I to add to these what every heart, which is not callous to all tender feelings, will readily suggest—that it is shocking to humanity, violative of generous sentiment, abhorrent utterly from the Christian religion; for as Montesquieu very justly observes, “We must suppose them not to be men, or a suspicion would follow that we ourselves are not Christians.” There can not be a more dangerous maxim than that necessity is a plea for injustice. For who shall fix the degree of this necessity? What villian so atrocious who may not urge this excuse; or, as Milton has happily expressed it,—“and with necessity, the tyrants plea, excuse his devilish deed”?[1169]

George Keith and other antagonists of slavery

Besides the three representatives mentioned, there were a host of others, many of them still earlier but perhaps none who exercised so great an influence. Among those worthy of mention were George Keith, a dissenter among Quakers, but one of the earliest teachers in Philadelphia, and a very ardent antagonist of slavery. Others, whose zeal outran their discretion, such as Ralph Sandiford, Benjamin Lay,[1170] and William Southeby, might be profitably discussed here, but lack of space eliminates their consideration. Still other itinerant ministers, Banks, Pennington, and Chalkley, though not so precipitous in their actions as the three above named, were none the less worthy spokesmen of the cause.