Memorial Against Slaveholding
by Francis
Daniel Pastorius, Garret
Hendericks, Derick Op
den Graeff, and Abraham
Op den Graeff
The document is dated "18. of the 2. month 1688;" but this was while England and its colonies still used the Julian calendar. While January 1 was observed as the beginning of the New Year, the "civil year" began on March 25. This raises the question of whether the date on the document should be rendered as February 18 or April 18. After England adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, dates were moved forward eleven days, which would make the date in "new style" either February 29 (1688 was a leap year) or April 29. Katie Gerbner, author of a 2006 senior thesis at Columbia University entitled Origins of Abolitionism in America: The Germantown Petition Against Slavery, says that April 18 is the correct Julian date.
The original document had no title. The title used here is taken from a description of the document in Whittier's "Introductory Note" to The Pennsylvania Pilgrim. The document was signed at the home of Thones Kunders, one of the original Germantown settlers,It proved too controversial for even the Quakers to approve at their monthly and yearly meetings. The site is marked with a Pennsylvania historical marker erected in 1990.
Thones Kunders was one of the first 13 German families to come to America aboard the "Concord" in 1683 and establish Germantown, PA (now a portion of Philadelphia). He and the other passengers were Quakers and Mennonites, escaping persecution in Germany. Very soon after the arrival of this little band, the first Friends meeting in Germantown was held in the house of Thones Kunders, and likely was continued there until the first meeting-house was built in 1686. It proved too controversial for even the Quakers to approve at their monthly and yearly meetings.From: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Memorial_Against_Slaveholding
The Document
From: David B. Updegraff, Quaker Holiness Preacher; J.Brent Bill
This is to ye Monthly Meeting held at Richard Worrel's.
These are the reasons
why we are against the traffick of men Body, as followeth. Is there any that
would be done or handled? Viz, to be sold or made a slave for all the
time of his life? How fearfull and fainthearted are many on sea when they see a
strange vessel, being afraid it should be a Turk, and they should be taken and
sold for slaves into Turckey. Now what is this better done as Turcks doe, yea
rather is it worse for them, which say they are Christians for we hear that ye
most part of such Negers are brought hither against their will and consent and
that many of them are stollen. Now, tho' they are black, we cannot conceive
there is more liberty to have them slaves, as it is to have other white ones.
There is a saying, that we shall doe to all men, like as we will be done our
selves macking no difference of what generation, descent or colour they are. And
those who steal or robb men, and those who buy or purchase them, are they not
all alicke? Here is liberty of conscience, wch is right and reasonable here
out to be lickewise liberty of ye except of evildoers wch is another
case but to bring men hither, or to robb and sell them against their will we
stand against. In Europe there are many oppressed for Conscience sake and here
there are those oppressed which are of a black colour. And we, who know that men
must not commit adultery, some doe commit adultery in others, separating wifes
from their husbands and giving them to others, and some sell the children of those poor creatures to other men.
Oh! doe consider well this things, you who doe it; if you would be done at this manner! and if it is done according to
Christianity? You surpass Holland and Germany in this thing.
This mackes an ill
report in all those countries of Europe, where they hear off, that ye Quackers
doe here handel men like they handel there ye cattel. And for that reason some
have no mind or inclination to come hither, and who shall maintains this your
cause or plaid for it. Truly we can not do so, except you shall inform us better
hereoff, that Christians have liberty to practise this things. Pray! What thing
on the world can be done worse towards us, then if men should robb or steal us
away, and sell us for slaves to strange countries, separating housbands from
their wifes and children. Being now this is not done at that manner, we will be
done at, therefore we contradict & are against this traffick of menbody. And
we who profess that it is not lawful to steal, must likewise avoid to purchase
such things as are stollen but rather help to stop this robbing and stealing if
possible; and such men ought to be delivered out of ye hands of ye Robbers and sett free as well as in Europe.
Then is Pennsylvania to have a good report, instead it hath now a bad one for this sacke in other countries. Especially whereas ye Europeans are desirous to know in what manner ye Quackers doe rule in their Province; and most of them doe look upon us with an envious eye. But if this is done well, what shall we say is done evil.
If once these slaves (which they say are so wicked and stubborn men) should joint themselves, fight for their freedom and handel their masters and mastrisses as they did handel them before, will these masters and mastrisses tacke the sword at hand and warr against these poor slaves, like we are able to believe, some will not refuse to doe? Or have these Negers not as much right to fight for their freedom, as you have to keep them slaves?
Now consider well this thing, if it is good or bad. And in case you find it to be good to handel these blacks at that manner, we desire & require you hereby lovingly, that you inform us herein, which at this time never was done, viz that Christians have such a liberty to do so, to the end we shall be satisfied in this point, & satisfied lickewise our good friends and acquaintances in our natif country, to whose it is a terrour or fearfull thing that men should be handeld so in Pennsilvania.
This is from our Meeting at Germantown held ye 18. of the 2. month 1688. to be delivered to the monthly meeting at Richard Worrel's.
Gerret Hendericks
Derick op de graeff
Francis Daniell
Pastorius
Abraham op den graeff.
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The Document can be viewed above, Click image to review
Monthly Meeting Response:
At our Monthly Meeting at Dublin, ye 30 - 2 mo., 1688, we have inspected ye matter, above mentioned, and considered of it, we find it so weighty that we think it not expedient for us to meddle with it here, but do rather commit it to ye consideration of ye Quarterly Meeting; ye tenor of it being nearly related to ye Truth. On behalf of ye Monthly Meeting,
Signed, P. Jo. Hart.
Quarterly Meeting Response:
This, above mentioned, was read in our Quarterly Meeting at Philadelphia, the 4 of ye 4th mo. '88, and was from thence recommended to the Yearly Meeting, and the above said Derick, and the other two mentioned therein, to present the same to ye above said meeting, it being a thing of too great a weight for this meeting to determine.
Signed by order of ye meeting,Anthony Morris.
Yearly Meeting Response:
At a Yearly Meeting held at Burlington the 5th day of the 7th month, 1688.
A Paper being here presented by some German Friends Concerning the Lawfulness and Unlawfulness of Buying and keeping Negroes, It was adjusted not to be so proper for this Meeting to give a Positive Judgment in the case, It having so General a Relation to many other Parts, and therefore at present they forbear It.
Sources:
Walton, Joseph, ed. Incidentes Illustrating the Doctrines and History of the Society of Friends. Philadelphia: Friends' Book Store, 1897.
see also
Hartzler, J.S. and Kauffman, Daniel, eds. Mennonite Church History. Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Book and Tract Society, 1905.