Manumission in Revolutionary North Carolina, 1767-1777

Source: Society Miscellaneous Collection, Box 11, Historical Society of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

6 mo. 1st: 1767

To any judicious and enquiring Friend

I have for many Years been much distressed in my mind on account of Negroes remaining Slaves in our Society for several Reasons,

First, being convinced in my Judgment that the Slave Trade is a very wicked and abominable Practice, contrary to the natural Rights and Privileges of all mankind, and against the Golden Rule of doing to others as we would be done unto.-

Secondly, fully believing that they prove a Snare to Friends' Children, by being made use of as Nurseries to pride, Idleness and a Lording Spirit over our Fellow Creatures, and oftentimes by their contrary Behaviour prove Provocations to Masters and Mistresses to anger Passion and unsavory Expressions to the wounding of their
Spirits.-

Thirdly it appears to me to be a Contradiction to our peaceable Principle and Testimony against Wars and Fighting, under a Gospel Dispensation, to keep Captives taken by the Sword against their own free will and Consent, and that if our own negroes should ever be concerned in rising to endeavour to recover their Freedom it would be ungrateful in us towards our Fellow Subjects to refuse our Assistance to subdue them.

Fourthly where true Endeavours have been used to inculcate Principles of true Religion Piety and Virtue in them for the good of their Souls, it hath appeared to me to have had but a small effect and looks to me that it will remain to be the Case with all such in whom the Seeds of Discontent and uneasiness remain under a Sense of their State of Bondage and Slavery.-

Now let any thoughtful person seriously consider whether it is not reasonable to suppose that any person convinced in their Judgment of the above Evils and Difficulties, and at the same Time in possession (mostly by Inheritance and breeding in their Families) of eighteen or twenty of them aggravated by the Laws of the province to sell them at public Sale to the highest Bidder, and the Mony to be put to the use of the Parish, if freed by their Master or Mistress, excepting for meritorious Causes to be allowed of by the County Court, and I think they must Sympathize with me in my Distress of mind,

Upon the whole I think I can honestly say that on the Terms of any Expedient being fallen upon to let them have their Freedom on reasonable and lawful Terms I am willing to give up mine, and until such a Method can be fallen upon there is nothing that appears to me to be more safe and expedient in the present Distress than for those that have them (that are willing to live with them and behave themselves well) to keep them and use them well, and after a reasonable number of Years of Servitude to defray the Cost or Charges of raising them, to make them free under proper Guardians and Restrictions to keep them from becoming a public Charge or Offense to Government, and such as behave badly, and are not content to live with their present Masters or Mistresses, to be sold to other masters or mistresses, in which all reasonable Regard ought to be paid to the Choice of the said Slaves with their new master or mistress.

And as it is evident that the burnt Child dreads the Fire, and none knows so well where the Shoe pinches as those that wear it I should think it expedient for Friends to discourage the practice as much as possible, by advising those who have their Hands clear of them, to keep them so, and by no means to involve themselves in a Difficulty that they will find hard work to extricate themselves from if ever they come rightly to weigh the matter in a true Ballance.
Thomas Nicholson 

Source: Journal of Thomas Nicholson, typescript, Friends Historical Library of Swarth-more College, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Having been deeply distressed in my mind for several months Principally on account of the unjustifiableness of the Practice of keeping Negroes in Bondage, and Slavery in which time of trial, I have met with many strong reasonings, both for and against, the Practice, untill I have been brought into, and for sometime have felt that condition described in the 116 Psalm V. 3, the sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of Hell got hold upon me, I found trouble and sorrow, in which condition I have had to consider, of the following scriptures, in a very close and awful manner, Isaiah at Verses, 15, 16, and 17" when we make many prayers. I will not hear; your hands are filled of blood, wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes, cease to do Evil, learn to do well, seek judgment believe the Oppressed, Micah VI, 8. He hath shewed to thee, O man what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Justly, and to love mercy, and to walk Humbly with thy God; Matthew VIL. 12. Therefore all things Whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you, do you even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets, Matthew XVI. 26. For what is a Man profited, if he should gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his soul? Revelations XVIII. 2. Babylon the great is Fallen, is fallen, and is become the Habitation of Devils, V. 4. come out of her my People, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not Of her plagues: V. 13. Her Merchandize, among other things, was in Slaves and Souls of Men V. 24 In her was found the Blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were Slain upon the Earth. As I have been very deeply dipped in a state of Sufferings in the Case, I have gradually, been lead into the following considerations, and Views.

First: Supposing a Law made by Mortal Men, to allow one man to lay hold of another, his fellow, Mortal and Brother by creation, and Intail Slavery, on him, and his posterity, forever without his con-sent; or any forteiture of liberty on his part to be contrary to true Christianity and a Violation of that Golden Rule, commanded by the great Law giver, Christ Jesus, all things whatsoever ye would that Men should to you, do you even so to them.

Second: If another law is made by Mortal Men to escape this slavery, by ordering, that if any person set a Negro free, excepting for Meritorious causes, and that they shall be sold and without paying any regard to a tender Scruple of Conscience, in keeping them, in slavery, would it lay us under the Guilt of obeying Men more than God, if we should forbear setting them free, on account of that law, when our conscience condemned us for keeping them in slavery and Bondage?

Third: Supposing the case, to be as above stated, whether, such as do hinder those that would set them free from conscience motives, will not be in danger of a falling under that woe pronounced against such as will not {enter} in the Kingdom of Heaven, themselves, and such as would enter, the{y} endeavoured to hinder?

Fourth: Supposing by setting them free, contrary to the law of the Country, we might open a door for a more crucial Bondage, to be Intailed upon them, by their being sold into the hands of others, that will not use them with so much tenderness, as their present Masters would do?

Fifth: If that should happen to be the case, will not the burden and sin lie on the heads of those that are the cause thereof, and be required at their hands, and those that have set them (free} be clear, when they have done all that is in their power to do?

Sixth: Whether such as do clear themselves, as above, may not answer all their opposers, we have faith to believe, that the God whom we endeavour to serve is able to preserve those whom we do set free, from falling into the hands of cruel and wicked Men, but whether he will or not, we will no longer be concerned in that cruel Babylonish Practice, which is only by Human Laws allowed of, nor partake with you in that Merchandise, as it is in slaves and Souls of Men. 

Source: Minutes of North Carolina Friends Yearly Meeting, 25 October 1777, North Carolina Yearly Meeting Archives, Friends Historical Collection, Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina.

A Just and Righteous Plea in behalf of Liberty & freedom

If we are called in question concerning the good Deed done to the much Injured Africans in Restoring to them that Liberty and Freedom which is a Natural and Unalienable Right of all Mankind the Cause is too good to deny it -And therefore are Willing to Inform all whom it may Concern the true Cause and Motive that induced us so to do in Order that if any are found fighting against God they may be left with out excuse-

That from Mature deliberate Consideration And the Conviction of our own Minds, being fully persuaded that freedom is the Natural right of all Mankind, and that no Law Moral or Divine has given us a Right to or property in the persons of any of our fellow Creatures any longer than in a State of Minority, And being desireous to fulfill the Injunction of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by doing as we would be done by-

The above laudable Motives prevailing on our Minds beyond all Selfish and Worldly Considerations, we believe that our Conduct therein hath the Sanction of Divine Approbation and ought to be Approved by all Reasonable Men-

For having endeavoured to steer clear from the least Stain or Guilt in that guiltless Blood shed on the Earth, when that awfull day shall come in which the * "Earth shall disclose her Blood and no more cover her Slain"; fully believing that the trade in Slaves & Souls of Men is justly chargeable with a large share there in, and that those who do remain partakers with Murtherers and Men stealers, will be involved in their guilt; and therefore, whatever Ignorance may surmise to the Contrary, having thro' Divine assistance done what we believe was our Duty to do; if Men should be permitted to Reduce them to a State of Bondage and Slavery, the guilt will be laid to the charge of those that are the cause thereof; and we shall appeal to him that Judgeth righteously without respect to Persons.

* Isa. 26 C. 21 V.