And who ſhall maintain this your cauſe, or plead for it? Truly, we cannot do ſo, except you ſhall inform us better hereof, viz.: that Chriſtians have liberty to practiſe theſe things. Pray, what thing in the world can be done worſe towards us, than if men ſhould rob or ſteal us away, and fell us for ſlaves to ſtrange countries; ſeparating huſbands from their wives and children. Being now this is not done in the manner we would be done at, [by]; therefore, we contradict, and are againſt this traffic of men-body. And we who profeſs that it is not lawful to ſteal, muſt, likewiſe, avoid to purchaſe ſuch things as are ſtolen, but rather help to ſtop this robbing and ſtealing, if poſſible. And ſuch men ought to be delivered out of the hands of the robbers, and ſet free as in Europe. Then is Pennſylvania to have a good report, inſtead, it hath now a bad one, for this ſake, in other countries: Eſpecially whereas the Europeans are deſirous to know in what manner the Quakers do rule in their province; and moſt of them do 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 join themſelves—fight for their freedom, and handel their maſters and miſtreſſes, as they did handel them before; will thefſe maſters and miſtreſſſes take the ſword at hand and war againſt theſe poor ſlaves, like, as we are able to believe, ſome will not refuſe to do? Or, have theſe poor 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