In 1844 Mr. Nathan Kite accidentally discovered, among some of the papers belonging to the Society of Friends in Philadelphia, this valuable and long sought document. He immediately caused it to be printed in xvii. vol. of the "Friend," p. 125, and remarks:
"The testimony of the Friends at Germantown against slavery,[1] sent up to the Yearly Meeting of 1688, has, within the last few days, been discovered. These Friends were Germans, and mostly from Creshcim, a town not far from Worms in the Palatinate. They had suffered persecution in their own country, and seem to have had a very correct appreciation of the rights of others. * * * Coming from a country where oppression on account of color was unknown, and where buying, selling, and holding in bondage human beings, who had been legally convicted of no crime, was regarded as an act of cruelty and injustice, to be looked for from the hands of none but a Turk or barbarian, the members of this little community were shocked to see that negro slavery had taken root, and was increasing around them. * * * It is certainly a strong document, and whilst it bears evidence that the writers had an incompetent knowledge of the English language, it plainly demonstrates that they were well acquainted with the inalienable rights of man and with the spirit of the gospel. We publish it as it is in the original, and doubt not that our readers will find sufficient clearness in the argument, notwithstanding some confusion in the use of prepositions."
"this is to the monhthly meeting held at richard worrell's:
"These are the reasons why we are against the traffic of menbody, as followeth. Is there any that would be done or handled at
- ↑ The poet Whittier celebrates the praises of these lovers of liberty for all in the following lines:
"Lay's modest soul, and Benezet the mild,
Steadfast in faith, yet gentle as a child;
Meek-hearted Woolman and that brother band,
The sorrowing exiles from their 'Father Land.'
Leaving their homes in Kricshiem's bowers of vine,
And the blue beauty of their glorious Rhine,
To seek, amidst our solemn depths of wood,
Freedom for man and holy peace with God;
Who first of all their testimonial gave
Against the oppressor for the outcast slave."
Whittier's Poems, 168, Edition of Mussey & Co., Boston, 1845.
