1783 Quaker Anti-Slavery Petition
Date:
1783
Location:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Surnames/tags:
Quakers Pennsylvania Slavery
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The 1783 Philadelphia Quaker Yearly Meeting Anti-Slavery Petition
On October 6, 1783, Anthony Benezet along with three other Friends carried this petition to Princeton, New Jersey where the Continental Congress was meeting. At noon on October 8th, the delegation entered the library on the second floor of Nassau Hall where the Congress held their sessions and read their petition. It was referred to committee and, because of Southern objections, it died.
The document was part of the "A New World Is at Hand" exhibit located in the Rotunda of the National Archives in Washington DC. The petition is written on the front and back of two pages. There are 534 signatures in all.
- To the United States in Congress Assembled
- The Address from the Yearly Meeting of the People Called Quakers
- 4th Day of the Tenth Month 1783
- Being through the favour of Divine Providence met as usual at this season in our annual Assembly to promote the cause of Piety and Virtue, We find with great satisfaction our well meant endeavors for the relief of an oppressed part of our fellow Men have been so far blessed, that those of them who have been held in bondage by Members of our Religious Society are generally restored to freedom, their natural and just right.
- Commiserating the afflicted state into which the Inhabitants of Africa are very deeply involved by many professors of the mild and benign doctrines of the Gospel, and affected with a sincere concern for the essential Good of our Country, We conceive it our indispensable duty to revive the lamentable grievance of that oppressed people in your view as an interesting subject evidently claiming the serious attention of those who are entrusted with the powers of Government, as Guardians of the common rights of Mankind and advocates for liberty.
- We have long beheld with sorrow the complicated evils produced by an unrighteous commerce which subjects many thousands of the human species to the deplorable State of Slavery.
- The Restoration of Peace and restraint to the effusion of human Blood we are persuaded excite in the minds of many of all Christian denominations gratitude and thankfulness to the all wise controller of human events; but we have grounds to fear, that some forgetfulness of the days of Distress are prompted from avaricious motives to renew the iniquitous trade for slaves to the African Coasts, contrary to every humane and righteous consideration, and in opposition to the solemn declarations often repeated in favour of universal liberty, thereby increasing the too general torrent of corruption and licentiousness, and laying a foundation for future calamities.
- We therefore earnestly solicit your Christian interposition to discourage and prevent so obvious an Evil, in such manner as under the influence of Divine Wisdom you shall see meet.
- Signed in and on behalf of our Yearly Meeting held in Philadelphia for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and the western parts of Maryland and Virginia dated the fourth day of the tenth month 1783.
See also:
The Signatories to the 1783 Quaker Anti-Slavery Petition in Alphabetical Order
A - D
Last Name | First Name | Page.Column
Allen David 4.1
Allinson Saml. 2.4
Ashbridge Geo. 3.1
Atkinson William 4.1
Atkinson William 4.4
Attmore Caleb 3.1
Attmore Tho. 3.1
Bacon David 3.1
Baily John 4.4
Balderson John 3.4
Baldwin Joshua ? 2.1
Ball Joseph 4.2
Ballinger Daniel 4.4
Barker/Parker Thompson ? 2.1
Barnard Richard 2.3
Bartlett Richard 2.3
Bates Hezekiah 4.4
Beale John 2.3
Bellanger Thomas 3.3
Benezet Anthony 1.2
Bernard Jeremiah jun 4.2
Berris/Berry John ? 2.1
Berts Simes 3.2
Biddle Owen 3.4
Birchall Jno. 2.1
Blackford Gerard jr. 4.2
Bonsall Edward 3.4
Bonsalle Isaac 2.4
Barton Isaac 4.4
Bowne Geo: 4.3
Bradway Edward 2.3
Brewer William 4.3
Briggs Samuel 4.4
Bringhurst James 3.1
Bringhurst Joseph 2.1
Brinton Joseph 3.1
Britt Daniel 4.1
Brotherton Henry 4.2
Brown Saml 3.1
Brown Jonathan 2.4
Brown Joshua p. 1.2
Brown Richard 2.2
Brown Thomas 4.1
Brown Wm 4.4
Buckley Phins. 3.1
Budd Joseph 3.2
Bunting Joshua 2.1
Bunting josiah 2.2
Bunting Samuel 2.4
Burrough Joseph 4.3
Butler John 3.1
Byrnes Daniel 1.2
Cadwallader Isaac 3.4
Cadwalader Moses 4.4
Cameron Dugald 2.4
Canby Samuel 3.3
Carey Thomas 3.3
Carpenter John 4.1
Cathrall Benjamin 4.1
Cattell Jonas 2.2
Chesshir Joel 2.2
Chestnutwood Jacob 4.2
Child John 2.4
Churchman George 1.3
Churchman mord. 2.1
Clark Joseph 2.4
Clark Saml 3.1
Clarke Benjamin 4.2
Clarke Isaac 2.4
Clayton Aaron 3.3
Cleaver Ellis 4.2
Cleaver Ezekial 4.1
Clifford Thomas 4.2
Clifton William 3.4
Clifton Henry 3.2
Coale William 4.4
Coates Moses 2.3
Coats Isaac 2.2
Collins John 2.4
Collins John 3.4
Comfort Ezra 2.4
Comfort John 2.1
Conarroe Thomas Sen. 2.3
Cookson Samuel 3.2
Coope Abiah 4.3
Cooper David 1.4
Coope(r) Samuel 2.1
Cooper William 2.1
Cooper William junr. 4.1
Copland Cowperthawaite 3.2
Cowgill Eze. 2.2
Cowgill Henry 2.2
Cowgill John 2.1
Cresson James 3.3
Cresson Joshua 3.4
Cumming David 3.2
Darnel Edward 3.2
Darnel Lewis 3.4
Darnel Samuel 3.4
Davies Joseph 3.2
Dawes Abijah 4.1
Dawes Rumford 3.2
Dawson Daniel 4.4
Dennis Philip 3.4
Dickenson Daniel 3.2
Dillwyne Geo. 1.2
Dennock Joshua 2.2
Dingee Christopher 3.4
Dingee Chas. 4.1
Dixon William 2.2
Dorsey Benedict 3.1
Doughty William 2.4
Downing Silas 1.4
Downing William 2.3
Drinker Danl. 2.2
Drinker Henry 3.4
Drinker John 4.1
Dugh James 2.1
Duncan John 4.2
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E - H
Last Name | First Name | Page.Column
Elliott John jun 4.1
Ellis John 3.4
Ellis Peter 4.2
Ellis Wm. 3.2
Ely Hugh 4.1
Emlen Mames 2.1
Evans David 1.4
Evans Enoch 3.3
Evans Evan 4.4
Evans George 1.2
Evans John 4.1
Evans Robert 3.2
Evans Thomas 2.2
Evans Thos. 2.3
Eves John 3.1
Farquhar Allen 2.1
Farquhar Thomas 3.1
Fearnley Thomas 4.2
Fell William 2.2
Ferree/Ferrel John ? 3.2
Field Elijah 4.4
Field John 3.1
Fisher Miers 2.1
Fisher Thomas 3.1
Fisher Thomas 3.3
Flower Jno 2.3
Follett Thomas 2.2
Folwell William 4.2
Forman John 3.2
Forsythe John 4.2
Foulke Caleb 3.3
Franklin John 4.3
Franklin Thos. 4.2
French Robert 2.4
Furman Josiah 4.2
Furman/Truman Morris ? 2.2
Garrett Nathan 2.2
Garrigues Saml. 3.1
Garriguis Edward 4.2
Garriguis William 4.2
George Thomas 4.4
Gibbons Ja 3.1
Gibbs Jonathan 4.2
Gibbs Joshua 3.3
Gibbs Lucas 3.1
Gilbert John 3.1
Gillingham Yeamans 4.4
Goodwin Richard 4.1
Gracy John 2.2
Gray Enoch 2.2
Griffith Abrm 2.2
Griffitts James 2.3
Griscom William ? 2.2
Guest John 4.2
Gummere Saml 2.3
Haines Job 4.3
Haines Caleb 3.1
Haines Jesse 3.3
Haines Samuel 2.2
Hall David 2.3
Hall Thomas 4.4
Hallowell Thos. 3.3
Hallowell Wm. Jun. 3.1
Hampton Samuel 2.4
Hamton Benja. 2.1
Harlan Caleb 3.2
Harrison Tho' 4.3
Hartshorne William 3.4
Harvey Amos 2.2
Harvey William 1.1
Hatton Peter 3.4
Haviland Daniel 1.1
Hawley Joseph 2.1
Haworth George 2.4
Haworth John 4.2
Haydock John 4.3
Hayes Henry 2.4
Hedger Samuel 3.3
Hibberd Abraham 2.4
Hilles David 4.3
Hilliar John 3.2
Hirst John 4.1
Hollingshead Edmund 4.2
Hollingsworth Christopher 2.1
Hollingsworth, Jehu 2.4
Hoopes William 4.1
Hoopes David 3.1
Hoopes Thos jun 2.1
Hopkins Johns 4.3
Hopkins Saml. 2.3
Horne John 3.2
Hornor Benj. 3.2
Hoskins John 1.3
Hoskins Raper 4.2
Hough Benjamin 2.4
Hough John 2.3
Hough Thomas 3.1
Howell Arthur 3.2
Howell John 4.3
Howell Joshua 3.3
Howell Sam. 4.1
Hughes Owen 2.1
Humphreys Benjamin 4.1
Humphreys John 2.4
Humphreys Richard 4.1
Hunt John 2.4
Hunt John jr. 4.1
Hunt Joshua 2.2
Hutton John 3.3
Hutton Samuel 3.2
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I - O
Last Name | First Name | Page.Column
Iddings James 2.3
Iddings, William 2.2
Jackson John 4.3
Jackson John 2.1
Jackson Wm. Junr. 4.1
Jacobs Isaac 3.4
James Abel jr. 4.2
James Isaac 4.2
James John 3.2
James Joseph 3.4
Janney Bleackston 4.4
Janney Joseph 2.2
Janney Mahlon 2.3
Jefferis Wm. 3.4
Jefferis Cheyney 4.1
Jenkins Joseph 4.1
Jess Zachariah 2.4
John Griffith 3.1
John Joshua 2.3
Jones Cadwalader 3.4
Jones Edward 3.3
Jones Edward 3.3
Jones James jnr. 4.3
Jones Nathan 4.3
Jones Norris 3.2
Jones Owen 1.4
Jones Richard 3.2
Kambin/kamber Caleb ? 2.1
Kersey William 1.4
Kirk Caleb 3.2
Kirk Elisha 2.3
Kirk Isaiah 3.3
Kirkbride Robert 3.1
Kirkbride Jonathan 2.3
Kite Benjamin 3.4
Knight Giles jun 2.1
Laing John 3.3
Lamb Daniel 4.3
Lamb Joshua 4.3
Lamb Pierce 1.4
Larkin Isaac 3.1
Lee Mordecai 2.4
Leeds Daniel 3.4
Leeds Vincent 3.3
Letchworth John 3.2
Letchworth William 4.2
Lewden John 3.1
Lewis Evan 4.2
Lewis Nathan 4.3
Lewis Robt. 4.2
Lightfoot Thomas 1.3
Lindley Jacob 1.3
Linton Benjamin 2.1
Linton W. 3.3
Lippincott Wm 4.4
Littler Nathan 4.4
Longstreth Daniel 3.2
Lord Constantine 3.2
Lownes Caleb 4.2
Lownes William 4.3
Lukens Joseph 3.1
Lundy Jacob junr. 3.2
Lypton, John 3.1
Lysston John 2.2
Marule Jacob 3.3
Marot Davenport 4.1
Marot Phillip 4.4
Marshall Hum(phrey) 4.2
Martin George 3.3
Mason Benjamin 2.3
Massey Isaac 2.1
Massey Thomas jr. 3.3
Mather Bartho. 3.4
Matthews Thomas 2.2
Maule Ebenezer 4.2
Maule John 4.4
McKay/McRae Andw. 3.4
Middleton Gideon 3.1
Middleton Saml. 3.4
Mifflin Daniel 4.4
Mifflin Warner 1.2
Milhous Jesse 4.4
Milhous John 2.2
Milhouse Thomas 1.3
Miller Mark 2.1
Miller Samuel 2.4
MIller Solomon 2.1
Miller William 2.4
Minshall Griffith 2.4
Moon James 2.1
Moon Moses 3.4
Moore David 2.2
Moore Edward 4.1
Moore George 4.3
Moore Joseph 2.3
Moore Mord. 2.4
Moore Robert 4.2
Moris, Caleb 2.3
Morris John junr. 4.3
Morris Joshua 1.1
Morton John 3.3
Newbold Cleayton 4.3
Oakford, Aaron 3.2
Offley Danl 3.4
Oldden John 4.4
Ottey William 4.1
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P - R
Last Name | First Name | Page.Column
Painter James 4.1
Parke Jacob 4.4
Parker John 2.3
Parker Thomas 2.1
Parker Thomas 4.4
Parrish John 3.3
Parry John 2.2
Parvin Ephraim 3.4
Paxson Aaron 2.3
Paxson Isaac 4.3
Paxson Oliver 4.4
Paxson Thomas 3.2
Paynter Richard 3.1
Pearson Thomas 2.1
Peirce John 3.3
Peirce Joseph 2.3
Pemberton James 1.3
Pennell Dell 4.1
Pennock, Caleb 2.2
Pennock, Joseph 2.3
Penrose Joseph 1.1
Penrose William 2.3
Pickering Isaac 1.1
Pickering Jona. 3.4
Pickering Jos. 3.1
Pim Thomas 3.3
Pleasant Saml. 3.2
Potts Jonas 4.4
Potts Joseph 3.1
Poultney Anthony 4.4
Price John jr. 1.1
Price Philip jun. 3.2
Price Philip 2.4
Price Richard 3.3
Prior Edmund 3.1
Pugh John 3.3
Redman Thomas 2.3
Reynell John 1.1
Reynolds Henry 4.3
Rhoads Saml 4.4
Richards Saml. 3.3
Richardson Joseph 2.4
Richardson Joseph junr 4.3
Richardson William 2.2
Ridgway David 3.4
Ridgway William 4.3
Ring Elias 4.4
Rively John 4.2
Robbins Nathan 3.2
Roberts Hugh 1.1
Roberts Israel 4.3
Roberts John 3.1
Roberts John 3.4
Roberts Joseph 3.4
Roberts William 2.3
Robeson John 4.4
Robinson Ebenezer 3.4
Rogers Abner 3.1
Rogers Thomas 3.2
Rogers Thomas jun. 3.4
Rogers Thomas junr. 4.3
Rogers William 2.1
Rose Thos. 1.1
Russell Jos. 3.3
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S - U
Last Name | First Name | Page.Column
Sansom William 3.2
Satterthwait John 3.3
Savery William 2.2
Savery William jr. 1.3
Say Thos. 2.3
Scarlet John 3.4
Seal Caleb 4.1
Sharples Joel 4.4
Sharples Joshua 3.4
Sharples Thomas 4.2
Sharpless Daniel ? 2.1
Sharpless Jos. 3.4
Sharpless Nathan 4.2
Shinn Sam. 2.3
Shoemaker Jacob 3.3
Shoemaker Jacob junr. 4.1
Shoemaker Jonathan 3.2
Shoemaker Thomas 3.3
Shotwell Jos: jun 4.1
Simpson John 3.2
Simpson Saml. 3.3
Smedley Jeffrey 3.1
Smedley Thomas jr. 2.1
Smith Aaron 2.4
Smith James 2.1
Smith James jr. 2.4
Smith John 4.1
Smith Samuel 2.3
Smith William 2.1
Speakman Thomas 4.2
Stablers Edward ? 2.1
Stackhouse Joseph 2.4
Stapler Jno. 2.1
Stapler John jr. ? 2.1
Stapler Thomas 3.3
Starr Jacob 2.3
Starr James 3.2
Starr James 2.3
Starr Saml. 2.4
Starr Wm 4.4
Steer Jo. Jun 2.3
Stevenson Cornell 4.3
Stevenson William 2.2
Stirredge Zachariah 4.3
Strode Richard 2.2
Sugar Thos. 4.3
Swain Benjamin ? 2.1
Swayne Jacob 2.2
Swayne tho. 2.1
Swett Benj. 1.4
Talbot John 2.4
Talbot Joseph 4.3
Tatum John 2.3
Taylor Amos 4.1
Taylor Bernard 3.3
Taylor Samuel 4.3
Test Benjamin 2.4
Thomas Isaac 3.2
Thomas Robert 4.3
Thomas Townsend 2.3
Thompson Daniel 2.4
Thompson Israel 2.4
Thornton James 1.2
Thornton James jr. 4.2
Todd John 3.3
Todd John junr 4.3
Tomkins Jacob 4.3
Townsend John 3.1
Townsend Joseph 2.2
Trimble Samuel 2.2
Trotter Daniel 4.4
Trotter Thomas 4.3
Truman, Morris 2.2
Tyson James 2.4
Updegraff Saml. 4.1
Updegraff Harman 3.3
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V - Z
Last Name | First Name | Page.Column
Vanlaw Joseph 4.1
Verrel Robert 2.4
Walker Abel 4.3
Walmsley Silas 3.4
Waring Wm 4.3
Warrington Joseph 2.4
Waterman Jesse 3.4
Watson Thos. 3.2
Way Jacob 2.3
Way Joshua 4.1
Webb John 4.3
Webster Hugh 2.3
Webster Isaac 4.1
Webster William 2.2
Weekes Refine 2.4
Wells Richard 4.2
West Charles 3.3
West Charles junr. 4.4
West Joseph 3.1
Wharton Isaac 4.2
Wetherill Saml 2.4
Whitall job 2.2
Whitall James Jun 2.1
Whiteall James 3.1
Whitson Thomas 1.2
Wilkinson Francis 2.1
Wickersham Enoch 2.2
Willets Amos 3.2
Williams George 4.3
Williams Nathan 4.4
Wills Aaron 2.4
Willson Gabriel 3.2
Wilson Isaac 2.2
Wilson William 2.1
Walmsley Thomas 2.3
Wood Robt. 4.1
Worinton Abraham 2.4
Worley Jacob pf order 2.4
Worrill Jonathan 4.2
Worstall/ James ?
Wright Isaac 4.3
Wright John 3.4
Wright Jon. 3.1
Wright Jonathan 2.2
Wright Nathan 2.2
Yarnall Amos 4.2
Yarnall Eli 1.4
Yarnall Ellis 4.4
Yarnall Joshua 4.4
Yarnall Peter 2.3
Zane Isaac 1.1
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[send private message], Michael Cayley 
http://testfamilygenealogy.net/History/Petition/frame.htm
You charters of freedom link doesn't really work since they have changed the page that included the petition.
Something that has bothered me for almost 10 years -- the list of signers that you link to was not properly proofread since it gets Anthony Benezet's name as Anthony Beneres.