from A Mite Cast into the Treasury; or, Observations on Slave-Keeping
An influential New Jersey Quaker, David Cooper (1725–1795) campaigned against slavery throughout the 1770s and 1780s. He never relented in his fight against slavery: in 1783, he published A Serious Address to the Rulers of America, On the Inconsistency of Their Conduct Respecting Slavery, and from 1783 to 1788 he traveled to the Continental Congress almost every year to lobby for the abolition of slavery. In the passage below, excerpted from his first published work, Cooper cast his argument in the form of a dramatic dialogue designed to prick the conscience of any sincere Christian.
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Query. How came thee possessed of this woman?
Ans. I bought her of an African merchant, who brought her from Guinea when a child.
Query. How came he by her?
Ans. I know not: I suppose he bought her of them who had a right to sell her.
A right to sell her! No one, not even her father could have such a right longer than till she came to the age of a woman, at which time she was pronounced free by the law of nature, the rules of equity and justice, and precepts of Christ, whether in her father’s house, or a master’s, in her native country, or among strangers; this inherent right she carries with her, and cannot be disseized of but by her own consent.—But it is very likely she was stolen from her parents, and then justice will say the perpetrator had not the least right to her, consequently could convey none, but that he deserved death for the act.—If this is the chain of conveyance on which thy title to these negroes stands, thou sees it is none at all, but that the life of the person thou holds under, was justly forfeited for being the means of putting them into thy power; therefore if thou had been a christian in deed and in truth, that is, been dictated in all thy conduct by the precepts of Christ, which are the perfections of justice, would sooner have cast thy money into the fire, than have made such an unchristian purchase, by doing of which, thou approved of, and made thyself a partner in all the string of crimes committed in procuring, bringing, and selling this child for a slave; but having done it, should then have acted the part of a father by her, been more earnest in giving her a christian education, than to make her earn her purchase-money, and have claimed no right to her after she came to woman’s age.——This is as thou would desire a child of thine should be treated in the like circumstances; but as thou did not then discharge a christian duty by her, hath now an additional cumber, and ought to do this by her children; for being under thy care, their own father cannot do it, and by a free act of thy own, thou stands his substitute as to their education, and ought to discharge a father’s duty to them in that respect.
Object. I act the part of a father by negroes! be at the cost of raising them, schooling and what not, and when they are able to earn something set them free!—I’ll assure thee I’ll do no such thing, it would be injustice to myself and family.—Why at that age they’ll bring me near 100£ per head.
Do not be warm my friend, I am not about to force thee to obey the laws of God,* “To deal justly, and love mercy.” I know thou has the laws of men on thy side. I am only endeavouring to shew thee it would be abundantly thy greatest interest so to do; and as thou calls thyself a christian, should expect much rhetorick need not be used to convince thee that to be such it is absolutely necessary to obey Christ’s precepts and doctrine; to which there is nothing more diametrically opposite than the slave trade from first to last.
(1772)
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* Mic. vi. 8.