Letter to Anthony Benezet, 1772-08-21

              Dear Sir -
I return you many thanks for the books which Ii reced from Captn. Falconer, as also your letter. - Before I receiv'd it I began to draw up some arguments agst. Slavery, in order to communicate them to my friends, before the next meeting of Parliamt. [?] thro' continual employment in my brusiness [?] I have proceeded very slowly and have not yet finished them, and shall not I fear for some time longer. - My former tracts were built chiefly upon the laws of England, but my present work is, for the most part, founded on Scripture, to obviate the doctrines from late Writers and disputers who have ventured to Ascent, that Slavery is not inconsistent with the Word of God. - You need not have made an apology for having Abridg'd my book, it is sufficient satisfaction to hear thereby that you thought it capable of doing some servie in a case of which we have bo thof us so much at heart [?] -
Some copies of your book arrived here very opportunaly, just before the famous cause of Jas. Somerset agst. Cha. Steward Egr. came to a hearing, in the court of King's bonch; Doctr. Fothorgill having made me a present of a copy I deired him to procure as many copies as he could  and he accordingly sent me 5 more, which I immediately disposed of as follwos, one to Lord Mansfield, one to Lord North, and the other four to the four [loaned?] Counsel who had generously undertake to plead gratis for Jas. Somerset. - I have since sent copies to all the Judges, as also copies of a little tract which I printed upon the same Occasion, as an appendix to my former book, to obviate some false prejudices relating to the doctrines of Property in Slaves. - I have sent you a copy of the judgmt. given by Lord Mansfield in the case of Somerset, this Judgmt. woudl have done L. Mansfield honor had he not all along seemed inclined to the other side of the Question. After 20 days argument before any Judicial determination was given he advised the West India Merchts. to apply to Parliamet. while they continued to sit; And Mr. Roso Fuller accordingly made a motion int he house for "Securing property