Letter to Moses Brown, 1774-05-09

              Philadelphia 9th 5th May 1774
Respected Friend 
Moses Brown 
Thine of the 8th last month afforded me much 
satisfaction: as I was indeed very desirous to hear of thy welfare. I acknowledge 
thy kind notice of my request in procurring the publication of the piece 
sent therin my first letter as I have no copy of what I wrote thee last 
I'm scarce capable of judging of the expediency of publishing what I sent thee
relating to the concerns growing in Europe & the Southern Colonies, I rather think 
it would be better to delay such a publication as the concern has not yet effectually 
spread but with considerat friends & some thoughtful friends of other societies: 
a publication of that kind might occasion a reply of a contrary nature, founded 
upon truth from the vast number who still vindicate for one reason or other, vindicate 
the practice of slavery tho fear will appear in defense of slave trade nvertheless 
I think it may with truth be said that the concern is still growing. Thomas 
Nichols (one if not the most considerable friend belonging to the yearly meeting
of North Carolina) writes me that the meeting has appointed a standing 
committee to treat with the members of the assembly in order to prevail upn them 
to petition the King against the continuation of the Slave Trade. Friends of 
Maryland are also solicitous that their assembly might consider what may be done 
in the case & hope to gain the attention of its members. And Edward Stabler
clerk to the yearly meeting of Virginia writes as follows "Petersburg 24th 11 mo 1773
I am informed that the petition from our house of Burgesses to the King has not 
met with the desired effect but that he has refused his assent to the act they 
they passed laying in addition duty upon all slaves brought into this country 
but: I find it does not abate the zeal of some of our leading men against the traffic 
but, I hope makes them consider it more deeply. I have been much in observing 
that the inhumanity of the trade & the pernicious tendency of it becomes more & more 
the subject of conversation amongst all ranks of people here." Robt Pleasants a 
a friend of same province sends me the copy of a letter wrote to him by Patrick 
Henry one of the most active members of their assembly of which I send thee 
a copy as also copies of letters I received from the chief justices both of South & 
North Carolina the last I suppose art acquainted with as he came from 
Paris I judged that copies of these three letters would afford the satisfaction 
to see and communicate to thy friends, but not to be published. I am told the 
assembly of New York did pass a bill at their last session laying a considerable 
duty on any further importation of Negroes & other slaves; but it was re-
fused by the Governor Council. The assembly of New York have had 
several petitions presented to them to purport of obtaining a  law to pre-
vent any farther import and also to make the [man?] of slaves more easy. 
My friend Granville Sharp of London desires we may not be discouraged at the
disappointment the Virginians have met with, with respect to their petition 
but repeated us to renew thy petitions from every part where they may be 
obtained to the King Council not the King & Parliament  our application 
requesting that an end may be put to any farther import of slaves as well as on account
of the iniquity of the practice as because of its corrupt as well as dangerous tendency