"Sam": or The history of mystery./ By C. W. Webber.

54 "' SAM:" OR, THE HISTORY OF MYSTERY.
In the provinces of New York and New Jersey, negro
slaves were employed, to a certain extent, not only as domestic servants, but as agricultural laborers. In the city of New
York, they constituted a sixth part of the population. The
slave code of that province was hardly less harsh than that
of Virginia.
In Pennsylvania the number of slaves was small, partly
owing to the ample supply of indented white servants, but
partly, also, to scruples of conscience on the part of the
Quakers. In the early days of the province, in 1688, some
German Quakers, shortly after their arrival, had expressed
the opinion that slavery was not morally lawful. George
Keith had borne a similar testimony; but he was disowned as
schismatic, and presently abandoning the society, was denounced as a renegade. When Penn, in 1699, had proposed
to provide by law for the marriage, religious instruction, and
kind treatment of slaves, he met with no response from the
Quaker Legislature. In 1712, to a petition in favor of
emancipating the negroes, the Assembly replied,'that it
was neither just nor convenient to set them at liberty.'
They imposed, however, a heavy duty, in effect prohibitory,
and intended to be so, on the importation of negroes. This
act, as we have seen, was negatived by the crown. The policy, however, was persevered in. New acts, passed from
time to time, restricted importations by a duty first of five,
but lately reduced to two pounds per head. The Quaker
testimony against slavery, was renewed by Sandiford and
Lay, who brought with them to Pennsylvania, a strong detestation of the system of servitude which they had seen in
Barbadoes in all its rigors. The same views began presently
to be perseveringly advocated by Woolman and Benezet,
whose labors were not without effect upon the Quakers, some
of whom set the example of emancipating their slaves.
Franklin was also distinguished as an early and decided advocate for emancipation. The greater part of the slaves of
Pennsylvania were to be found in Philadelphia. A fourth
part of the inhabitants of that city were persons of African
descent, including many, however, who had obtained their
freedom. (1750).
In the tobacco growing colonies, Maryland, Virginia, and