Franklin
Franklin
Franklin
arents by eating an apple, the coming of Christ to repair the mischief, His miracles and suffering, etc. When he
Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think the perfection of civility; they had finished, an Indian orator stood up to thank him. "What you have told us," he says, "is all very good. It is
think the same of theirs. indeed bad to eat apples. It is better to make them all into cider. We are much obliged by your kindness in coming
Perhaps, if we could examine the manners of different nations with impartiality, we should find no people so so far, to tell us these things which you have heard from your mothers. In return, I will tell you some of those we
rude, as to be without any rules of politeness; nor any so polite, as not to have some remains of rudeness. have heard from ours. In the beginning, our fathers had only the flesh of animals to subsist on; and if their
The Indian men, when young, are hunters and warriors; when old, counselors; for all their government is by hunting was unsuccessful, they were starving. Two of our young hunters, having killed a deer, made a fire in the
counsel of the sages; there is no force, there are no prisons, no officers to compel obedience, or inflict woods to broil some part of it. When they were about to satisfy their hunger, they beheld a beautiful young
punishment. Hence they generally study oratory, the best speaker having the most influence. The Indian women woman descend from the clouds, seat herself on that hill, which you see yonder among the blue mountains. They
till the ground, dress the food, nurse and bring up the children, and preserve and hand down to posterity the said to each other, it is a spirit that has smelled our broiling venison and wishes to eat of it; let us offer some to
memory of public transactions. These employments of men and women are accounted natural and honorable. her. They presented her with the tongue; she was pleased with the taste of it, and said 'Your kindness shall be
Having few artificial wants, they have abundance of leisure for improvement by conversation. Our laborious rewarded; come to this place after thirteen moons, and you shall find something that will be of great benefit in
manner of life, compared with theirs, they esteem slavish and base; and the learning, on which we value nourishing you and your children to the latest generations.' They did so, and, to their surprise, found plants they
ourselves, they regard as frivolous and useless. An instance of this occurred at the Treaty of Lancaster, in had never seen before; but which, from that ancient time, have constantly cultivated among us, to our great
1
Pennsylvania, anno 1744, between the government of Virginia and the Six Nations. After the principal business advantage. Where her right hand had touched the ground, they found maize; where her left hand had touched it,
was settled, the commissioners from Virginia acquainted the India by a speech, that there was at Williamsburg a they found kidney-beans; and where her backside had sat on it, they found tobacco." The good missionary,
college, with a fund for educating Indian youth; and that, if the Six Nations would send down half dozen of their disgusted with this idle tale, said, "What I delivered to you were sacred truths; but what you tell me is mere fable,
young lads to that college, the government would take care that they should be well provided for, and instructed fiction, and falsehood." The Indian, offended, replied "My brother, it seems your friends have not done you
in all the learning of the white people. It is one of the Indian rules of politeness not to answer a public justice in your education; they have not well instructed you in the rules of common civility. You saw that we who
proposition the same day that it is made; they think it would be treating it as a light matter, and that they show it understand and practice those rules, believed all your stories; you refuse to believe ours?"
respect by taking time to consider it, as of a matter important. They therefore deferred their answer till the day When any of them come into our towns, our people are apt to crowd round them, gaze upon them, and
following; when their speaker began, by expressing their deep sense of the kindness of the Virginia government, incommode them, where they desire to be private; this they esteem great rudeness, and the effect of the want of
in making them that offer; "for we know," says he, "that you highly esteem the kind of learning taught in those instruction in the rules of civility and good manners. "We have," say they, "as much curiosity as you, and when
Colleges, and that the maintenance of our young men, while with you, would be very expensive to you. We are you come into our towns, we wish for opportunities of looking at you, but for this purpose we hide ourselves
convinced, therefore, that you mean to do us good by your proposal; and we thank you heartily. But who are behind bushes, where you are to pass, and never intrude ourselves into company."
wise, must know that different nations have different conceptions of things; and you will therefore not take it
amiss, if our ideas of this kind of education happen not to he the same with yours. We have had some Their manner of entering one another's village has likewise its rules. It is reckoned uncivil in traveling strangers
experience of' it; several of our young people were formerly brought up at the colleges of' the northern to enter a village abruptly, without giving notice of their approach. Therefore, as soon as they arrive within
provinces; they were instructed in all your sciences; but, when they came back to us, they were bad runners, hearing, they stop and hollow, remaining there till invited to enter. Two old men usually come out to them, and
ignorant of every means of' living in the woods, unable to bear either cold or hunger, knew neither how to build lead them in. There is in every village a vacant dwelling, called the stranger's house. Here they are placed, while
a cabin, take a deer, or kill an enemy, spoke our language imperfectly, were therefore neither fit for hunters, the old men go round from hut to hut, acquainting the inhabitants, that strangers are arrived, who are probably
warriors, nor counselors; they were totally good for nothing. We are however not the less obliged by your kind hungry and weary; and every one sends them what he can spare of victuals, and skins to repose on. When the
offer, though we decline accepting it; and, to show our grateful sense of i t, if the gentlemen of Virginia will send strangers are refreshed, pipes and tobacco are brought; and then, but not before, conversation begins, with
us a dozen of their sons, we will take great care of their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men inquiries who they are, whither bound, what news, etc.; and it usually ends with offers of service, if the strangers
of them." have occasion of guides, or any necessaries for continuing their journey; and nothing is exacted for the
entertainment.
Having frequent occasions to hold public councils, they have acquired great order and decency in conducting
them. The old men sit in the foremost ranks, that warriors in the next, and the women and children in the The same hospitality, esteemed among them as a principal virtue, is practiced by private persons; of which
hindmost. The business of the women is to take exact notice of what passes, Imprint it in their memories (for Conrad Weiser, our interpreter, gave the following instances. He had been naturalized among the Six Nations,
they have no writing), and communicate it to their children. They are the records of the council, and they and spoke well the Mohawk language. In going through the Indian country, to carry a meigage from our
preserve traditions of the stipulations in treaties 100 years back; which, w hen we compare with Our writings, we Governor to the Council at Onondaga, he called at the habitation of Canassatego, an old acquaintance, who
always find exact. He that would speak, rises. The rest observe a profound silence. When he has finished and sits embraced him, spread furs for him to sit on, placed before him some boiled beans and venison, and mixed some
down, they leave him 5 or 6 minutes to recollect, that, if he has omitted anything he intended to say, or has rum and water for his drink. When he was well refreshed, and had lit his pipe, Canassatego began to converse
anything to add, he may rise again and deliver it. To interrupt another, even in common conversation, is with him; asked how he had fared the many years since they had seen each other; whence he then came; what
reckoned highly indecent. How different this from the conduct of a polite British House of Commons, where occasioned the journey, etc. Conrad answered all his questions; and when the discourse began to flag, the Indian,
scarce a day passes without some confusion, that makes the speaker hoarse in calling to order; and how different to continue it, said, "Conrad, you have lived long among the white people, and know something of their
from the mode of conversation in many polite companies of Europe, where, if you do not deliver your sentence customs; I have been sometimes at Albany, and have observed, that once in seven days they shut up their shops,
with great rapidity, you are cut off in the middle of it by the impatient loquacity of those you converse with, and and assemble all in the great house; tell me what it is for? What do they do there?" "They meet there," says
never suffered to finish it. Conrad, "to hear and learn good things. "I do not doubt," says the Indian, "that they tell you so; they have told
The politeness of these savages in conversation is indeed carried to excess, since it does not permit them to me the same; but I doubt the truth of what they say, and I will tell you my reasons. I went lately to Albany to sell
contradict or deny the truth of what is asserted in their presence. By this means they indeed avoid disputes; but my skins and buy blankets, knives, powder, rum, etc. You know I used generally to deal with Hans Hanson; but
then it becomes difficult to know their minds, or what impression you make upon them. The missionaries who I was a little inclined this time to try some other merchant. However, I called first upon Hans, and asked him
have attempted to convert them to Christianity all complain of this as one of the great difficulties of their what he would give for beaver. He said he could not give any more than four shillings a pound; 'but,' says he , 'I
mission. The Indians hear with patience the truths of the Gospel explained to them, and give their usual tokens cannot talk on business now; this is the day when we meet together to learn good things, and I am going to the
of assent and approbation; you would think they were convinced. No such matter. It is mere civility. meeting.' So I thought to myself, 'Since we cannot do any business today, I may as well go to the meeting too,'
A Swedish minister, having assembled the chiefs of the Susquehanah Indians, made a sermon to them, and I went with him. There stood up a man in black, and began to talk to the people very angrily. I did not
acquainting them with the principal historical facts on which our religion is founded; such as the fall of our first 1 understand what he said; but, perceiving that he looked much at me and at Hanson, I imagined he was angry at
seeing me there; so I went out, sat down near the house, struck f ire, and lit my pipe, waiting till the meeting pleases, seiz‟d, and confin‟d in Ships of War, condemn‟d not only to work, but to fight, for small Wages, or a
should break up. I thought too, that the man had mentioned something of beaver, and I suspected it might be mere Subsistence, not better than our Slaves are allow‟d by us. Is their Condition then made worse by their
the subject of their meeting. So, when they came out, I accosted my merchant. 'Well, Hans, says I, ' I hope you falling into our Hands? No; they have only exchanged on Slavery for another, and I may say a better; for here
have agreed to give more than four shillings a pound' 'No,' says he, 'I cannot give so much; I cannot give more they are brought into a land where the Sun of Islamism gives forth its Light, and shines in full Splendor, and
than three shillings and sixpence.' I then spoke to several other dealers, but they all sung the same song, -- three they have an Opportunity of making themselves acquainted with the true Doctrine, and thereby saving their
and sixpence, - - three and sixpence. This made it clear to me, that my suspicion was right; and, that whatever immortal Souls. Those who remain at home have not that Happiness. Sending the Slaves home then would be
they pretended of meeting to learn good things, the real purpose was to consult how to cheat Indians in the sending them out of Light into Darkness.
price of beaver. Consider but a little Conrad, and you must be of my opinion. If they met so often to learn good “I repeat the Question, What is to be done with them? I have heard it suggested, that they may be planted in the
things, they would certainly have learned some before this time. But they are still ignorant. You know our Wilderness, where there is plenty of Land for them to subsist on, and where they may flourish as a free State; but
practice. If a white man, in traveling through our country, enters one of our cabins, we all treat him as I treat they are, I doubt, to little dispos‟d to labour without Compulsion, as well as too ignorant to establish a good
you; we dry him if he is wet, we warm him if he is cold, we give him meat and drink, that he may allay his thirst government, and the wild Arabs would soon molest and destroy or again enslave them. While serving us, we
and hunger; and we spread soft furs for him to rest and sleep on; we demand nothing in return. But; if I go into take care to provide them with every thing, and they are treated with Humanity. The Labourers in their own
a white man's house at Albany and ask for victuals and drink, they say, 'Where is your money?' and if I have Country are, as I am well informed, worse fed, lodged, and cloathed. The Condition of most of them is therefore
none they say, 'Get out, you Indian dog.' You see they have not yet learned those little good things, that we need already mended, and requires no further Improvement. Here their Lives are in Safety. They are not liable to be
no meetings to be instructed in , because our Mothers taught them to us when we were children; and therefore it impress‟d for Soldiers, and forc‟d to cut one another‟s Christian throats, as in the Wars of their own Countries.
is impossible their meetings should be, as they say, for any such purpose, or have any such effect; they are only If some of the religious mad Bigots, who now teaze us with their silly Petitions, have in a Fit of blind Zeal freed
to contrive the cheating of Indians in the price of beaver." THE END their Slaves, it was not Generosity, it was not Humanity, that mov‟d them to the Action; it was from the
conscious Burthen of a Load of Sins, and Hope, from the supposed Merits of so good a Work, to be excus‟d
HW: Who Is more favourably depicted, the white settlers or the native Americans. How is thein Damnation.
respective behaviour conttrasted?
“How grossly are they mistaken in imagining Slavery to be disallow‟d by the Alcoran? Are not the two Precepts,
to quote no more, „Masters, treat your Slaves with kindness; Slaves, serve your Masters with Cheerfulness and Fidelity,‟ clear
Benjamin Franklin: On the Slave-Trade
Proofs to the contrary? Nor can the Plundering of Infidels be in that sacred Book forbidden, since it is well
To the Editor of the Federal Gazette, March 23d, 1790.
known from it, that God has given the World, and all that it contains, to his faithful Mussulmen, who are to
enjoy it of Right as fast as they conquer it. Let us then hear no more of this detestable Proposition, the
Sir,
Manumission of Christian Slaves, the Adoption of which would, by depreciating our Lands and Houses, and
Reading last night in your excellent Paper the speech of Mr. Jackson in Congress against their meddling with the
thereby depriving so many good Citizens of their Properties, create universal Discontent, and provoke
Affair of Slavery, or attempting to mend the Condition of the Slaves, it put me in mind of a similar One made
Insurrections, to the endangering of Government and producing general Confusion. I have therefore no doubt,
about 100 Years since by Sidi Mehemet Ibrahim, a member of the Divan of Algiers, which may be seen in
but this wise Council will prefer the Comfort and Happiness of a whole Nation of true Believers to the Whim of
Martin‟s Account of his Consulship, anno 1687. It was against granting the Petition of the Sect called Erika, or
a few Erika, and dismiss their Petition.”
Purists who pray‟d for the Abolition of Piracy and Slavery as being unjust. Mr. Jackson does not quote it;
The Result was, as Martin tells us, that the Divan came to this Resolution; “The Doctrine, that Plundering and
perhaps he has not seen it. If, therefore, some of its Reasonings are to be found in his eloquent Speech, it may
Enslaving the Christians is unjust, is at bestproblematical; but that it is the Interest of this State to continue the
only show that men‟s Interests and Intellects operate and are operated on with surprising similarity in all
Practice, is clear; therefore let the Petition be rejected.”
Countries and Climates, when under similar Circumstances. The African‟s Speech, as translated, is as follows.
And it was rejected accordingly.
“Allah Bismillah, &c. God is great, and Mahomet is his Prophet.
“Have these Erika considered the Consequences of granting their Petition? If we cease our Cruises against the
And since like Motives are apt to produce in the Minds of Men like Opinions and Resolutions, may we
Christians, how shall we be furnished with the Commodities their Countries produce, and which are so
not, Mr. Brown, venture to predict, from this Account, that the Petitions to the Parliament of England for
necessary for us? If we forbear to make Slaves of their People, who in this hot Climate are to cultivate our
abolishing the Slave-Trade, to say nothing of other Legislatures, and the Debates upon them, will have a similar
Lands? Who are to perform the common Labours of our City, and in our Families? Must we not then be our
Conclusion?
own Slaves? And is there not more Compassion and more Favour due to us as Mussulmen, than to these
Christian Dogs? We have now about 50,000 Slaves in and near Algiers. This Number, if not kept up by fresh
I am, Sir, your constant Reader and humble Servant,
Supplies, will soon diminish, and be gradually annihilated. If we then cease taking and plundering the Infidel
XX
Ships, and making Slaves of the Seamen and Passengers, our Lands will become of no Value for want of
Cultivation; the Rents of Houses in the City will sink one half; and the Revenues of Government arising from its
THE END
Share of Prizes be totally destroy‟d! And for what? To gratify the whims of a whimsical Sect, who would have us,
not only forbear making more Slaves, but even to manumit those we have.
“But who is to indemnify their Masters for the Loss? Will the State do it? Is our Treasury sufficient? Will
the Erika do it? Can they do it? Or would they, to do what they think Justice to the Slaves, do a greater Injustice HW:
to the Owners? And it we set our Slaves free, what is to be done with them? Few of them will return to their Could you sum up the pro-slavery arfuments, as if they were presented by an 18th century
Countries; they know too well the great Hardships they must there be subject to; they will not embrace our holy American apologist for the slavery system, not by the fictitious 17th century Algerian politician?
Religion; they will not adopt our Manners; our People will not pollute themselves by intermarrying with them.
Must we maintain them as Beggars in our Streets, or suffer our Properties to be the Prey of their Pillage? For Franklin was the President of the American Anti-Slavery society. Why would he write a fictitious
men long accustom‟d to Slavery will not work for a Livelihood when not compell‟d. And what is there so
pitiable in their present Condition? Were they not Slaves in their own Countries? pamphlet which seems to be arguing in defense of slavery?
“Are not Spain, Portugal, France, and the Italian states govern‟d by Despots, who hold all their Subjects in
Slavery, without Exception? Even England treats its Sailors as Slaves; for they are, whenever the Government 2
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