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Show j xii P R E F A C E. defolation, converted into one, which might be profecuted with advantage and honour. Such have been the exertions of the Q!Jakers in the caufe of humanity and virtue. They are fiill profecuting, as far as they are able, their benevolent defign ; and I il1ould fiop here and praife them for thus continuing their humane endeavours, but that I conceive it to be unneceifary. They are aCting conlifiently with the principles of religion. They will find a reward in their own confciences; and they will receive more real pleafure from a lingle ref!eCl:ion on their conduCl:, than they can pollibly experience from the praifes of an hofi of writers. In giving this fuort account of thofe humane and worthy perfons, who have endeavoured to refiore to their fellow creatures the rights of nature, of which they had been unjufily deprived, I fuould feel myfelf un j ufi, were I to omit two zealous oppofers of the colonial tyranny, confpicuous at the prefent day. The firfi is Mr. Granville Sharp. This Gentleman has particularly difiinguilhed himfelf in the caufe of freedom. It is " notorious P R E F A C E. .. xiii notorious faa:, that, but a few years Iince, many of the unfortunate black people', who had been brought from the colonies into this country, were fold in the metropolis to merchants and others, when their mafiers had no farther occalion for their Cervices; though it was always underfiood that every perfon was free, as foon as he landed on the Britilh fuore. In confeq uence of this notion, thefe unfortunate black people, refufed to go to the new mailers, to whom they were configned. They were however feized, and forcibly conveyed, under cover of the night, to il1ips then lying in the Thames, to be retranfported to the colonies, and to be delivered again to the planters as merchantable goods. The humane Mr. Sharpe, was the means of putting a fiop to this iniquitous traffick. Whenever he gained information of people in fuch a fituation, he caufed them to be brought on il10re. At a conliderable expence he undertook their caufe, and was inftrumental in obtaining the famous decree in the cafe of Somu:fett, that as foon as any perfon whatever fet his foot in this country, he |