Anthony Benezet

Early Abolitionism: "Observations on the Inslaving, importing & purchasing of Negroes..." by Anthony Benezet
Books

Scarce early abolitionist printing: ?Observations on the Inslaving, importing and purchasing of Negroes; With some Advice thereon, extracted from the Epistle of the Yearly-Meeting of the People called Quakers, held at London in the year 1748.? (Germantown, PA: Christopher Sower, 1760), the second American printing, 12mo (5? x 7?), 14pp. Comprising the last article within a larger volume of Quaker writings totalling. The volume lacks final leaf, not affecting ?Observations.? Full calf, spine in five compartments divided by raised rules. Boards exhibits cracking and quite significant wear to edges with some chipping thereto, spine quite loose, water-staining to interior page edges and general fragility within and without. Still fair condition.

French-born Anthony Benezet (1713-1784) was an early abolitionist and teacher in the Germantown, Pennsylvania area. A devout Quaker and early proponent of education for girls as well as founder of one of the earliest anti-slavery societies, Benezet held firm in his belief that slavery ran counter to Christian principles and therefore sought to extend Britain?s ban on slavery to the American colonies. His "Observations?" was the first tract to include personal narratives of slave traders and illustrate the horrors of human bondage. In it, he agues that slavery is far from being a simple ideological issue: ?Without purchasers, there would be no trade; and consequently every purchaser as he encourages the trade, becomes partaker in the guilt of it.??

Benefit?s legacy would include coming to the assistance of other persecuted minorities such as Native Americans, and influencing Benjamin Rush?s involvement in the abolitionist movement, along with that of Benjamin Franklin. It is even said that Benezet appeared as a ghost to Rush in a dream, prompting him to take up the cause!

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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7" x 5"