Sharp, Granville, 1735-1813 to Anthony Benezet
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC07483.03 Author/Creator: Sharp, Granville, 1735-1813 Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 23 September 1772 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20.1 x 15.9 cm. Order a Copy
Written by the British abolition leader Sharp to the American Quaker abolition leader Benezet. References Benezet's letter of 14 May 1772. Sends him (not included here) a short answer he "drew up to check the insinuations of those persons who pretend to excuse the practice of Slaveholding by some particular passages of Scripture." Says this is only a small part of what he hopes to write if he can find the leisure. Also sends a copy of a letter he wrote to a friend in Glasgow (not included here) trying to dissuade "the late Highland Emigrants" from going to America, but he was too late. He hears they are going to Pennsylvania, Benezet's home state, and trusts they will not be enslaved. Says if they are enslaved it "would be a public Loss to the province; because it is certainly most advantageous for each Colony to increase the Number of free White Labourers." Hopes they won't be servants in the plantation sense, but on the same footing as cottagers and day laborers in England. Says he would have written sooner, but he knew the Highlanders were already on their way.
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