Digital Paxton: Digital Collection, Critical Edition, and Teaching Platform

The Quaker Unmasked - 8

(and I believe very sincerely) the greatest Loyalty to his Majesty, and Love to their Country. They were willing to disperse and return to their respective Homes, provided their Grievances might have a fair Hearing, which was accordingly agreed to. Persons were appointed by them to attend for that purpose, and they accordingly dispers’d without doing any the least Mischief. They have indeed charg’d the People call’d Quakers with gross partiality to Indians, and their being unfit for Government: Nay they ascribe the greatest part of their sufferings to them alone. And that the Quakers have been partial, and shewn more real Affection for Enemy Savages than for their fellow Subjects, of certain Denominations, is so well known in this Province, and has on the present Occasion been so fully demonstrated to the World, that I should deem it Loss of Time to say any more on so recent and glaring a Fact: Whether the Affection which some Principals of that Sect have shewn to Indians, and the great Care they are now taking of them can possibly be owing to the Charms of their Squaws, to any particular Advantages that may arise from their Trade, or perhaps rather from the Use they have made of them to asperse the Proprietaries and oppose their Interests, may be considered as a vain Question, which I will not undertake to determine. But this is certain, that there is not the least Probability that any of these Indians will ever stand as Candidates for Seats in the Assembly, and it is probable some of the Paxton Voluntiers may, if such as bid fairest shou’d not be murdered by some of the Savages now in our Custody. Therefore it might seem Policy, agreeable to some Quakers, not to afford them that Protection, nor shew them that Regard they at this Time shew the Savages.

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