But though the Quakers have been thus relieved by the legislature, and by the more mild and liberal disposition of the people, from so much suffering in bearing their testimony on the two occasions which have been mentioned, yet there are others, where the laws of government are concerned, on which they find themselves involved in a struggle between the violation of their consciences and a state of suffering, and where unfortunately there is no remedy at hand, without the manifestation of greater partiality towards them, than it may be supposed an equal administration of justice to all would warrant.

Hie first of these occasions is when military service, is enjoined.  The Quakers, when drawn for the militia, refuse either to serve, or to furnish substitutes.  For this refusal they come under the cognizance of the laws.  Their property, where they have any, is of course distrained upon, and a great part of a little substance is sometimes taken from them on, this account.  Where they have not distrainable property, which is occasionally the case, they never fly, but submit to the known punishment, and go patiently to prison.  The legislature, however, has not been inattentive to the Quakers even upon this occasion; for it has limited their confinement to three months.  The government also of the country afforded lately, in a case in which the Quakers were concerned, an example of attention to religious scruples upon this subject.  In the late bill for arming the country en masse, both the Quakers and the Moravians were exempted from military service.  This homage to religious principle did the authors of these exemptions the highest honour.  And it certainly becomes the Quakers to be grateful for this unsolicited favour; and as it was bestowed upon them upon the full belief that they were the people they professed themselves, they should be particularly careful that they do not, by any inconsistency of conduct, tarnish the high reputation, which has been attached to them by the government under which they live.

The second occasion is, when tithes or other dues are demanded by the church.  The Quakers refuse the payment of these upon principles, which have been already explained.  They come of course again under the cognizance of the laws.  Their property is annually distrained upon by warrant from justices of the peace, where the demand does not exceed the value of ten pounds, and this is their usual suffering in this case.  But there have not been wanting instances where an unusual hardness, of heart has suggested a process, still allowable by the law, which has deprived them of all their property, and consigned them for life to the habitation of a prison.[35]

[Footnote 35:  One died, not a great while ago, in York Castle, and others, who were confined with him, would have shared his fate, but for the interference of the king.