But universal liberty was not without her votaries.  All had not bowed the knee to Baal.  The earliest friend of the Indian and the Negro was the scholarly, pious, and benevolent Samuel Sewall, at one time one of the judges of the Superior Court of Massachusetts, and afterwards the chief justice.  He hated slavery with a righteous hatred, and early raised his voice and used his pen against it.  He contributed the first article against slavery printed in the colony.  It appeared as a tract, on the 24th of June, 1700, and was “Printed by Bartholomew Green and John Allen.”  It is withal the most remarkable document of its kind we ever saw.  It is reproduced here to show the reader what a learned Christian judge thought of slavery one hundred and eighty-two years ago.

     “THE SELLING OF JOSEPH A MEMORIAL.

     “By the Hon’ble JUDGE SEWALL in New England.

     “FORASMUCH as LIBERTY is in real value next unto Life;
     None ought to part with it themselves, or deprive others of
     it, but upon most mature consideration.

“The Numerousness of Slaves at this Day in the Province, and the Uneasiness of them under their Slavery, hath put many upon thinking whether the Foundation of it be firmly and well laid; so as to sustain the Vast Weight that is built upon it.  It is most certain that all Men, as they are the Sons of Adam, are Co-heirs, and have equal Right unto Liberty, and all other outward Comforts of Life.  GOD hath given the Earth [with all its commodities] unto the Sons of Adam, Psal., 115, 16.  And hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men, for to dwell on all the face of the Earth, and hath determined the Times before appointed, and the bounds of their Habitation:  That they should seek the Lord.  Forasmuch then as we are the Offspring of GOD, &c. Acts, 17, 26, 27, 29.  Now, although the Title given by the last ADAM doth infinitely better Men’s Estates, respecting GOD and themselves; and grants them a most beneficial and inviolable Lease under the Broad Seal of Heaven, who were before only Tenants at Will; yet through the Indulgence of GOD to our First Parents after the Fall, the outward Estate of all and every of their Children, remains the same as to one another.  So that Originally, and Naturally, there is no such thing as Slavery. Joseph was rightfully no more a slave to his Brethren, than they were to him; and they had no more Authority to Sell him, than they had to Slay him.  And if they had nothing to do to sell him; the Ishmaelites bargaining with them, and paying down Twenty pieces of Silver, could not make a Title.  Neither could Potiphar have any better Interest in him than the Ishmaelites had. Gen. 37, 20, 27, 28.  For he that shall in this case plead Alteration of Property, seems to have forfeited a great part of his own claim to Humanity.  There is no proportion between Twenty Pieces of Silver and LIBERTY.