CH.VIIt SOUTH AMERICA: Iff 



td for their punclual obfervance of the laws of na- 

 ture : fometimcs they carry this {Iridnefs to fuperili- 

 tion : and from this principle all the penalties laid on 

 them in England could not brinsf them to take the oaths 

 required by the government, fo that at length they 

 obtained from the parliament, that the fimple affirma- 

 tion of a Quaker ihould have the fame force as aa 

 oath, except in capital cafes. As they make fuch a 

 ftri6t profeliion of truth, and lay down as a fundamen- 

 tal article of their belief, the neceffity of inviolably 

 adhering to their affirmation, they alfo make profeffion 

 of candour, juftice and fimplicity in all their dealings j 

 and it is a thing v/ell knov/n, that all treaties, agree- 

 ments and conventions made with Quakers, though 

 only on their bare v/ord, prove better founded and 

 fulfilled, without any of that chicane and delay, which 

 fo often occurs in thofe with other people,- though 

 corroborated by bonds, witneiTes and fecurities. Such 

 perfons as thefe having the direction, diftribution and 

 making of the money in the colony of Pennfylania, 

 and others where it is current, the inhabicants are un- 

 der no manner of concern with regard to any malver- 

 fation ^ nor can it morally be expedled, for fuch a 

 breach of truil would be a total departure from their 

 faith. This has been their uniform condu(51: : and as 

 this fe^l has greatly increafed in thefe colonies, they 

 have always ftricily adhered to their ceremonies and 

 rules ; and irreproachably obferved the maxims tranf- 

 mitted to them by their anceftors ; and this probity 

 has doubtlefs communicated itfelf to the members of 

 other religions,, that among thofe people to harbour 

 the flighteft fufpicion concerning the difintereilednefs 

 of their magiftrates, v/ould be an injury ^ thofe vir- 

 tues being as common here as they are rare among 

 other nations. . i - 



The traders fell all their European goods in ex- 

 change for this money ; and with it buy thofe of the 

 country j and confign them to their correfpondents 



m 



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