Your Letter of Yesterday's Date advising me that mine of the 17th inst. had been laid before a Meeting of Friends convened for the Purpose of deliberating on Its Contents, I have taken into the most serious Consideration. The Sentiments conveyed in the first Paragraph are such as ought to influence every Member of Society of whatever religious Persuasion he may be, but more especially Christian, And altho' I differ with You on the Subject Matter of the next, I shall never the less not cease to respect & hold sacred the Rights of Conscience. From this Motive I shall no longer insist on a Contribution of Friends, for what they deem to be preparations for War: But as the first Principle of Human Nature is Self preservation; as we are engaged in a Conflict the Event of which must Either be a perfect Establishment of our Civil & Religious Priviledges or a Total Deprivation of both, It is a Duty incumbent on Us, in Order to avert the Latter, to embrace all Means made Lawful from the most evident Necessity, And altho' Friends cannot conscientiously give, Yet such is their Benevolence & Charity that I am sure rather than see Men suffer, they will acquiesce if We take at a just Valuation, a small Portion of What they can share. Directions must be given for that purpose & shall be conducted with all prudence & Tenderness for Civil Liberty, of which such an urgent & uncommon Case is capable.
On the other part of your Letter, I shall in General observe, that it is out of my sphere to enter into any political Disquisitions; that I am a Friend to All Mankind; that I wish to see Universal Happiness prevail & Every Member of every Society in the full Enjoyment of all their Rights; That my Application to the Friends for Blankets was forwarded on Information & Belief that they had not contributed on the Application of a Committee appointed by the Board of War; That I did not mean by the Discrimination to convey one disadvantageous Idea entertained of the Society of Friends; But meerly that they might be put on a Footing with the Other Members of the Community who as I was informed had Liberally contributed; That I shall waive animadverting on what was done by "some Rich Men & others in their private Stations" ;(2) And that I thank You for the present of the Book You have been so kind as to send me and that altho' my Time is much engrossed, I shall read It with great Attention, convinced from its Character, that my Heart will be mended thereby, altho' I should not fully subscribe to every Part of the Doctrine it contains.
I thank You for your Fervent Wish for my Real Peace & Happiness and with equal Good Will toward You, I remain with Respect, Your Friend & Very Humble servant.