Samuel Sewall's The Selling of Joseph

In 1700, Judge Samuel Sewall published what would become regarded as the first anti-slavery pamphlet in the colonies. He called this pamphlet "The Selling of Joseph."

Samuel Sewall is known for his part in the infamous Salem Witch Trials. He was one of the judges appointed to the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which oversaw the trials. For this, he is remembered in history as one of the men who determined that several innocent people were guilty of witchcraft. More than 20 people died as a result of the witch-hunt that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.

This left a dark shadow over Samuel Sewall's memory. However, Sewall was the only judge to apologize for the trials in public. He felt sincere remorse. Furthermore, his writings on both women's rights and slavery speak for the man's true character. Reading Samuel Sewall's "The Selling of Joseph: A Memorial," you get a real sense of the morals by which Sewall tried to live.

Samuel Sewall was a Puritan and the Puritans of that time in Boston were known to be overzealous and bloodthirsty. Samuel, on the other hand, was for justice, equality and liberty for his fellow men and women. His ideals would come to be embraced in a new country formed from the colonies, hundreds of years later. During his life however, they were relatively new to the public.

Samuel Sewall was a theology student in his youth and he had a deep belief in his God. He tried the teachings of his religion's scripture to guide his actions. When Sewall searched his God's words for justification of slavery, he found none. He searched within himself for moral justification for slavery and found none. His findings on the immorality of the practice are found in "The Selling of Joseph." His argument relies heavily on scripture and biblical anecdotes. Nonetheless, his message is universal.

The opening line of "The Selling of Joseph" is "FOR AS MUCH 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." Mature consideration follows. Samuel Sewall went on to make points regarding the immoral nature of slavery. One memorable line is "So that Originally and Naturally, there is no such thing as Slavery." He is referring to the origins and nature outlined in the Bible. However, this line leads us to ponder where outside of human society we have seen slavery. The simple answer is nowhere. In nature, there is no such thing as slavery.

In a section of "The Selling of Joseph" regarding the Joseph of the Bible, Samuel Sewall says, "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." This can be taken to mean that selling a person into slavery is akin to killing them. It is a basic human right to be free. Not free to do whatever you want, but free to do what you can within the limitations and laws of your society. (Of course, some societies make slaves of their people and basic freedoms are denied.) No man, woman or child should be enslaved. This takes away their right to marry whom they wish; have a trade of their choosing and so on. In other words (Samuel Sewall's), "There is no proportion between Twenty Pieces of Silver and LIBERTY."

In what may have been considered the worst part by slavery supporters, but is arguably the best to anyone who reads "The Selling of Joseph" and naturally abhors slavery, Samuel Sewall railed against the injustice of stealing African men, women and children from their homes and their families. He referred to the "barbarous Usage of our Friends and Kinsfolk in Africa." Note the use of the word kinsfolk. He referred to the Africans stolen and brought to the colonies as his family, everyone's family. Now, if written today, that would hold little significance in terms of enlightenment. However, in Samuel Sewall's day, people did not publicly regard "negroes" as equal to them. Samuel did, at least as far as basic rights were concerned.

"The Selling of Joseph" is certainly a very impassioned argument against slavery. This passion does not take away from the logic of Samuel Sewall's argument nor does his heavy use of scripture. His pamphlet related to the minds of his peers when he referenced the bible. The parts in-between where he applied logic and his apparently repaired moral compass appeals to the rest of us. Anyone who is interested in the Civil Rights Movement or the Civil War should start with "The Selling of Joseph." Technically, it had nothing to do with either, but it is where the seeds for both were sown. Who would have thought abolitionists would be found among superstitious Puritan witch-hunters?

Sources

Sewall, Samuel, The Selling of Joseph, Bartholomew Green and John Allen, 1700