The situation of the Negroes in our Southern provinces on the Continent, is also feelingly set forth by _George Whitfield_, in a Letter from _Georgia_, to the Inhabitants of _Maryland_, _Virginia_, _North_ and _South-Carolina_, printed in the Year 1739, of which the following is an extract: ‘As I lately passed through your provinces, in my way hither, I was sensibly touched with a fellow-feeling of the miseries of the poor Negroes. Whether it be lawful for _Christians_ to buy slaves, and thereby encourage the Nations from whom they are bought, to be at perpetual war with each other, I shall not take upon me to determine; sure I am, it is sinful, when bought, to use them as bad, nay worse than as though they were brutes; and whatever particular exception there may be, (as I would charitably hope there are some) I fear the generality of you, that own Negroes, are liable to such a charge; for your slaves, I believe, work as hard, if not harder, than the horses whereon you ride. These, after they have done their work, are fed and taken proper care of; but many Negroes, when wearied with labour, in your plantations, have been obliged to grind their own corn, after they return home. Your dogs are caressed and fondled at your table; but your slaves, who are frequently stiled dogs or beasts, have not an equal privilege; they are scarce permitted to pick up the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.—Not to mention what numbers have been given up to the inhuman usage of cruel task-masters, who, by their unrelenting scourges, have ploughed their backs, and made long furrows, and at length brought them even to death. When passing along, I have viewed your plantations cleared and cultivated, many spacious houses built, and the owners of them faring sumptuously every day, my blood has frequently almost run cold within me, to consider how many of your slaves had neither convenient food to eat, or proper raiment to put on, notwithstanding most of the comforts you enjoy were solely owing to their indefatigable labours.—The Scripture says, _Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn_. Does God take care for oxen? and will he not take care of the Negroes also? undoubtedly he will.—Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you: Behold the provision of the poor Negroes, who have reaped down your fields, which is by you denied them, crieth; and the cries of them which reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. We have a remarkable instance of God’s taking cognizance of, and avenging the quarrel of poor slaves, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. _There was a famine in the days of_ David _three years, year after year; and_ David _enquired of the Lord: And the Lord answered, It is for_ Saul, _and for his bloody house, because he slew the_ Gibeonites. Two things are here very remarkable: First, These _Gibeonites_ were only hewers of wood and drawers of water, or in other words, slaves like yours.