by his exterminating thunder, manifest his attention to the things of this world, and that they are not left to the guidance of a blind fatality.”[10] This constitutional postponement did not even settle the question temporarily. The Quakers presented a memorial for the abolition of the slave trade to the very first Congress (1790). This was reported by a committee to the whole House; and after various amendments was returned with the following: “1st, That migration or importation of such persons, as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, can not be prohibited by Congress prior to the year 1808. “2d, That Congress have no authority to interfere in emancipation of slaves or in the treatment of them within any of the States; it remaining with the several States alone to provide any regulations therein, which humanity and true polity may require.” This was a perilous and critical time--a time of trial for the new Constitution--when the States, watchful and alert, were jealous of their rights, and the Quakers’ action was regarded by many as a flagrant violation of those rights. Washington considered their petition inopportune, especially as the question had been recently disposed of and was contained in an article of the Constitution, and so expressed himself in a letter: “The memorial of the Quakers [and a very malapropos one it was] has at length been put to sleep, and will scarcely awake before the year 1808.” However, the Quakers’ attitude was not equivocal, as was that of the Puritan New Englander. Their petition grew from earnest convictions--convictions which were deep-rooted before they came to America, for they had expressed their repugnance to the English slave trade in 1671, and after coming to America had discouraged participation in slavery as early as 1696; in 1776 they placed their ultimatum upon it by excluding from membership any Quaker slaveholder.