The following year, a band of Quaker missionaries from England landed at Newport, and were kindly received by the Rhode Islanders.[674] This at once aroused the other colonies, whose Commissioners wrote to the Rhode Island government of the “prudent care” that Massachusetts had taken when Quakers had sought her hospitality, and requested that government to banish such Quakers as were already on the Island, and to prohibit any more from coming, so that the “contagion” might not spread. The letter ended with the threat that, if the little colony did not take such action, “wee apprehend that it will be our duty seriously to consider what further provision God may call us to make to prevent the aforesaid mischiefe.”[675] Footnote 674: Jones, _Quakers_, pp. 45 _ff._ Footnote 675: _Acts United Colonies_, vol. II, pp. 180 _f._ To this bullying letter, Rhode Island sent an answer as wise as it was dignified. After stating their desire to live in loving correspondence with all the colonies, they wrote:— “As concerning these quakers (so called), which are now among us, we have no law among us, whereby to punish any for only declaring by words, &c., theire mindes and understandings concerning the things and ways of God, as to salvation and an eternal condition. And we, moreover, finde, that in those places where these people aforesaid, in this colony, are most of all suffered to declare themselves freely, and are only opposed by arguments in discourse, there they least of all desire to come, and we are informed that they begin to loath this place for that they are not opposed by the civill authority, but with all patience and meekness are suffered to say over their pretended revelations and admonitions, nor are they like or able to gain many here to their way; surely we find that they delight to be persecuted by civill powers, and when they are soe, they are like to gain more adherents by the conseyte of their patient sufferings, than by consent to their pernicious sayings: And yet we conceive, that theire doctrines tend to very absolute cuttinge downe and overturninge relations and civill government among men, if generally received.”[676] Footnote 676: _R. I. Records_, vol. I, pp. 376 _f._