In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

  • “Times of Peril”: Quakers in British-Occupied New York During the American Revolution, 1775–1783
  • Joseph John Crotty IV (bio)

At the commencement of the American Revolution, Thomas Paine, an American patriot, published his seminal political treatise advocating the abolishment of British rule over the thirteen American colonies—Common Sense. Following its publication, Paine’s pamphlet permeated throughout the colonies and facilitated the promotion of republican and revolutionary ideals. The unmistakable focus of Paine’s discourse was the tyranny of the King and Parliament of Great Britain; however, the appendix of his treatise also included a polemic addressed to the Religious Society of Friends.1 Paine’s argument against the Quakers was in response to an epistle published by the Meeting for Sufferings of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting entitled The Ancient Testimony and Principles of the People called Quakers, Renewed, with Respect to the King and Government; and Touching the Commotions Now Prevailing in these and other Parts of America: Addressed to the People in General. The Quakers’ epistle encouraged Friends to remain neutral in the conflict, evoked the harmony enjoyed between Great Britain and the colonies in the preceding decades, and lamented the misery caused by the conflict between the aforementioned parties.2 The epistle concluded with an excerpt from the Ancient Testimony and Principle of the People called Quakers Renewed, with Respect to the King and Government, and Touching the Present Association, written by the Religious Society of Friends in 1696, which emphasized that “the setting up, and putting down kings and governments, is God’s peculiar prerogative.” Friends were to remain loyal to the King, and be hopeful of an expeditious conclusion of the hostilities between the North American Colonies and Great Britain.3

Paine lambasted the Quakers for making “a political hobbyhorse” of their religion, and deemed them hypocrites in making a political statement since it conflicted with their belief in divine providence. He justified [End Page 45] the revolution and reinterpreted the Quaker belief in providence by stating that “Kings are not taken away by miracles, neither are changes in governments brought about by any other means than such as are common and human.”4 Paine concluded his epistle with an appeal to the Patriot cause to forsake the actions of the Quakers, “the example which ye have unwisely set, of mingling religion with politics, may be disavowed and reprobated by every inhabitant of America.”5

Paine’s address to the Religious Society of Friends resulted in the Quakers being identified as Tories by the Patriot cause, a stigmatism that would have profound effects upon the way in which the Whig government and public viewed the Quakers during the American Revolution.6 However, Paine’s conclusions were superficial in their understanding of the Ancient Testimony and Principles of the People called Quakers, a treatise that also implored its members to promote peace, rather than partake in war.7 The War for Independence was a crucial point in the history of the Religious Society of Friends in America. Paine was not incorrect in calling the Quakers loyalists; however, he failed to comprehend the characteristics of loyalism amongst Friends in the American colonies. The Quakers were loyal to legitimate government. Despite the numerous personal beliefs that may have been held among members of the Society during the Revolution, Quakers as a religious institution were loyal to Great Britain because they were the legitimate government of the American colonies at the time of the Revolution, an institution that could only be changed by divine providence. Furthermore, the American Revolution acted as a facilitator in the achievement of the ideals of Quaker Reformation by Friends, a movement that began during the mid-eighteenth century to withdraw the Society’s membership from public life.8 The American Revolution also served as a testament of the devotion held by members of the Religious Society of Friends to the peace testimony, despite the numerous incidents of provocation and violent behavior that characterized the period of revolution in the American colonies.

The characteristics of Quaker pacifism and their relationship to government have been the subject of a more than two hundred year historiography initiated by Thomas Paine’s passionate call to revolution in...

pdf

Share