... But
all these things pass under the Notion of Self-Preservation and
Christian Policy."
It would hardly be fair to quote all this from Dunton's letters unless
we added what he says of Boston in another place; namely, "And though
the Generality are what I have described them, yet is there as sincere
a Pious and truly Religious People among them as is any where in the
Whole World to be found."
-------------------------
It seems to have been quite common at one time to sell prisoners. At
the Supreme Judicial Court in Salem, in November, 1787, "Elizabeth
Leathe of Lynn, for harbouring thieves and receiving stolen goods, was
convicted and sentenced to be whipped twenty stripes and to be sold
for six months." Also at a session of the same Court, held in Boston
in September, 1791, six persons were convicted of theft and sentenced
to be whipped and pay costs, or to be sold for periods of from six
months to four years. At this same Court one Seth Johnson appears to
have received what seems to us a rather severe sentence, although of
course we do not know all the circumstances of the case.
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