sary to explain and support my allegations, and as circumstan ees urge a speedy proceeding, I request this affair may be laid before the next Monthly Meeting, unless John Evans will agree to refer all matters between us to a few disinterested Friends, and abide their decision thereof.

I am, your friend,

JOHN FIELD.

The inclosed letters being original, I request they may be delivered to me when you are done with them.

To the Overseers Monthly
Meeting, Philadelphia.

JOHN FIELD to JOHN EVANS.

Respected Friend,

I wish thou would be calm and disposed to a friend. ly conversation. I shall communicate the purport of thy note to Č. C. and J. W. and wish thou would be in the way at five o'clock, intending to accompany them to thy house, notwithstanding the reluctance that appears on thy part. I am, thy friend,

6th mo. 7th day, 1806.

JOHN FIELD,

Returned by John Evans, without opening, and by my son Joseph, the bearer.

JOHN EVANS'S NOTE TO CALEB CARMALT.

J. F.

John Evans' as an assignee to the estates of John Field and John Field and Son, respects to Caleb Carmalt, and informs he received this day a note from John Field, and he mentions his intentions of calling on him this day in company with thee and Jonathan Willis. -The note from John Field I consider bespeaks his effrontery and I trust you will not encourage a person who acts so unjustly as he has done to his creditors, and as citizens I hope your aid in endeavouring to have the just demand of his assignees effected by his delivering all his papers relating to the deed of trust to me, as it has been in a joint capacity desired of him about a month since, and which he unjustly detains to the injury of his creditors.

Enclosed is a copy of a note sent him, and though I do not expect you would intrude on me as a citizen and assignee to those estates, and encourage him to counteract our intentions, (my civil rights I hold in high estimation) though as friends and fellow citizens, I respect you, and your company, as such

E

when convenient, would be acceptable, though not with John Field. JOHN EVANS.

P. S. John Field called on William Dawson, yesterday, and requested him to accompany him and Ellis Yarnall on a visit to me, but he did not choose to encourage such improper conduct, and as a creditor of John Field amongst others, he complains of his unjust conduct.

Philadelphia, 6th mo. 7th, 1806.
To Caleb Carmalt.

NOVEMBER 21, P. M.

Hannah Elliot, affirmed. Question. Have you the mi nutes of the Women's Monthly Meeting? Answer. Yes. The first minute respecting this case was made 27th 2d ino. 1806, and is as follows: "A paper was handed us from Men Friends, signed by John and Barbara Evans, stating that they consider themselves no way responsible to the Society, and no longer members thereof. And a letter addressed to the Meeting was also received from her, explaining her reasons for the relinquishment of her membership.Friends being much exercised under the affecting circumstance, believe it right to leave the subject under consideration of the meeting another month."

3d mo. 26, 1807, to wit. The proposal of Barbara Evans was again revived, but Friends apprehending it best to deliberate further thereon, it is accordingly referred to a future meeting.

4th mo. 30th. "The subject relative to Barbara Evans was again resumed, and after a weighty consideration on the important matter, it appears to be the judgment of the meeting, that it will be right, at least, to endeavour to obtain a conference with her, for which purpose Hannah Clark, Susannah Haydock, and Jane Pearce, are appointed."

Defendants counsel offer to read minute dated 5 mo. 28. Levy objects on the ground of its being after the trespass complained of.

Lewis. I wish the Court to look at the minute, it has not much bearing any way.

By the Court. I cannot get over the principle of the objection; the evidence must be over-ruled.

H. Elliot, in continuation. The men defendants were not consulted respecting the appointment of this committee; they had no knowledge of it-they have no knowledge of the proceedings of women's meeting, until they are regularly brought

before them by message.-A complaint against a woman is always made to the Women's Meeting-the disownment is the act of the men. There was no charge against Barbara Evans. The first introduction of her name on the minute, was in consequence of papers relating to her relinquishment of membership, which came from the Men's Meeting.

Hannah Clark's hearing is very defective; she is very deaf it is usual for her to draw near to a person when she is desirous of hearing what is said; she has often observed her put her hand on the arm of a person she wishes to address.

Rachel Cruckshank affirmed says she has been acquainted with Hannah Clark upwards of 30 years. Intimately for the last 15 or 20 years-her hearing has been deficient for many years, but more so for the last 12 years.

A person must speak loud to be heard by her-it is usual for her when addressing a person, to lay her hand on the arm this is done to engage attention.-She never knew her to do it with design to commit an assault and battery.

Samuel Bettle, affirmed. I was one of the committee of nine appointed to take the resignation and letter accompanying it into consideration. There were several reasons for delaying of the consideration-1st, because the resignation was accompanied with a letter, and stipulating a condition, that the letter should be presented to the Monthly Meeting.-2d, Because the subject was a very important one, one that never had been exhibited to the consideration of the Society before. In consequence of the novelty of the thing, we thought it proper to deliberate upon it, and also, from the strong desire we felt to shew every indulgence and respect to John Evans, we were willing to permit him to have time to consider. Another reason was, as he supposed he had not had justice done him, we were desirous that by removing this resignation, the Society might have an oppor tunity of proceeding in his case, as if he were a member, and doing complete justice to him. If we had consulted our own ease, we should have made a short business of it-but that is the mode we transact our business-the design is the general benefit of the Society.-After all our efforts to produce a spirit of harmony and brotherly love, and finding them ineffectual, we took the course stated in the minutes, and accepted his resignation. After some preliminary steps being taken, it becomes the duty of the Overseers to produce a meeting of the parties; if they cannot procure this, they are bound by the discipline to present the case to the Preparative Meeting-their duty is not only to settle differences, but to remove all spirit of hostility out of their minds.

After the case had been in the Preparative Meeting some time, a young man, a nephew I think of J. Evans's, rose in the back part of the meeting and stated, that John Evans was dissatisfied with the conduct of the Overseers in the business; in consequence of this statement, the meeting, with a view to satisfy every party, at once delayed the proceedings, and directed the committee to enquire into the proceedings of the Overseers-the committee reported that they had investigated the proceedings of the Overseers, and found them to be correct.

When a female has a cause of complaint against another, the mode by our discipline is to endeavour an accommodation; if this cannot be obtained, then to apply to the Overseers to interfere.

There was no charge against Barbara Evans; her introduction to the meeting was her own act; she was joined in the paper with her husband-the men had nothing to do with her in the first instsnce.-After J. E's resignation was accepted, the men heard nothing on the subject of Barbara's, until it came from the Women's Meeting on the 28th of 5th mo. 1807, by report. The Men's Meeting had no agency in the appointment of the women.

The Men and the Women's Meeting are distinct from each other; they have separate funds, and act separately. When a person is disowned, a committee is appointed to deliver the minute of disownment to him, and to inform him of his right to appeal to a higher meeting if he is dissatisfied, which right may be exercised without assigning any reason therefor. We maintain our poor, and in case of husband and wife, if one party is, and the other is not a member, rather than separate them, we think it our duty to maintain both.

An appeal from a Monthly is taken to the Quarterly, and from thence to the Yearly Meeting. There was no other difference in the treatment of John Evans's case from that of others, except an universal forbearance in his favour.

I know of no instance in which the Monthly Meeting have disowned without first visiting the party.

A book of the discipline is kept by each clerk of the several meetings, for the use and inspection of the members; every member has a right to peruse it, on application; therefore, there was a meeting specially held for the purpose of handing it to the members.

Mr. Hallowell, on behalf the defendants, produced the book of discipline, and read as follows:

"If occasions of differences arise between any of our mem bers about their property, it is recommended that the parties proceed in the following manner:

"Let the party who thinks him or herself aggrieved, calmly and kindly request the other to comply with the demand; and, if this be disputed, the complaint, or if he or she live at too great a distance, some friend whom they may authorise, should take with him one or two of the Overseers, or other discreet friends, and in their presence repeat the demand.

"If this step also fails of the desired effect, the parties should be advised to choose a suitable number of friends as arbitrators, and mutually engage by bond or other written instrument adapted to the occasion, to abide by their determination.

"Should this proposal be acceded to, and abitrators accordingly chosen, they ought, as speedily as circumstances will admit, to appoint time and place, and attend to the business without unnecessary delay; giving the parties a fair and full hearing in the presence of each other, but listening to neither of them apart, nor suffering their own sentiments to be known abroad till they have fully digested the subject and come to a clear decision, which they should be careful to do within the time agreed on.

"But if either of the said parties shall refuse to submit the matter in dispute to arbitrators, or when that is done, neglect to give his or her attendance when desired, without a sufficient reason being assigned; or not abide by their award when issued, in either of these cases, the offender should be complained of to the Monthly Meeting of which he or she is a member; and if they cannot be brought to a sense of their error, the said meeting should declare its disunion with them, unless such person make it evident to the satisfaction of the meeting that the award is erroneous or unjust. In which case the matter in dispute may be referred either to the same or other arbitrators as the meeting shall judge best; and their award shall be final. After which, if either of the parties at variance, prove so regardless of peace and unity as not to acquiesce in such corrected determination, the Monthly Meeting they belong to should issue a testimony against him or her so refusing.

"Where arbitrators are at a loss for want of legal knowledge, it may be proper for them, at the joint expense of the parties, to take the opinion of counsel learned in the law, in order to come at a proper judgment of the matter referred to them. And that they may the better answer the end of their