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To: BroJoeK
To bolster this claim he notices that slavery was never mentioned, even indirectly, in the 1776 Declaration of Independence,

You're slipping BroJoeK. I have pointed out many times that slavery is indeed mentioned indirectly in the Declaration of Independence.

"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us"

Referring to Lord Dunmore's proclamation.

So yes, one of their "causes" was that the British were arousing their slaves to revolt against them.

1,038 posted on 01/26/2020 12:21:29 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no oither sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp; OIFVeteran; jdsteel
DiogenesLamp: "You're slipping BroJoeK.
I have pointed out many times that slavery is indeed mentioned indirectly in the Declaration of Independence. Referring to Lord Dunmore's proclamation."

We've discussed this before, and I don't agree that "domestic insurrections" refers to Dunmore's Proclamation.
My reasons are:

  1. Dunmore did not call for "domestic insurrections", but rather promised freedom to slaves who joined & fought for the British Army.

  2. There were no "domestic insurrections" by slaves in 1776 or later.

  3. There were many domestic insurrections by white loyalists against patriots, including:
    • Battle of Kemp's Landing, VA November 1775
    • Siege of Savage's Old Fields, SC November 1775
    • Battle of Great Bridge, VA December 1775
    • Snow Campaign, SC December 1775
    • Burning of Norfolk, VA January 1776
    • Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, NC January 1776
Indeed, the old estimate for the numbers of Loyalists was about 1/3 of Americans, or 750,000, which is more than the numbers of slaves, roughly 700,000.
The newer estimate is less, about 400,000 Loyalists, but surely this number rose & fell with the fortunes of war such that 400,000 would be an average of the 750,000 Loyalists in, say, 1775, and the much smaller number at the war's end.

The numbers of white Loyalists who fought with the Brits are put at 19,000 while black Loyalists who served are said to be 12,000.

Bottom line: in 1776 and later, the threat of domestic insurrections from white loyalists was far greater than from runaway slaves.

1,072 posted on 01/27/2020 6:56:34 AM PST by BroJoeK ((a little historical perspective...))
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