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To: jeffersondem

And you sound like a typical liberal that claims all the founding fathers were just a bunch of rich old slave owning white men that really didn’t believe what the Declaration of Independence stayed; “that all men are created equal”.

Most of the founding fathers realized that slavery was incompatible with the ideals expressed in our founding. However they believed at the time that it was more important to have all the states be part of the United States, so they had to compromise; primarily with Georgia and South Carolina being the most vocal supporters of slavery. Don’t believe me? Look at the words of the founders themselves.

“It being among my first wishes to see some plan adopted, by which slavery in this country may be abolished by law.” - George Washington Letter to John Mercer, September 9, 1786

“I wish from my soul that the legislature of this State could see a policy of a gradual Abolition of Slavery.”
- George Washington: letter to Lawrence Lewis, August 4, 1797

“Every measure of prudence, therefore, ought to be assumed for the eventual total extirpation of slavery from the United States.... I have, throughout my whole life, held the practice of slavery in... abhorrence.”
John Adams: letter to Evans, June 8, 1819

“It is much to be wished that slavery may be abolished. The honor of the States, as we as justice and humanity, in my opinion loudly call upon them to emancipate these unhappy people. To contend for our own liberty, and to deny that blessing to others, involves an inconsistency not to be excused.”
-John Jay: to R. Lushington - March 15, 1786

“Would any one believe that I am master of slaves by my own purchase? I am drawn along by the general inconvenience of living without them. I will not — I cannot justify it, however culpable my conduct. I will so far pay my devoir to Virtue, as to own the excellence and rectitude of her precepts, and to lament my want of conformity to them. I believe a time will come when an opportunity will be afforded to abolish this lamentable evil. Everything we cam do, is to improve it, if It happens in our day; if not, let us transmit to our descendants, together with our slaves, a pity for their unhappy lot, and an abhorrence of Slavery. If we cannot reduce this wished-for reformation to practice, let us treat the unhappy victims with lenity. It is the furthest advancement we can make toward justice. It is a debt we owe to the purity of our religion, to show that it is at variance with that law which warrants Slavery.”
-Patrick Henry letter to John Alsop Jan13, 1773


69 posted on 12/23/2019 7:31:32 AM PST by OIFVeteran
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To: OIFVeteran

“. . . they believed at the time that it was more important to have all the states be part of the United States, so they had to compromise; primarily with Georgia and South Carolina being the most vocal supporters of slavery. Don’t believe me?”

I believe you. Many people at the time of the founding said they opposed slavery. The only reason slavery was enshrined in the United States Constitution at all was because the 13 original slave states believed it was in their own economic and political best self interest.

Otherwise: No!


76 posted on 12/23/2019 3:44:23 PM PST by jeffersondem
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