[HandyDandy]

Honestly, I'd never read the full quote that included the Northern brethren part. I'd just stumbled on someone else paraphrasing the quote and they didn't include the Northern Brethren part. I just copied and pasted what they said. I should have known better. Happy now? If I had read, for myself, the Northern Brethren part I would have done my best to track down their names. Of course we know the big monied shipbuilders/owners were northerners. Have you come up with their names? Have you determined how many Southerners opened up shop up North to ply the trade (so to speak) and so on and so forth......I think that you are running a bit far with your interpretation of Northern Brethren. I have no doubt that Jefferson is referring to specific State delegates. No doubt he knew them by name. The general masses were not party to the congressional discussions. It was the same old 50 to 100 wealthy American who were always the "delegates". Whereas you take it to condemn the whole North.

I have now lost count of how many questions I have asked you that you have ignored. The latest one is 'who was Jefferson referring to, who made the legislative attempts to prohibit or restrain this execrable commerce'? I even gave you a hint.

[jeffersondem]

“I have now lost count of how many questions I have asked you that you have ignored. The latest one is ‘who was Jefferson referring to, who made the legislative attempts to prohibit or restrain this execrable commerce’? I even gave you a hint.”

I don’t know the answer to your latest question, nor do I know the reason for the question.

As a good sport I’ll take a guess: Thomas Jefferson. I know he had qualms about the peculiar institution and had talked about ending the guest worker program.

Your observation about my ignoring some questions is right. As a rule I don’t answer questions that compare Human Exhibit 1 to Jesus or Hitler. For some reason those conversations are rarely productive.

As far as the overall tone of your post - I welcomed it. It was positive. Maybe we can both keep it up.