Quote:
Originally Posted by shilala
He was simply a man of his time, Dave.
We tend to look at these guys with the different morality of today's eyes.
The fact that he was in a position to give the northerners an abolishionist gift, yet better his lot, really just means he was a damn motivated businessman with a sensible head.
Were he from further south, there's no way he'd consider such a thing as giving up slave trade.
He could make that concession because of his proximity to the northern economy he served.
In short, he was certainly not a bad guy, and should be admired.  |
Hi Scott, I just can't compartmentalize morality like that. There were others who took a stand, like Hamilton, who never owned or allowed a slave to work for him. Once, when he was ill and stuck in the city, a friend sent him a servant to help. He sent her back at once. When Washington freed all of his slaves, he gave them money and land. Thomas Paine hated slavery in no uncertain terms. Article I, Section 9, Clause 1 of the Constitution calls them
Persons and bans their importation after 1808, so there certainly was a sense of the moral hypocrisy evident.