Neil,
You did a lovely job of defending Martha. She really didn't deserve a man,
who caused her to become pregnant six times in ten years. We know TJ was
learned enough to understand what caused pregnancy, and that childbirth was
endangering her life, but he seemed to make it of no consequence to him.
Incidentally, you quoted as fact that TJ promised Martha on her deathbed he
would never remarry and put a stepmother in front of his daughters. This
promise is said to be one of the stronger indications that TJ, who believed
strongly that regular sex was vital to masculine health, would take a slave
rather than break his promise to Martha. Marriage between him and Sally was
forbidden by law. He did not have to worry that Sally would attempt to
cooerce him into marriage.
Anne
Anne Pemberton
[log in to unmask]http://www.erols.com/apemberthttp://www.educationalsynthesis.org
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