I don't think that the "presentism" argument holds up any longer with regard
to the founding generation and slavery.  Douglas Deal is quite correct when
he says we must not impose our own values and beliefs on the past--I say,
let's impose their standards, from their time, on them.  If you look at the
writings of the leading founders you will see that they condemned slavery as
an abomination.   At the Constitutional Convention slavery was condemned in
no uncertain terms, but the delegates decided that morality had nothing to
do with the task at hand--forming a government-- and that financial and
political "interests" (their word) trumped morality. They made a deal to
accept slavery so that Georgia and South Carolina would not bolt; and it was
specifically pointed out that northern shipping interests had a lot to gain
from keeping slavery.  George Mason said that by keeping the slave trade the
country was bringing the judgement of heaven down on itself.  They knew
exactly what they were doing, that slavery was a monstrous evil and that it
would eventually destroy the Union, but they kept slavery because of the
immense profits being made in the north and the south.  It was a foul,
corrupt transaction.  Washington knew it; Jefferson knew it--Jefferson is
eloquent on the foulness of slavery ("I tremble for my country. . . ").  So
why should we close our eyes to it today?  Of course we should look back and
judge them--and learn about our own capacity to close our eyes to evil when
it suits our interests. 

Henry Wiencek