Henry,
Thanks for this insightful post. Hooah!!!
As David just added, Jefferson's did more than just "hid the works." Which
is an often overlooked insight into this man. Another telling act was his
daughter's dowry's; different numbers of human beings were given to each
equally based on worth. Indeed a telling insight.
Ron Seagrave
-----Original Message-----
From: David Kiracofe
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 10:01 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Hemings-TJ, Charlottesville newspaper
Henry,
Thanks for this insightful post.
As part of this discussion of Jeferson's problem with slavery I would also
add the efforts that he made to mask the role and place of slavery at
Monticello. Indeed, these efforts became part of the very design of the
house: the hidden staircases, the little elevator from the wine cellar, the
dumbwaiters in the dining room. The "cleverness" of these innovations is a
highlight of Monticello tours: Jefferson the tinkerer. But these
innovations lessened the need to witness the roles of the slave staff going
about their business. And I would add to that the location of functional
spaces, like the kitchen, below the line of sight from the house and lawn
accomplished much the same. There's the aestheitics of not cluttering the
grounds with the various outbuildings, but it also hid the works. The
Mulberry Row is even farther below the line of sight, on the terrace, just
over the side of the hill. If Jefferson was dependent on slavery (and I
don't doubt that he was), he certainly strove not to appear so.
David Kiracofe
________________________________________
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Henry Wiencek
[[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 4:18 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Hemings-TJ, Charlottesville newspaper
Kevin --
I think that the core problem of understanding Jefferson's utterances
on slavery and race is that they are completely at odds with reality.
He said that the black people could not be freed because of the danger
of their mixing blood with whites. But that had already occurred.
Jefferson said that slaves were incompetent, "like children," but the
Monticello household and plantation were run by an extremely competent
"staff" of cooks, servants, mechanics, smiths, farmers, enslaved
managers, etc etc. When Jefferson (and Washington, and many other
Chesapeake planters) made a rather rapid transition from tobacco to
wheat--a completely different and much more complex agricultural
endeavor--the supposedly incompetent slaves adapted rapidly, acquiring
new technical skills. Granted limited autonomy, slaves displayed
loyalty and diligence. At Monticello several generations of whites and
blacks lived together and formed emotional bonds (and blood ties). He
insisted that his slaves were a heavy financial burden on him, when he
lived in luxury. In his own domain, he never did anything to restrict
slavery because slavery was working very, very well. He never urged
his family to relinquish slavery; rather, he gave slaves to his
family, perpetuating the institution. When questioned by
emancipationists who remembered Jefferson the Revolutionary, he said
slavery was immoral, that it was cruel, that it conflicted with the
core ideals of the country. But late in his life Jefferson mocked
abolitionists for "wasting Jeremiads on the miseries of slavery" and
more or less went over to the "positive good," position, saying that
American slaves were better fed and clothed than England's workers,
and "labor less." After wrestling with Jefferson's theories for a long
time I decided that the truth could be found in William Goldman's
axiom--follow the money. As one deep South planter declared: "owing to
the operation of this institution [slavery] upon our unparalleled
natural advantages, we shall be the richest people beneath the bend of
the rainbow."
Henry Wiencek
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