I suspect that Professor Hershman was referring to Jefferson's analysis, in
Chapter XVII ("Manners") of his NOTES ON THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, of the
debilitating and corrosive effects of slavery on the habits and demeanor of
the slave owner: "The parent storms, the child looks on, catches the
lineaments of wrath, puts on the same airs in the circle of smaller slaves,
gives a loose to his worst passions, and thus nursed, educated, and daily
exercised in tyranny, cannot but be stamped by it with odious
peculiarities. The man must be a prodigy who can retain his manners and
morals undepraved by such circumstances."
Best,
Kevin R. Hardwick
--On Monday, January 06, 2003 11:22 AM -0500 "Charles L. Dibble [BLS914]"
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Bounced, trying again.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charles L. Dibble [BLS914]" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Cc: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 11:08 AM
> Subject: Re: Jefferson nephew chops a Black man to pieces
>
>
>> Jim -
>> Could you elaborate on: "and of TJ's own observations in Notes on
>> Virginia"?
>> Did TJ in fact comment on this?
>> The original account posted on the List (below) said:
>> "According to scholars, Jefferson, an enslaver of 154 Africans, would
> never
>> confront the murder in any of his writings. "
>>
>> ================================================
>> Charles L. Dibble
>> Post Office Drawer 1240
>> Columbia, South Carolina 29202-1240
>> email: [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]
>> ================================================
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "James Hershman" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 7:32 AM
>> Subject: Re: Jefferson nephew chops a Black man to pieces
>>
>>
>> > This terrible incident is also the subject of a play by, I believe,
>> > Robert Penn Warren called, " A Brother unto Dragons." A graphic
>> > illustration of the horrors of slavery and of TJ's own observations in
>> > Notes on Virginia.
>> >
>> > Jim Hershman
>> >
>> > paul finkelman wrote:
>> >
>> > > This is all true and well known to historians. See the book
> "Jefferson's
>> Nephews"
>> > > (Author's name slips my mind); it it truly horrible. I am no fan of
>> Jefferson
>> > > (See my book, Slavery and the Founders: Race and Liberty in the Age
>> > > of Jefferson); but we certainly cannot blame TJ for the sins and
>> > > misdeeds
> of
>> his
>> > > relatives.
>> > >
>> > > Karen Sutton wrote:
>> > >
>> > >> Ladies and Gentlemen,
>> > >>
>> > >> I saw this on Afrigeneas, anyone care to confirm or deny the story's
>> > >> accuracy? Any comments?
>> > >>
>> > >> Karen E. Sutton
>> > >>
>> >
>>
>>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ---
>
>> ----
>> > >>
>> > >> Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 01:20:49 -0600 (CST)
>> > >> From: [log in to unmask]
>> > >> Subject: Jefferson nephew chops a Black man to pieces
>> > >>
>> > >> FYI ... this comes from another ListServ. Interesting but not
>> > >> surprising to
>> > >> me! Sources follow the story.
>> > >>
>> > >> Please read this shocking account written by a white man about
> Lillburn
>> > >> Lewis, nephew of Thomas Jefferson of Livingston County, Kentucky:
>> > >>
>> > >>> Lillburn Lewis (nephew of Thomas Jefferson, the penman of the
>> > >>> Declaration of
>> > >>> Independence), of Livingston County, Kentucky, was the owner of
>> > >>> about fifty
>> > >>> Slaves, whom he drove constantly, fed sparingly, and lashed
>> > >>> severely. The
>> > >>> consequence was that some of them were in the habit of running
>> > >>> away. This
>> > >>> gave Lewis great anxieties until he found them, or until they
>> > >>> starved out
>> > >>> and returned. Among the rest was a boy named George, about
>> > >>> seventeen years
>> > >>> of age, who, having just returned, was sent to a spring for water,
> and
>> > >>> let
>> > >>> fall a pitcher breaking it. This was the occasion. It was night.
>> > >>> Lewis
>> > >>> then collected all the slaves into an out house, and ordered a
> rousing
>> > >>> fire
>> > >>> to be made. When the door was secured, that none might escape,
> either
>> > >>> through fear or sympathy, Lewis opened the design of the meeting,
>> > >>> namely,
>> > >>> that they might be effectually taught to stay at home and obey his
>> > >>> orders.
>> > >>> All things being now in train, he called up George, who approached
> his
>> > >>> master with the most unreserved submission. He bound him with
>> > >>> cords
>> > >> , and aid him on a meatblock, and seizing a broad axe, proceeded to
>> > >> chop him
>> > >>> into pieces, commencing at the ankles.
>> > >>> In vain did the unhappy victim call upon his Master to forgive him.
>> > >>>
>> > >> In vain did he scream. Not a slave durst interfere. Casting the
> feet
>> > >> into the
>> > >>> fire, he lectured the Slaves at some length. He then chopped off
>> > >>> below the
>> > >>> knees, and admonished them again, throwing the legs into the fire.
> He
>> > >>> then
>> > >>> chopped off above the knees, tossing the joints into the fire,
>> > >>> lecturing as
>> > >>> he proceeded. The next two or three strokes severed the thighs
>> > >>> from the
>> > >>> body. These were also committed to the flames. And so were the
> arms,
>> > >>> head
>> > >>> and trunk, until all was in the fire. Still protracting the
> intervals
>> > >>> with
>> > >>> lectures, and threatenings of like punishment, in case of
> disobedience
>> > >>> and
>> > >>> running away. The Slaves were then permitted to disperse.
>> > >>>
>> > >>> When the monster returned to his house, Mrs. Lewis exclaimed, Oh!
> Mr.
>> > >>> Lewis where have you been, and what have you done! She had heard a
>> > >>> strange pounding, and dreadful screams, and had smelled something
> like
>> > >>> fresh meat burning! He replied that he had never enjoyed himself
>> > >>> at
> a
>> > >>> ball
>> > >>> so well as he had enjoyed himself that evening.
>> > >>>
>> > >> According to scholars, Jefferson, an enslaver of 154 Africans, would
>> > >> never
>> > >> confront the murder in any of his writings. Reprinted in Tingba
> Apidta,
>> > >> The
>> > >> Hidden History of Washington, DC: A Guide for Black Folks (Roxbury,
> MA:
>> > >> Reclamation Project, 1996); William Loren Katz, editor, The
>> > >> Suppressed Book
>> > >> About Slavery (New York: Arno/New York Times, 1968), pp. 199-200.
>> > >>
>> > >> Peace, blessings, favor and grace, Alta
>> > >>
>> > >> "I have learned that no one can experience true love, or a joyful
>> > >> presence,
>> > >> or create an optimal future until one makes peace with one's past.
>> > >> Genealogy
>> > >> heals the soul!"
>> > >>
>> > >> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the
>> instructions
>> > >> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>> > >>
>> > > Paul Finkelman
>> > > Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
>> > > University of Tulsa College of Law
>> > > 3120 East 4th Place
>> > > Tulsa, OK 74104-3189
>> > >
>> > > phone 918-631-3706
>> > > Fax 918-631-2194
>> > > e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
--
Kevin R. Hardwick, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of History, MSC 2001
James Madison University
Harrisonburg VA 22807
Phone: 540/568-6306
Email: [log in to unmask]
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
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