Jeffersonian spin in the Declaration draft and a prevailing
misinterpretation of the "Act for continuing and amending several acts,
and reviving one act, for laying duties," March 21, 1772 (Hening,
8:530-32) have led some to believe the 1772 law was an attempt to ban
importation of slaves from Africa. Instead it was one of several laws
passed in the 18th century to control the economics of the slave trade
to slave owning Virginians' benefit. Some years ago Darold Wax ("Negro
Import Duties in Colonial Virginia: A Study in British Commercial Policy
and Local Public Policy." Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 79
[January 1971]: 29-44) dealt with these acts. More recently, Bruce A.
Ragsdale (A Planters' Republic, 132-135) has further explained what the
House of Burgesses was up to.
Phil Schwarz
Professor Emeritus of History
Va. Commonwealth University
Automatic digest processor wrote:
>There are 3 messages totalling 152 lines in this issue.
>
>Topics of the day:
>
> 1. banning slave trade (2)
> 2. Barringer Fellowship for Teachers of American History
>
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>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 01:43:23 -0600
>From: Paul Finkelman <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: banning slave trade
>
>In his draft of the Declaration, Jefferson condemned the King for
>disallowing a law of the Virginia colony to ban the importation of
>slaves from Africa.
>
>Can someone give me a cite to that law and if possible also one or two
>secondary sources that discuss the law and king overruling it. Off list
>answers are fine. Thanks in advance.
>
>--
>Paul Finkelman
>Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
>University of Tulsa College of Law
>3120 East 4th Place
>Tulsa, OK 74104-3189
>
>918-631-3706 (office)
>918-631-2194 (fax)
>
>[log in to unmask]
>
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>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 14:52:21 -0500
>From: Robin Gabriel <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Barringer Fellowship for Teachers of American History
>
>Please pass along this information to friends and colleagues who teach K-12.
>Thanks,
>Robin Gabriel
>Monticello Education Department
>
>
>The Thomas Jefferson Foundation is pleased to announce the Barringer
>Fellowship for Teachers of American History, which is designed to provide
>individual teachers an opportunity to research and study at Monticello and
>the Jefferson Library. The Fellowship will allow teachers to work on
>Jefferson-specific projects such as lesson plans, curricular units,
>resource packets, or syllabus outlines that will enhance their classroom
>teaching. Fellowship recipients will spend two weeks in independent
>research and consultation with Monticello scholars on projects that relate
>directly to Thomas Jefferson and that will enhance their classroom
>presentations.
>
>Fellowships will be awarded to qualified elementary and secondary teachers
>who are employed full-time in the classroom. The Barringer Fellowship grant
>will include: a stipend of $1,500; travel costs up to $1,000; $1,400 for
>lodging in a local hotel; and $50 per diem for food. The grant can be taken
>at any time during the recipient's summer vacation, with TJF approval.
>
>For more information and an application form, please visit
>http://www.monticello.org/research/fellowships/barringer_fellowship.html
>
>To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
>at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 23:46:29 -0500
>From: Jurretta Heckscher <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: banning slave trade
>
>Hi, Paul.
>
>Am just looking at your message from home late in the evening, so I =20
>can't give you a primary source (though see below), but some strategic =20=
>
>googling yielded this:
>
> =46rom =20
>http://oha.ci.alexandria.va.us/archaeology/decades/ar-decades=20
>-1770.html:
>
>"In 1772 the House of Burgesses directed a petition to the Throne, =20
>imploring "your majesty's paternal assistance in averting a calamity of =20=
>
>a most alarming nature. The importation of slaves into the colonies =20
>from the coast of Africa hath long been considered as a trade of great =20=
>
>inhumanity, and under its present encouragement we have reason to fear =20=
>
>will endanger the very existence of your Majesty's American dominions." =20=
>
>The 1774 Fairfax Resolves called for "an entire stop forever put to =20
>such a wicked, cruel, and unnatural trade." "
>
>And from American Heritage Magazine's "Time Machine" feature for April =20=
>
>1997 (volume 48, issue 2), =20
>http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1997/2/=20
>1997_2_95.shtml:
>
>"1772 Two Hundred and Twenty-five years Ago
>Stopping the Slave Trade
>On April 1 Virginia=92s House of Burgesses petitioned King George III of =
>=20
>England for =93your Majesty=92s paternal assistance in averting a =
>Calamity =20
>of a most alarming Nature.=94 Specifically, they asked the king to let =20=
>
>them ban the importation of slaves, which =93hath long been considered =
>as =20
>a Trade of great Inhumanity=94 and might =93endanger the very Existance =
>of =20
>your Majesty=92s American Dominions.=94 . . . Despite the burgesses=92 =20=
>
>fawning manner (=93We, your Majesty=92s dutiful and loyal Subjects . . . =
>=20
>beg Leave, with all Humility, to approach your Royal Presence=94), King =20=
>
>George rejected their request. "
>
>As you probably know, the obvious source for the 1772 episode would be =20=
>
>John Pendleton Kennedy, ed., Journals of the House of Burgesses of =20
>Virginia 1770-1772 (Richmond, Va. [The Colonial Press, E. Waddey Co.], =20=
>
>1906), Library of Congress call number J87 .V6 1770-1772c.
>
>Best--
>
>--Jurretta Heckscher
>
>On Nov 28, 2005, at 2:43 AM, Paul Finkelman wrote:
>
>
>
>>In his draft of the Declaration, Jefferson condemned the King for
>>disallowing a law of the Virginia colony to ban the importation of
>>slaves from Africa.
>>
>>Can someone give me a cite to that law and if possible also one or two
>>secondary sources that discuss the law and king overruling it. Off =20=
>>
>>
>
>
>
>>list
>>answers are fine. Thanks in advance.
>>
>>
>
>To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
>at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of VA-HIST Digest - 27 Nov 2005 to 28 Nov 2005 (#2005-192)
>**************************************************************
>
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>
>
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