Bravo!!

Anita


>From: Henry Wiencek <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history         
>      <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Madison's slaves (and black descendants?)
>Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:20:48 -0400
>
>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

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