Anne,
I agree with you on this one. It seems to aggravate some folks that Jefferson may have slept with his young slave. Take away Sally and what we are left with is Jefferson, the racist, slave holder. I believe that is what some of the historians here are arguing for, to leave his legacy of slave holding, Genocide against Native Culture, and racist views intact. Trying to paint him as a saint is not going to work, because there is too much opposing information out there. Even if he never touched Sally, the fact that he held slaves, and wrote literature that continues to be used to justify racist views, says a lot about his character. 

Anita 




-- Anne Pemberton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Steven,

Perhaps because I am no spring chicken anymore, I am on a fence on how much 
we can or should demand that science establish "proofs" which in the past 
were left as unanswered questions.

I have no problem whatsoever in analyzing all the available information and 
sticking to my belief that in all probability, Sally shared TJ's bed. He 
would not have needed to slip out to her cabin. They could have been 
comforably undisturbed in his bed. Since she was also his chambermaid, who 
would know? Such testimony as the overseer's statements reminds me of the 
"testimonies" offered by our current president to explain away his absences 
from National Guard duty.

I would like to learn more about that census entry for Madison Hemings that 
he was the son of Thomas Jefferson. Why would the clerk of the court sign 
off on a document with such an assertion if it was not intended to be 
understood as knowledge and fact.

Anne
Anne Pemberton
[log in to unmask]
http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org 

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