Some examples of Jefferson's attitude, as alluded to by Professor 
Hardwick, were expressed by Jefferson as early as 1791. See his letter 
to Banneker  of August 30, 1791 "Nobody wishes more than I do to see 
such proofs as you exhibit, that nature has given to our black brethren, 
talents equal to those of the other colors of men, and that the 
appearance of a want of them is owing merely to the degraded condition 
of their existence."

Then in 1809, his letter to Henri Gregoire,/**/*/of February 25, 1809 
"My doubts [about the abilities of blacks] were the result of personal 
observation on the limited sphere of my own State, where the 
opportunities for the development of their genius were not favorable, 
and those of exercising it still less so. I expressed them therefore 
with great hesitation; but whatever be their degree of talent, it is no 
measure of their rights"

Then, his letter of August 25, 1814 to Edward Coles "My opinion has ever 
been that, until more can be done for them, we should endeavor, with 
those whom fortune has thrown on our hands, to feed & clothe them well, 
protect them from ill usage, require such reasonable labor only as is 
performed voluntarily by free men, and be led by no repugnances to 
abdicate them, and our duties to them."
/


//*Richard Dixon Editor Jefferson Notes 571-748-7660
On 12/19/2011 3:45 PM, Hardwick, Kevin - hardwikr wrote:
> TJ "often expressed fear" that freed slaves who had not been "raised to care for themselves" would "do them no favor"?  I have certainly seen this kind of claim made by other slave owners, as a justification for continuing to own slaves---so a priori, it strikes me as at least plausible that Jefferson might have ascribed to this kind of belief.

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