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