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 _________________________________________________________________ Get a preview of Live Earth, the hottest event this summer - only on MSN http://liveearth.msn.com?source=msntaglineliveearthhm