At the risk of making my good friend Deane Mills scream, I'll say that we SHOULD be judging the people of the past. We live under their laws, their Constitution, their customs, so we have a right to inquire about the character of those people who made the world we live in. When we write books that heap praise on the Founders, that's a judgement too. Lyle Browning asks for a succinct summary of this Hemings question. You could look at the Monticello report on their website, which is very clearly presented, and then look at Herb's website for another view. Jon Kukla said what I have been thinking of saying but haven't gotten around to -- the personal attacks on Dan Jordan of Monticello are way, way out of line. He is a superb scholar, committed to a full and frank discussion of the Jeffersonian legacy. He presided over the creation of the magnificent International Center for Jefferson Studies, where scores of scholars come from around the world to study, discuss, and advance Jefferson studies in an open and impartial atmosphere. We owe Dan a lot. Henry Wiencek Charlottesville ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html