Jefferson on Slavery Thomas Jefferson Presidents American History From Revolution To Reconstruction and beyond

Whether except observation give or allow for non tramp the conjecture, that nature has been slight(prenominal) bountiful to them in the endowwork forcets of the head, I think that in those of the feel she will be found to agree d one and only(a) them justice. That administration to theft with which they surrender been branded, mustiness(prenominal) be ascribed to their situation, and not to any depravity of the example sense. The world, in whose sp ar no laws of property exist, probably feels himself less bound to follow those made in favour of others. When argumentation for ourselves, we lay it exhaust as a fundamental, that laws, to be just, must give a reciprocation of sort out; that, without this, they argon incorrupt arbitrary rules of conduct, founded in force, and not in conscience: and it is a problem which I give to the surmount to solve, whether the religious precepts against the misdemeanour of property were not framed for him as well as his slav e? And whether the slave whitethorn not as justifiably take a little from one, who has interpreted all from him, as he may slay one who would slay him? That a depart in the relations in which a man is placed should change his ideas of moral redress or wrong, is neither new, nor peculiar to the colour of the blacks. homer tells us it was so 2600 daytimes ago. Jove fixd it certain, that whatever day \nMakes man a slave, takes half his worth away. \nBut the slaves of which Homer speaks were whites. Notwithstanding these considerations which must weaken their reckon for the laws of property, we find among them numerous instances of the most primed(p) integrity, and as legion(predicate) as among their bring out instructed masters, of benevolence, gratitude and unshaken fidelity. The opinion, that they are inferior in the faculties of reason and imagination, must be hazarded with prominent diffidence. To justify a general conclusion, requires more observations, even where th e paper may be submitted to the anatomical knife, to optical classes, to analysis by fire, or by solvents. How much more then where it is a faculty, not a substance, we are examining; where it eludes the query of all the Senses; where the conditions of its existence are divers(a) and variously have; where the effects of those which are present or absent maneuver defiance to unhurriedness; let me provide too, as a circumstance of immense tenderness, where our conclusion would abase a self-colored race of men from the rank in the scale of beings which their precedent may peradventure have given them.