7951. SLAVERY, Sectional views in 1785.—
Southward of the Chesapeake, your
pamphlet [against slavery] will find but few
readers concurring with it in sentiment on the
subject of slavery. From the mouth to the
head of the Chesapeake, the bulk of the people
will approve it in theory, and it will find a respectable
minority ready to adopt it in practice;
a minority which for weight and worth of
character preponderates against the greater
number, who have not the courage to divest
their families of a property which, however,
keeps their conscience unquiet. Northward of
the Chesapeake, you may find here and there
an opponent to your doctrine, as you may find
here and there a robber and murderer; but in
no greater number. In that part of America,
there being but few slaves, they can easily disencumber
themselves of them; and emancipation
is put into such a train that in a few years
there will be no slaves northward of Maryland.
In Maryland, I do not find such a disposition
to begin the redress of this enormity as in Virginia.
This is the next State to which we May
turn our eyes for the interesting spectacle of
justice in conflict with avarice and oppression;
a conflict wherein the sacred side is gaining
daily recruits from the influx into office of
young men grown, and growing up. These
have sucked in the principles of liberty, as it
were, with their mother's milk; and it is to
them I look with anxiety to turn the fate of
this question. Be not therefore discouraged.
What you have written will do a great deal of
good.—
To Dr. Price. Washington ed. i, 377.
Ford ed., iv, 82.
(P.
1785)
