In 1780, Pennsylvania passed the Gradual Abolition Act, a law that freed people after they turned 28 and that automatically freed any slave who moved to the state and lived there for more than six months. Dunbar tells the story of how Washington got around it:
Washington developed a canny strategy that would protect his property and allow him to avoid public scrutiny. Every six months, the president’s slaves would travel back to Mount Vernon or would journey with Mrs. Washington outside the boundaries of the state. In essence, the Washingtons reset the clock. The president was secretive when writing to his personal secretary Tobias Lear in 1791: “I request that these Sentiments and this advise may be known to none but yourself & Mrs. Washington.”
Most unfortunate. Imagine their lives had they lived in Rwanda, Nanking, Democratic Kampuchea, Spandauer Vorstadt, Armenia, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Mount Sinjar …
I find it laughable that supposedly educated people propose to sit in judgement of other times and other places on the putative basis of their own rather dodgy morality.
Randy B Premium Member about 7 years ago
From a Smithsonian article:
In 1780, Pennsylvania passed the Gradual Abolition Act, a law that freed people after they turned 28 and that automatically freed any slave who moved to the state and lived there for more than six months. Dunbar tells the story of how Washington got around it:
Washington developed a canny strategy that would protect his property and allow him to avoid public scrutiny. Every six months, the president’s slaves would travel back to Mount Vernon or would journey with Mrs. Washington outside the boundaries of the state. In essence, the Washingtons reset the clock. The president was secretive when writing to his personal secretary Tobias Lear in 1791: “I request that these Sentiments and this advise may be known to none but yourself & Mrs. Washington.”
Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/george-washington-used-legal-loopholes-avoid-freeing-his-slaves-180954283/#KxWYod3PTDz8TSSb.99
Meh~tdology, fka Pepelaputr about 7 years ago
Britain didn’t care who owned slaves as long as they got their tabacky, cotton, and whiskey!
*Hot Rod* about 7 years ago
Slaves or the white house staff?
Meh~tdology, fka Pepelaputr about 7 years ago
@EXIT WOUND – 6 DAYS AGO
(In best Peppermint Patty style…)
Yes.
No.
Probably.
Definitely YES!
*Hot Rod* about 7 years ago
Determined choices are questionable, so LA LA LA LA LA LA too you.
*Hot Rod* about 7 years ago
Even the girl slaves?
Brass Orchid Premium Member about 7 years ago
We can do better. Lincoln was five times as money as Washington.
The Old Wolf about 7 years ago
I spent a night in Tintoretto’s studio once…
INGSOC about 7 years ago
Washington looks comfortable..
INGSOC about 7 years ago
That’s how the one dollar bill should look like..
Rotifer FREE BEER & BATH MATS ON FEB. 31st Thalweg Premium Member about 7 years ago
Most unfortunate. Imagine their lives had they lived in Rwanda, Nanking, Democratic Kampuchea, Spandauer Vorstadt, Armenia, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Mount Sinjar …
Linguist about 7 years ago
Today we don’t have slaves, we have unpaid interns !
Radish... about 7 years ago
Georgey slept around.
https://allthingsliberty.com/2016/03/the-alleged-amorous-affairs-of-washington/
Sisyphos about 7 years ago
I find it laughable that supposedly educated people propose to sit in judgement of other times and other places on the putative basis of their own rather dodgy morality.
3hourtour Premium Member about 4 years ago
…Martha got screwed by George …
…in the end…
…and lived in constant fear that her slaves were going to kill her…
…it seems…
…in the president’s will George stated that…
…after his wife’s death all the slaves were to be set free…
…Adonijah held on to the horns of the alter…
…for all the good it did him…
…just sayin’…