The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-19
WASHINGTON ON SLAVERY.

SIR: In compliance with your request, am
happy to communicate such facts as will res.
cue your journal from the charge made against
it, of "having forged an extract in relation
to Slavery, purporting to be taken from one OF
Washipgton's letters to Tobias Lear. Since
my remarks, published in the Tribune of the
I'd of September, concerning that extract il
has been ascertained by an inspection of the
original letter, now in the possession of Mrs
Lear, that the passage in question is not con-
tanned in that letter, nor anything else touch
ing Slavery. In this particular, therefore, the
transcript in the Letter Book. from which
printed, agrees with the original. The extract
is not found in either of them.
have likewise procured and examined the
collection of copies of letters from Washington
to Lear, which formerly belonged to his son
In this collection is copy of the letter refer
red to above, and it contains the passage on
Slavery in precisely the same language as
printed in the Tribune of July 81. 1t occurs
in the body of the letter, without any intims-
ton that it did not make a part of the original,
from which the copy is presumed to have been
taken. How it came there, is mystery hard
to explain, especially as the copies were taken
long ago, and apparently for private use, and
with no other object than that of having dupli-
Gates of letters that were interesting TO the
family.
But, however this mystery may be cleared
up, it would scarcely have been strange if the
sentence interpolated in the copy had come
from Washington's pen. Similar ideas arc
advanced in other letters, as two or three ex-
amples will show In letter to Robert Nor
ris, he writes:
IL hope it will not be conceived from these
observations that it is my wish to hold the I'M
L. koCAl
in Slavery. | can only say, that there is not a
man living, who wishes more sincerely than
do, to see q plan adopted for the abolition of
it but there is only one proper and effectual
mode by which it can be accomplished, and
that is By legislative authority; and this, as far
as my suffrage Will 90, shall never be wanting"
Washington's Writings, Vol. H. p. 159.
Again, in letter to Lafayette:
"The benevolence of your heart, my dear
Marquis, is so conspicuous upon all occasions,
that never wonder at any fresh proofs of it I;
but your late purchase of an estate in the Col
ony of Cayenne, with view of emsncipating
the slaves on it, is generous and noble proof
of your humanity Would to God like spirit
might diffuse itself generally into the minds of
the people of this country. To set
the slaves ahoat at once, would, really be-
lieve, be productive of much Inconvenience and
mischief; but by degrees It certainly might, and
aesuredly ought to, be effected, and that, toe,
by legislative authority."-Page 1863.
Again, he writes to John F. Mercer:
II never mean, unless some particular or
cumstances should compel me to it, to possess
another slave by purchase, it being among my
first wishes to see some plan adopted by which
Slavery in this country may be abolished by
law"-Page 159.
This language is sufficiently explicit in re-
gard to Washington's sentiments on the sub
ject of Slavery. He deprecated the evil, and
desired emancipation but he wished it TO be
brought about by legislative action, upon what
he considered strict principles of justice to ell
parties, in such manner as to make it the
more effectual and the more complete. In fact,
his will, by which he emancipsted his own
slaves, is a practical commentary upon these
sentiments, and proves his consistency as well
as his humanity.
Your obedient servant JARED SPARKS
Cambridge, Oct 5, 1884.