Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-10-05
washington ON Slavery.
From Ms. KHkland's Memories of wasAinrsoa.

[ W 2S1faEfG8.
Washington was STAKEHOLDER, as he Nss .
| planter, by birth, education and habit. and
he not only saw but felt-for be was South.
ern man in his private feeliags,-al the siiaai-
eulties which must arise from the stHte of thugs
between South and North That
Washington Jefferson, and others of our sFev-
olutionary forefathers, foresaw and dreaded The
shape the question might finally assame. Ne
gather from expressions in tHeif Rosks; lr.
Jefferson, in particular expressed himself yFilh
great warmth, saying the Almighty had ao 81
tribute which could take part with slavery
that be trembled for his country when he -
fected that God is just. Washington expEess-
ed his sentiments with no less directness -
never mean, unless some particular circuHstan-
ces should compel me to do it, to possess an
other slave by purchase it being among my
first wishes to see some plan adopted BY vbifcA
slavery in this country may be abolished BY
law" sss
In another letter he says J" I hopeit will
not be conceived from these observation.
with respect to the recaptuFe of q ring sy
slaveJ !" that it is my wish to t5fd lie lnhap-
py people who are the subject of this letter III
slavery. can only say there is not a man liF-
ing who wishes more sincerely than do to see
plan adopted for the abolition Of it; bat
there is only one proper and efeetual mode By
which it can be accomplished, and that IS 81
legislative authority, and this; as far as MY sglf
frage viii go; shall never be wanting.
And again in enumerating the reasons Why
the price of land is higher in PennsyIvania
than in Maryland and Virginia, be mentions
that in Pebnsylvallia there are laws for tie
gradual abolition Of slavery. which neither of
the two States above mentioned have at pres
ent, Juf aeh6ei ne;ia.ag Is mere eefflt,t zsasla
that they must hare, and al period Z s'Aet e
mote"
Lafayette having perehased an estate III
Cayenne, With the intention Of freeing HE
slaves son it, Washington wrote to hiuts--
& Your last purchase il generous and noble
proof of your humanity. Would to God
like spirit might disEuse itself generally in fbe
minds Of the people Of this country! I" y
Nhef Mrs Washington's maid Obey ran
away, Mrs W. desires the General TO adser-
tise, offering reward for her. He wholly de-
clined with laugh land, We doubt not, q blush
too,) saying it would appear finely for himto
be advertising runaway slave n
1t is well known that Washington neversbe-
qneathed slave, but in the dfawing up Of
that admirable will, which, as he said il eecu
pied many cf his leisure hours to digest. he
carefully provided for the emancipation of all
over whom he had control.
Upon the decease of my wife, it is my will
and desire that sH my slaves whom hold IN
my oarn right shall teeeise thsis freedom. To
en,aneit t.te their during hef life Would, though
earressly wished for by NE, ae stttertied with
such iusuperable. difficulties on account. of teir
intermixt ure, by marriage with the dover me-
groes, as to excite the most raihfdl sensations,
if not disagreeable consequences TO the latter,
while both descriptions are in the occupancy of
the same proprietor zs not being in my pow
er, under the tenure by which the dover ne
groes are held. to manumit them. And where
as among those who will receive freedom ac-
cortiing So thi5 detase, there may be some who,
from old age or bodily infrmities, and others
who on account of their infancy, will be uHa-l
ble to support themselves, it is my will and de-
sire that all who come under the first and sec
ond descriptions, shall be comfortably clothed
and fed by my heirs while they live and thai
such of the latter description Is have no pa
rents lfsifg or if living, unable or Unable to
to provide for them, shall be bound by the
court until they arrive at the age of twenty
FIVE years. The negroes thus bound are 10 be
taught to read ard write, arrd to be brought
up 10 some Useful oecupa,loff.
And do hereby expressly forbid the
sale OF transportation out of the common
wealth of any slave I may die possessed Of,
under any pretense whatever. And do more
over, most pointetily and most selemnly efpoin
it upon my executors hereafter named, or the
survivors of them, to see that this clause re
specting slaves ard every part thereof be re-
ligionsl5 fulfilled at the epoch at which it is di-
rected to take place. without evasion. neglect
or delay. after the crops which may then be on
the grouEd be harvested, particularly as it re-
speets aged sraa inirm; seeing that regular
and permanent fund be established for their
support, as long as there ass' subjects requiring
it not trusting te' tss dtateeeFtain provision to
be made by iudifs sahsls."