Presidential Views on Slavery
After many people stood up for the abolishment of slavery, it finally happened in 1865. A hand full of United States presidents had stood up for this as well. James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, had wished for the abolishment of slavery in a peaceful way. Madison had written a letter to Robert Evans explaining, “...merits encouragement from all who regard slavery as an evil, who wish to see it diminished and abolished by peaceable and just means” (Madison). He shows that the abolishment of slavery needs to be peaceful and needs to go by just means, meaning being fair with their equal rights. Other presidents, such as the sixth president, John Quincy Adams, thoughts that equality should …show more content…
While James Monroe wanted a gradual end to slavery, Rick Britton explains Monroe’s opinion as, “While he never advocated for equal rights for the enslaved population, Monroe sought a gradual end to slavery and promoted the re-settling of freed slaves either in the Caribbean or in Africa” (Britton). Monroe had never wanted equal rights for the slaves, but he wanted a gradual end to slavery and thought that freed slaves should be resettled into the Caribbean or Africa. Monroe had no need for slavery, it was just a preference for him. Andrew Jackson, however, sought a necessity for slavery in his daily life. An article about the Hermitage explains, “...the Jackson family’s survival was made possible by the profit garnered from the crops worked by the enslaved on a daily basis” (Slavery | Andrew Jackson's Hermitage Plantation). Jackson’s family had survived off of the money gained from these slaves working for them on a daily basis on the fields. If the Jacksons didn’t have their slaves, they’d barely be able to survive, hence the reason why Jackson was pro-slavery. Agreeing with slavery had never worked out in the end, since the abolishment of slavery had been done in
After many people stood up for the abolishment of slavery, it finally happened in 1865. A hand full of United States presidents had stood up for this as well. James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, had wished for the abolishment of slavery in a peaceful way. Madison had written a letter to Robert Evans explaining, “...merits encouragement from all who regard slavery as an evil, who wish to see it diminished and abolished by peaceable and just means” (Madison). He shows that the abolishment of slavery needs to be peaceful and needs to go by just means, meaning being fair with their equal rights. Other presidents, such as the sixth president, John Quincy Adams, thoughts that equality should …show more content…
While James Monroe wanted a gradual end to slavery, Rick Britton explains Monroe’s opinion as, “While he never advocated for equal rights for the enslaved population, Monroe sought a gradual end to slavery and promoted the re-settling of freed slaves either in the Caribbean or in Africa” (Britton). Monroe had never wanted equal rights for the slaves, but he wanted a gradual end to slavery and thought that freed slaves should be resettled into the Caribbean or Africa. Monroe had no need for slavery, it was just a preference for him. Andrew Jackson, however, sought a necessity for slavery in his daily life. An article about the Hermitage explains, “...the Jackson family’s survival was made possible by the profit garnered from the crops worked by the enslaved on a daily basis” (Slavery | Andrew Jackson's Hermitage Plantation). Jackson’s family had survived off of the money gained from these slaves working for them on a daily basis on the fields. If the Jacksons didn’t have their slaves, they’d barely be able to survive, hence the reason why Jackson was pro-slavery. Agreeing with slavery had never worked out in the end, since the abolishment of slavery had been done in