Henry Laurens, however, was less willing to go public with his criticisms of slavery. Privately, he disapproved of the institution. However, he also recognized that the labor of black slaves contributed to the foundation of his wealth (Massey 498). Despite being a slave owner, Laurens made an effort to treat his slaves with respect and recognize their humanity. When an overseer shared that he was having difficulties with a slave, Laurens told him, “Take care of him . . . . You say you don’t like him but remember he is a human Creature whether you like him or not,” (Massey 498). Despite his disapproval of slavery, his personal experience with slaves proved to be much more complex. Laurens claimed that he disagreed with the practice of selling
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Yet, as a businessman, Laurens understood that “property” had to be liquidated. Despite being “human Creatures,” slaves were ultimately still property. Laurens’ consideration of slaves as both humans and property illuminates the huge complexity of slavery in this era.
In the years 1767 to 1769, Henry Laurens was engaged in a pamphlet war with Egerton Leigh, a judge of a vice admiralty court (Massey 499-500). In his pamphlets, Leigh emphasized Laurens’ sensitivity towards the slave trade and his reputation. In his pamphlet, The Man Unmasked, Leigh accused Laurens of being a hypocrite. Leigh mentioned how Laurens retired from the slave trade on the grounds of morality, yet revealed how Laurens kept all the profits obtained by his business in human trafficking (Massey 500). Indignant, Laurens responded with his own pamphlet titled, Appendix to the Extracts from the Proceedings of the High Court of Vice Admiralty. In his own pamphlet, in attempt to defend himself, Laurens went to great lengths to explain his retirement from …show more content…
Despite the Enlightenment ideas that inspired the Revolution, the general American public insisted on considering slaves as property. Men who were fighting against the tyrannical-like rule of the British empire were using the very idea of liberty to support the institution of slavery. Even the few who recognized slaves as human beings, such as Henry Laurens and James Madison, ultimately believed that slaves, before anything else, were ultimately property. Despite the efforts of key figures in the anti-slavery movement, like John Laurens, any action that allowed slaves more rights were often opposed with much resistance. In the context of the American Revolution, slaves were property and were not among the men who were guaranteed the rights of life, liberty, and property. Since the right to private property was among the freedoms and liberties the colonists were fighting for, the American Revolution, in a sense, was a war fought to protect the system of slavery. The persistence to treat blacks as property, fundamentally stripping them of their natural rights, was one of the major contributions of the continual existence of slavery after the Revolutionary
Yet, as a businessman, Laurens understood that “property” had to be liquidated. Despite being “human Creatures,” slaves were ultimately still property. Laurens’ consideration of slaves as both humans and property illuminates the huge complexity of slavery in this era.
In the years 1767 to 1769, Henry Laurens was engaged in a pamphlet war with Egerton Leigh, a judge of a vice admiralty court (Massey 499-500). In his pamphlets, Leigh emphasized Laurens’ sensitivity towards the slave trade and his reputation. In his pamphlet, The Man Unmasked, Leigh accused Laurens of being a hypocrite. Leigh mentioned how Laurens retired from the slave trade on the grounds of morality, yet revealed how Laurens kept all the profits obtained by his business in human trafficking (Massey 500). Indignant, Laurens responded with his own pamphlet titled, Appendix to the Extracts from the Proceedings of the High Court of Vice Admiralty. In his own pamphlet, in attempt to defend himself, Laurens went to great lengths to explain his retirement from …show more content…
Despite the Enlightenment ideas that inspired the Revolution, the general American public insisted on considering slaves as property. Men who were fighting against the tyrannical-like rule of the British empire were using the very idea of liberty to support the institution of slavery. Even the few who recognized slaves as human beings, such as Henry Laurens and James Madison, ultimately believed that slaves, before anything else, were ultimately property. Despite the efforts of key figures in the anti-slavery movement, like John Laurens, any action that allowed slaves more rights were often opposed with much resistance. In the context of the American Revolution, slaves were property and were not among the men who were guaranteed the rights of life, liberty, and property. Since the right to private property was among the freedoms and liberties the colonists were fighting for, the American Revolution, in a sense, was a war fought to protect the system of slavery. The persistence to treat blacks as property, fundamentally stripping them of their natural rights, was one of the major contributions of the continual existence of slavery after the Revolutionary