How Did Jefferson Express Misgivings About The Institution Of Slavery

In Notes on the State of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson discussed the lifestyle and the intellectual potential of slaves. Jefferson observed slaves first hand because he was a slave owner himself. These are questions that we ask ourselves about Jefferson; how did Jefferson view the existence of slavery and the intellectual capabilities of African Americans, and did Jefferson express misgivings about the institution of slavery? What we know now is that Jefferson gained an understanding of the lifestyle of slaves and realized that slavery was very brutal and stood without any authority. He saw areas within music where blacks were more advanced than whites and Indians. Jefferson wanted to figure out a way for slaves to become free and have lives of …show more content…
Jefferson explained some of the most significant explanations why liberty never received serious deliberation in Southern legislatures. One of the most significant corrections proposed was to free all slaves born after passing the act. An amendment that included it was arranged, to be presented to the government when the bill should be taken up. The bill included, that they should maintain with their parents to a certain age, then be brought up, at the public expense, to labor, arts or sciences, according to geniuses, till the females should be eighteen, and the males twenty-one years of age, and to proclaim them liberated and sovereign people, and extend to them agreement and safety, till they have gained power (147). Jefferson discussed how his fellow Virginians presented a proposal to free slaves even though he was not in agreement with them. The proposal was created to make an argument for a better life on behalf of the unborn Africans. In Virginia in 1782, trying to argue about liberty was very difficult at that time. Jefferson felt that slavery was ethically wrong, and he wanted the slaves to be able to have individual rights and live normal lives like whites in the future. Jefferson realized that the only difference between the two was skin color, and that was not enough reason to be treated poorly. The proposal of the bill would help the younger Africans to be able to live a normal life without having to be limited to labor. Jefferson wanted to continue slavery for a little longer before the bill could be passed. He felt that there were problems within slavery and did not agree with the process completely. For that reason, Jefferson only expressed misgivings about the institution of slavery rather than present a strong defense for