Comment - FBXL Lotide

He rotated the slaves he and his wife had in Philadelphia, the temporary US capital during his presidency, out because it would have embroiled him in a broader legal issue of federalism when his top priority as the country’s first president was avoiding scandals which would damage the office, including that of the deeply contentious issue of slavery.

You could argue that he should have freed all of his slaves immediately, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but that ends up no different than any other aspect of the question of Washington owning slaves to begin with.

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Saprophyte@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

I shall not only loose the use of them, but may have them to pay for. If upon taking good advise it is found expedient to send them back to Virginia, I wish to have it accomplished under pretext that may deceive both them and the Public;

https://pressbooks.nvcc.edu/ushistory/chapter/washingtons-dilemma-over-gradual-emancipation/

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- MrsDoyle@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  
  “…the idea of freedom might be too great a temptation for them to resist.”
  
  What an arse.
  
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  - Saprophyte@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    If you research Ona Judge, you’ll see with a complete asshole he could be.
    
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- PugJesus@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  That doesn’t contradict what I said. Not sure why you chose to begin quoting mid-sentence, either.
  
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  - Saprophyte@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    No, it agrees with what you said and includes a source. The quote is from the letter.
    
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    PugJesus@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    Ah, sorry for the tone.
    
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