Jefferson, Wheatley, and Woolman all come from very different backgrounds but nonetheless have have serious apprehensions about the persistence of slavery in the colonies and the emerging nation. How would you say two (or all three) of these writers understand slavery in the colonies and the United States? What are one or two details in their writing that make you think as you do?
5 thoughts on “Woolman, Jefferson, Wheatley”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
In John Woolman’s essay, “Some Considerations on Keeping The Negroes”, Woolman understands slavery to be un-christian. He states that by treating a nation of people as inferior and enslaving them, a “darkness” is exposed that goes against God’s wishes. He believes denying fellow humans of the “sweetness of freedom” and also denying slaves a true religious education is a “contradiction to reason”. Woolman understands slavery to cause suffering not only for the enslaved, but also for the enslaver. “For while the like of one is made grievous by the rigor of another, it entails misery on both.” He believes that persons who live a life “guided by wisdom” i.e a non-slaveholder, will be benificial to society due to their serenity of mind. However, slaveholders will “wander in a maze of dark anxiety.” His argument against slavery is deeply religious, but also rational and clearly presented.
In her poems and letter, Phillis Wheatley takes an interesting view on the institution of slavery. In “On being brought From Africa to America”, she treats her own passage from Africa to America as a blessing, in that she was enlightened and introduced to God. It seems as if she might praise slavery as it introduces Africans and their “benighted souls” to Christianity. However in “To the Right Honourable William,” she displays her contempt for the institution of slavery. She pleads for slavery to exist “no more” and discusses what it must have been like for her parents to have their child stolen from them. In her letter to Samson Occon, her views mirror Woolman’s in that her main point is that God has “implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of oppression.” She understands slavery as an opponent of God-ordained freedom, to which she feels everyone is entitled to.
Both Woolman and Jefferson express similar viewpoints regarding the institution of slavery, despite their differing backgrounds. Their devout appreciation for God fuels their contempt for slavery, seeing it as unnatural and immoral. They strive to live in accordance with God’s doctrines, which they clearly convey throughout their narratives. Woolman’s piece uses religious rhetoric to discuss his views on slavery, constantly referring to Him and various passages from the Bible. His narrative reveals that he is more concerned with the behavior towards slaves, more so than the institution itself. He believes men are all created equally, that “all nations are of one blood…and that the All-wise Being is judge, and Lord over us all” (Woolman 619). It is only when people lose this sense of spiritual unity and brotherhood that slavery becomes an issue. He asserts that when we are “constantly retaining on our minds the distinction betwixt us and them with respect to our knowledge and improvement in things divine, natural, and artificial, our breasts being apt to be filled with fond notions of superiority, there is danger of erring in our conduct toward them” (Woolman 620). In his opinion, it is the duty of those who have been granted with “distinguished gifts” by God to interpret and exert them in a manner that would please Him. Jefferson’s document also communicates his strong belief in God and equality among all men. He sees the King of England as an oppressive ruler, much like the common slaveowner. Jefferson outlines each of his qualms with the King, condemning his wicked and sinful behavior. In a particularly powerful passage Jefferson declares: “He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating it’s most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere…” (Jefferson Autobiography). He clearly indicates his aversion to the King’s attempt to control the colonies.
Thomas Jefferson was smart to revise the Declaration of Independence as to not offend “his friends in England worth keeping terms with.” Jefferson really attacked king of Britain’s CHRISTIAN values and essentially his moral character as well in the original document. Clearly, like Chris and Anthony have noted, Jefferson believed in all men created equal and under God’s rule. Jefferson also notes that it was a relatively quick process in writing the declaration and that everyone signed it in the house except Mr. Dickinson…Who is Mr. Dickinson?
John Woolman, a Quaker and clear abolitionist, also bases his views on religion, specifically Christianity and God. Woolman takes the approach of putting yourself in their shoes as he writes, “that amongst ourselves we had few wise and pious instructors…that the religious amongst our superiors seldom took notice of us” (621). Woolman is trying to get people to empathize with the Negroes and understand that “we are in a higher station and enjoy greater favors than they” (620). Woolman goes on to discuss how every person is one under God, and how people must abide by the Bible in order to lead happy and fulfilling lives. I do think, however that Woolman does view the Negroes as less superior and as sort of an incovenience. He writes, “we may further consider that they are now amongst us, and those of our nation the cause their being here” (622). While I am not questioning the fact that Woolman is an abolitionist, this language sounds pretty dismissive and annoyed with how the situation unfolded, almost as if it it could have and should have been avoided.
Thomas Jefferson and John Woolman both agreed that slavery was an institution that should not be continued in the colonies. It seems that both of their judgments seem to stem from their connection to religion. While these two men come from differing backgrounds, their religion is what connects them. Thomas Jefferson was himself a slave owner and held a plantation in the south while Woolman was a northern preacher. The thing that these two seem to agree on is that all men are created in God’s image, this view is what drives them towards the idea of abolishment; Woolman states that the continuation of slavery will only lead to condemnation by God.
It would seem that both of these men are very aware of how slavery was crucial to the economic expansion of the country, but their major qualms seem to be with the treatment of slaves. Woolman in fact has no problem with slave-owners who treat their slaves gently or work alongside them.
Woolman and Jefferson both believe that in the eyes of God all men are created equal and therefore nobody should rule over the other. In drafting the Declaration of Independence Jefferson condemns the King of England for trying to rule forcefully over the colonies. This relationship only mirrors that of slaves and a slave-owner.
Jefferson and Woolman both agree that the institution of slavery is against human nature because it violates the inalienable rights of life and liberty. The two men also criticize those that encourage slavery because it violates the Christian beliefs that they claim as their own. Woolman is scared for the future of our nation because proponents of slavery, “conceive views of interest separate from the general good of the greater brotherhood, and in pursuance thereof treat our inferiors with rigor to increase our wealth and gain riches for our children, what then shall we do when God riseth up; and when He visiteth, what shall we answer Him?” (Woolman, 625)
It is clear that Woolman believes that slavery and Christianity cannot coexist, therefore, the continuation of slavery puts our nation at risk because God disapproves of it. Woolman also asserts that proponents of slavery are unable to attain true happiness, and “their treasures are insufficient to quiet their minds. Hence, from an insatiable craving they neglect doing good with what they have acquired, and too often add oppression to vanity, that they may compass more.” (Woolman, 626)
Woolman’s view of the negative affects of slavery suffered by the oppressors can be compared to Jefferson’s criticisms of the King of England in his autobiography. Jefferson attacks the King for failing to address proposed legislation aimed at prohibiting or restraining the slavery. In Jefferson’s opinion the King is acting as Woolman wrote, “from an insatiable craving they neglect doing good with what they have acquired, and too often add oppression to vanity, that they may compass more.” (Woolman, 626) According to Jefferson, the King is not satisfied with simply controlling the colonies, slavery has to exist for his material gain. Now that the colonies are threatening independence the King wants to “compass more”(626) by any means necessary, “he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them, by murdering the people on whom he also obtruded them: thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another.” (Jefferson)
Jefferson’s criticism of the King and his motivations mirror Woolman’s criticisms of slavery and the affect it has on those oppressors. Both believe that the institution of slavery need be abolished because our nation cannot sustain if it exists due to the fact that it contradicts the very principles that define not only Christianity, but our great nation. Life and Liberty. If we do not treat others as we would like to be treated, and afford everyone the same inalienable rights, then the future of our nation will be in question.