The deleted clause of the Declaration of Independence

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04 July 2020, 12:59 PM

jon-nyc

The deleted clause of the Declaration of Independence

Jefferson wrote this but was forced to remove it under pressure from other delegates.

I was aware of it’s existence but had never read it before today.

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If you think looting is bad wait until I tell you about civil forfeiture.

04 July 2020, 04:23 PM

CHAS

Thanks
A BA in poly sci and I have never seen that.

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Several people have eaten my cooking and survived.

04 July 2020, 05:01 PM

Piano*Dad

I remember examining that as an undergraduate. My advisor was a political philosophy prof. Even as an 18 year old, I was struck by Jefferson's tortured logic. It's an exercise in blame shifting, or trying to make the philosophic best out of a very bad situation.

No southern delegate would agree to have this be part of the document, of course. It undercuts any rationale for maintaining slavery. But I'm sure just about everyone rolled eyes at the idea that blame for the existing system, and its perpetuation, could be so neatly laid at Britain's feet.

04 July 2020, 05:56 PM

Steve Miller

Jefferson owned slaves, IIRC.

The John Bolton of his time.

04 July 2020, 06:58 PM

Mary Anna

I had heard of this, but I'd never seen it, either.

I don't see how he could have written this while enslaving people and intending to keep them enslaved.

Am I missing something here? Is he really saying, "England is culpable for buying and selling human beings, but they're mine now. I believe I'll keep them."

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Mary Anna Evans
http://www.maryannaevans.com
MaryAnna@ermosworld.com

04 July 2020, 07:39 PM

Piano*Dad

... pretty much.

04 July 2020, 09:10 PM

wtg

https://news.google.com/articl...S&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

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When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

04 July 2020, 09:12 PM

jon-nyc

His purpose was not to justify slavery or shift blame for it. He was cataloging the crimes of the British crown as he saw them. In that sense surely he was accurate. (At least in the first complaint if not the second)

I read that delegations of Georgia and SC opposed it, as did some northern delegates then active in the slave trade.

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If you think looting is bad wait until I tell you about civil forfeiture.