8.9.2
Discuss the abolition of slavery in
early state constitutions
Abolishing slavery, where hardworking African American slaves are able to become free and not listen to
their owner's commands, was commonly discussed about in early state
constitutions. Frederick Douglass, the most famous Black abolitionist, once
said, "I have much confidence in the instincts of the slaveholders. They see
that the Constitution will afford slavery no protection when it shall cease to
be administered by slaveholders… There is no word, no syllable in the
Constitution to forbid that result… There was one Free State at the beginning of
the Government: there are eighteen now… Within the Union we have a firm basis of
opposition to slavery. It is opposed to all the great objects of the
Constitution… My position now is one of reform, not of revolution. I would act
for the abolition of slavery through the Government – not over its ruins." He
felt that change and reform would occur sometimes, beginning with one state that
would influence other states to do so. Vermont gradually abolished slavery in
1777, causing Massachusetts and main to do the same in 1780. Pennsylvania
(1780), New Hampshire (1781), Virginia (1782), Rhode Island and Connecticut
(1784), Delaware (1787), Maryland (1790), New York (1799), and New Jersey (1804)
also abolished slavery after seeing other states do it. Abolishing slavery
started in the northern states and spread towards the south
Vermont's constitution, which felt slavery was inhumane, wanted to abolish
slavery because of the abolitionists' lectures and felt that all men are born
equal with the same rights, no matter what ethnicity you are, for every person
is born with the unalienable rights that cannot be taken away. In the first
article of Vermont's constitution, it stated, "That all persons are born equally
free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable
rights, amongst which are the enjoying and defending life and liberty,
acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining
happiness and safety; therefore no person born in this country, or brought from
over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person as a servant, slave or
apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the
person's own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the
payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like." Vermont obviously decided
that slavery should never have been started. Virginia's constitution, which
passed a law hoping people would follow their conscience and free the slaves,
was referred to by a few other states. Delaware, Maryland, New York, and New
Jersey followed Virginia as an example, and soon slavery was gradually
eliminated in their states as well. New Jersey's constitution, which called for
slavery to be gradually eliminated starting from July 1804, stated that any
child born to a slave "shall remain the servant of the owner of his or her
mother… until the age of twenty-five years [if male], and if a female until the
age of twenty-one years." New Jersey's abolition of slavery law was passed at
Trenton, New Jersey, on February 15, 1804. Many northern states' constitution
enacted a law similar to New Jersey's. North Carolina, which had difficulty
deciding how to abolish slavery, adopted several pieces of laws from other
states. However, the states the laws were referred to were soon becoming
slavery-free. Soon, North Carolina decided to use every officially authorized
opportunity given, making compromises with the soon-to-be-free slaves and
bondsmen.
Slavery in the District of Columbia, where many important people, such as the president and his cabinet, lived, was
disliked among many of the states after the abolition of slavery was finally
enacted in their constitutions. The states came together and wrote petitions to
the District of Columbia, requesting them to "without delay, enact laws for the
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and for preventing the
bringing of slaves into that District for the purpose of traffic, in such mode
as may be thought advisable, and whatever measures may be adopted, will also
make suitable provision for the education of all free black and colored children
in the District, thus to preserve them from continuing even as free men, and
unenlightened and degraded caste." They felt that moral reform would sooner or
later be accomplished, for change in the world happens constantly.
Declaration of Sentiments, where the American Anti-Slavery Society expressed
their feelings, assisted the African Americans to win there freedom. If
abolitionists didn’t fight and lecture people about the evilness of slavery, it
may not have been abolished so soon. They felt the abolition of slavery was
necessary "because the holders of slaves are not just proprietors of what they
claim; freeing the slave is not depriving them of property, but restoring it to
its rightful owner; it is not wronging the master, but righting the slave –
restoring him to himself."
Recommended Books:
1.
Revolutionary Citizens: African Americans 1776 – 1804
by Daniel C. Littlefield
2.
The Abolitionists: A collection of their writings
by Louis Ruchames
3.
Black Movements in America
by Cedric J. Robinson