Archive for the ‘Founding Fathers’ Category

Watch this video to see Judge Napolitano talk about one president after another stomping all over the constitution, slowly destroying its intentions as set forth by the Founders.

Washington was the only prominent, slaveholding Founding Father to emancipate his slaves. He did not free his slaves in his lifetime, however, but instead included a provision in his will to free his slaves upon the death of his wife. William Lee, Washington’s longtime personal servant, was the only slave freed outright in the will. The will called for the ex-slaves to be provided for by Washington’s heirs, the elderly ones to be clothed and fed, the younger ones to be educated and trained at an occupation. Washington did not own and could not emancipate the “dower slaves” at Mount Vernon.

Prior to 1782, Virginia law prohibited slave owners from emancipating slaves. The only exception being for “meritorious service” and only at the approval of the Governor and his council.^[10][11] This law was repealed by the 1782 law allowing slave emancipation by will or deed.^[12][13] Washington never manumitted any slaves by deed after the liberal 1782 law was passed, with the exception of his will.

Washington’s failure to act publicly upon his growing private misgivings about slavery during his lifetime is seen by some historians as a tragically missed opportunity. The major reason Washington did not emancipate his slaves after the 1782 law and prior to his death was because of the financial costs involved. To circumvent this problem, in 1794 he quietly sought to sell off his western lands and lease his outlying farms in order to finance the emancipation of his slaves, but this plan fell through because enough buyers and renters could not be found. Also, Washington did not want to risk splitting the new nation apart over the slavery issue. “He did not speak out publicly against slavery”, argues historian Dorothy Twohig, “because he did not wish to risk splitting apart the young republic over what was already a sensitive and divisive issue.”^[14]

Source: Wikipedia

The United States Constitution is silent on political organizations, mainly because most of the founding fathers disliked them.

Many of America’s Founding Fathers hated the thought of political parties. They were sure quarreling factions would be more interested in contending with each other than in working for the common good.  They wanted citizens to vote for candidates without the interference of organized groups.

Sources:  Wikipedia, WikiAnswers