Friend, we petition thee to end this unholy traffic in

human beings, it being a moral stain on our

nation!

What is this mischievous

meddling? Next they’ll want emancipation!

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Quaker petition! I must say it is

an outrage that the request of these Quakers is being taken seriously!

This should be referred to a committee as a

matter of course.

That this subject is breached due to the

efforts of a group of such ill repute is

personally offensive!

It is Febuary 11th, 1790 and

A quaker petition to end

the slave trade has just

been presented to congress...

“Calm down, Mr. Jackson! No notice of this will be taken out of doors. It will die in committee"

Why don't you accompany me

outside?

But I Must Continue my

arguement!... Well... alright. ill go with you!

OUtside...

You haven't seen anything yet- here's a petition- with my

signature- from the Pennsylvania abolition society!

The evils of slavery should soon be ended.

Franklin must be having a senior

moment- Doesn’t he realize that this is too

important to talk about publicly?

So much for youR plan Mr.

Madison!

I knew this issue

wouldn't go quietly away!

the clear understanding during the Revolution was

that slavery would be gradually phased out, it being utterly incompatible

with the ideals of our founding document-the Declaration of

Independence.

You are mistaken, sir! The real foundational document was not the Declaration but

the Constitution, and it states plainly that the slave trade may not be abolished until 1808. Clearly, there was a

gentleman's agreement that slavery would not be

abolished either.

The constitution... The "general welfare"

clause provides the authority to eliminate

the slave trade! it empowers congress

to take whatever action it deems necessary to

countenance the restoration of liberty

for all Negroes!

They're both missing the

point. We're not

supposed to talk about it

at all.

You’re both wrong! We

neither committed to

abolition nor to the preservation

of slavery.

The Constitution was intentionally ambiguous on this point. Nowhere DiD I even mention the

word "slaves"

Besides, the only entity with the power to end slavery would be the federal

government, and the last thing we need is a strong,

assertive government.Even if the

restrictions you seek to impose were legal, they would be a logistical

impossibility!

How do you propose to

compensate the slave owners,

given our present dire

financial straits?

Since a bi-racial society is out of the question, I am also

curious to know where you propose

to locate the slaves after freeing

them.

As Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts has

suggested, we could sell Western lands to

raise money to solve the compensation dilemma. We could also amortize the debt, so as to defray

the cost over a long period of time, as

suggested by a Virginian, St. George Tucker.

HOW CAN YOU SPEAK OF THIS

MATTER IN SUCH A FASHION! IT

IS RIDICULOUS. IT IS

GUARANTEED BY THE

CONSTITUTION THAT SLAVERY IS

TO REMAIN UNTOUCHED!

I have respect for your intellect, Mr. Jackson, but it

cannot be denied that at its very roots, slavery is completely incompatible with the noble

ideals brought forth during our virtuous American Revolution. Not

only does it violate the slaves inalienable rights endowed unto them by God, it subjects them to exploitation under the harshest

conditions.

Who cares about inalienable rights? Our economy is built on slaves! Without them we would flounder into oblivion. I have said it before, and I will say it again, for

never does it waver in its truth. Slavery is a necessary evil, one that is woven into

the very fabric of our society.

Mr. Franklin, you may enjoy your moral superiority, but the fact remains that the labor of our slaves feeds our wives, our children, our elderly! Our

livelihood depends upon what you are fighting so hard to abolish.

It is my duty, I believe, to do all I

can to rid the south of this scourge! The

sooner we are able to do this, the

better it will be for our country.

The Debate Continues..

.

THAT'S IT! I'M LEAVING!

phew.

Apologies for my colleague. He is

a brash man. Undoubtedly. Did I tell you that I am considering writing

a parody of representative Jackson? In it, I will show the similarities between his

arguments and those which an Algerian pirate might make for enslaving Christians.

I'm sure it will be both humorous and enlightening.

I agree that these proslvavery arguments are shamefully indecent.

I think it was very improper to introduce this

matter in CongresS.

Like you, I must think of my constituents, manjy of

whom own slaves.

Slavery Is a moral and political evil.

Whoever puts forth a reasonable plan for

emancipation will deserve well of his

country.

The true policy of the southern states is to

let the matter proceed with as little noise as possible, and

die out quietly.

A Reading of the March 23 Committee RePORT, Brought to you by James Madison and the Virginia Society of Circumlocutions.

For the south, we have a committment to preerve the slave trade until 1808. For the North, we have a tax which will discourage the importation of slaves. For the Quaker petitioners, we have a vague promise to exercise our authority for humane purposes when possible.

Now if I could just

get my hands on

that Declaration

!

Alright, Mr. Jackson...

that's going too far. But we could

arrange to remove Congress'

power to tax slave imports and take out the vague language for the

Quakers.

Dear Mr. Randolph:I am pleased to report that slavery has been removed from the political agenda.

While I share your view that slavery is inherently evil, I

also believe that any attempt to end it would lead the Deep South to abandon the

union. Thus, I have helped pass a resolution denying Congress the authority to emancipate the slaves. This should, at last, silence both the abolistionists and

the Deep South on this issue, thereby ensuring the preservation of the union.

Sincerely yours,James Madison

Silence IS Golden