The founding fathers were slave owners

Found a good article about this on a Christian site.

Slightly edited excerpts:
It is true, that not all of the Founders opposed slavery.
Nevertheless, despite the support in Southern states for slavery, the clear majority of the Founders was opposed to this evil--and their support went beyond words.

- In 1774, Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush founded America's first antislavery society

- When Constitution signer William Livingston heard of the New York society, he, as Governor of New Jersey, wrote them, offering:

“I would most ardently wish to become a member of it [the society in New York] and... I can safely promise them that neither my tongue, nor my pen, nor purse shall be wanting to promote the abolition of what to me appears so inconsistent with humanity and Christianity... May the great and the equal Father of the human race, who has expressly declared His abhorrence burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke.”

-Other prominent Founding Fathers who were members of societies for ending slavery included Richard Bassett, James Madison, James Monroe, Bushrod Washington, Charles Carroll, William Few, John Marshall, Richard Stockton, Zephaniah Swift, and many more.

-Based in part on the efforts of these Founders, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts abolished slavery in 1780; Connecticut and Rhode Island did so in 1784; New Hampshire in 1792; Vermont in 1793; New York in 1799; and New Jersey in 1804. Furthermore, the reason that the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa all prohibited slavery was a federal act authored by Rufus King (signer of the Constitution) and signed into law by President George Washington which prohibited slavery in those territories.
It is not surprising that Washington would sign such a law, for it was he who had declared:

“I can only say that there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do to see a plan adopted for the abolition of it [slavery].”
George Washington

More quotes:

-"[W]hy keep alive the question of slavery? It is admitted by all to be a great evil."
[SIZE=-1]Charles Carroll, Signer of the Declaration of Independence.

-[/SIZE]"As Congress is now to legislate for our extensive territory lately acquired, I pray to Heaven that they ...[c]urse not the inhabitants of those regions, and of the United States in general, with a permission to introduce bondage [slavery]."
[SIZE=-1]John Dickinson, Signer of the Constitution and Governor of Pennsylvania.

-[/SIZE]"That men should pray and fight for their own freedom and yet keep others in slavery is certainly acting a very inconsistent as well as unjust and perhaps impious part."
[SIZE=-1]John Jay, President of Continental Congress, Chief-Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and Governor of New York.

-[/SIZE]"Domestic slavery is repugnant to the principles of Christianity... It is rebellion against the authority of a common Father. It is a practical denial of the extent and efficacy of the death of a common Savior. It is an usurpation of the prerogative of the great Sovereign of the universe who has solemnly claimed an exclusive property in the souls of men."
[SIZE=-1]Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence[/SIZE]

 

That was mighty White of 'em. Especially since during the previous 2 centuries Christianity sanctioned the taking of native lands and the extermination of entire groups of indigenous peoples, all in the name of God. And, this attitude prevailed through the early 20th century.

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^ I'm an atheist, you don't have much to argue with me there.

 

Curses, foiled again.

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my dads side of the family owned slaves up until it was illegal.

i don't condone this because i think its extremely unethical and morally wrong, but i just thought i'd throw it out there.

 

Kill whitey

 

My family wasn't in the country, but I've been called a slave owner in highschool =P

 

This doesn't matter too much to me.
Today, slavery is extremely unethical and beyond wrong, but back in the day there was a different story.
It's always easy to judge retrospectively, but to be honest I see no need to detriment from the validity of a person simply because they were a part of the times.

 

I mostly do agree.

I posted this here because of how often people use that "the founding fathers were slave owners" to discredit them or America on this site.

 

Fred Phelps and suicide bombers are part of today's "Times." Each is the extreme end of two very popular movements.

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For their time despite owning slaves the founding fathers were actually pretty damn liberal.

Slavery is still relevant though:

 

Yes it's a part of it.
By "times" I meant what was universally acceptable.

 

Great post.

 

Acceptable to whom? It certainly wasn't acceptable to the slaves or the citizens of several states that outlawed it.

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My people had human machinery in Missouri before and during the civil war. My Gramma ,who raised me ,evidently had some guilt about it ,because she told me that when the machinery was freed,they didn't want to leave because "they were treated so well". Yeah-right. Not much I can say or do about it now,so it was what it was. I have a letter from Missouri sent to a relative in Cal during the civil war complaing about the Jay hawkers (Kansas)crossing the border to steal and burn their possesions. My ancestors were very familiar with Quantrell. I had other relatives that fought for the north. It was,as Neodude said- an accepted ,albeit immoral and horrible way to treat humans.

 

*sigh*
What I mean was that it wasn't seen as wrong by the majority of people.
Why is this even an issue? If most people thought it wasn't right, then it wouldn't have existed. I realize "slavery" has strong emotional ties, but what is in the past is in the past, and like I said, to retrospectively judge someone for living within their times is kind of foolish.

 

^ I vote winner.

 

"This 4th of July, when you're faced with all the patriotic broo haha, don't forget what you're celebrating. The fact the a bunch of slave owning, rich, white, aristocrats didn't want to pay their taxes!" -dazed and confused

or something along those lines...

 

I think as a country we'd progress much quicker if we all just stopped talking about the founding fathers. Political theory from 230 years ago isn't always applicable to today despite what a lot of people want to think.

 

True, although it's important to never forget your roots/beginnings