Hello everyone I am Thomas Roderick Dew.
My scholarly interest was political economy and I have published many writings in that field. I became the chair of political law at William and Mary in 1827 and I am currently the president of William and Mary and a pro-slavery advocate.
If you take a look at the slaveholding population of our country you will find that they are characterized by noble and elevated sentiments, and humane and virtuous feelings. We do not find them among the cold, contracted or selfish. Most slaveholders can be categorized as the most generous, conscientious, and the least unjust in their principles. In the South, it is known that the most cruel masters are those who have been unaccustomed to slavery. Northern gentlemen who marry Southern heiresses are much severer than Southern gentlemen. There may be cruel masters, and there are unkind and cruel fathers too, but both make all around them shudder with horror.
Everyone acquainted with Southern slaves knows that the slave rejoices in the prosperity of his master. No one is more gladdened by the successes of a young master or miss than a young slave who has grown up with their master and shared in all their sports and delicacies or an aged one who has watched them grow up. We have often heard slaveholders affirm that they would sooner rely on their slaves loyalty and attachment in the hour of danger and severe trial than other equal numbers of individuals.
If the slave is happy and happiness is the goal of all creation, why should we disturb his contentment by infusing into his mind a vain and indefinite desire for liberty- a concept which he cannot comprehend, and which must inevitably dry up the very source of his happiness.
In regards to the idea that slavery is against Christianity , I positively deny that there is anything in the Old Testament or New Testament that goes to say that the master commits any offense in holding slaves. The children of Israel themselves were slaveholders and were not condemned for it, the Patriarchs were slaveholders, and Abraham and Isaac had hundreds of them.
Let’s admit that slavery is an evil, what then? It has been brought about by no fault of ours. Must we throw the slave unto hands of those who have no conscience and who will not perhaps treat them so kindly. No! That is not philosophy or morality.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/text-pro-slavery-argument-1832-thomas-dew
https://biography.yourdictionary.com/thomas-roderick-dew
https://wwnorton.com/college/history/archive/resources/documents/ch15_03.htm
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