Letters, pg. 159

This chapter is a series of letters discussing slavery in America and possible problems and actions to take with it. The authors of all the letters are afraid of the possibility of a slave uprising in America. They fear that events in Saint Domingo may inspire slaves in America to revolt. A slave revolt that already occurred in Virginia in 1800 is mentioned, but this slave revolt was quickly put down. The letters discuss which states could help put down a slave revolt, and one calculates the size of the army that could possibly put down a revolt. This fear was very real to Americans because of the successful slave revolt in Saint Domingo. The letters describe ways to deal with this threat, such as exporting slaves back to Africa and encouraging slaves to leave America. These letters show us what Americans of the time thought of freeing slaves and that is that they did not want to. Even when facing the threat of slave revolution, the Americans did not even consider freeing their slaves. They were willing to consider most any other method besides freedom for the slaves. Slaves were major money makers for America so Americans wanted to keep slavery.