Jefferson to John Holmes

Sea of Liberty  |  document
1 of 2
2 of 2
Description

In this famous letter, Jefferson conceded that justice demanded an end to slavery, but he also insisted that the prosperity and safety of white people required its preservation and expansion into Missouri and other western territories. In Jefferson’s view, the “blessings” of white liberty trumped the “abstract principle” of justice for blacks.


transcript
Download All Materials