ople."
Jefferson continues and explains that the institution of slavery
could also have a detrimental impact on the children of slave masters. The
governor explains that children would imitate the actions of their parents.
If they saw their parent belittling a slave, they would begin to belittle
the smaller slaves. He also explains that this situation would be "the
germ of all education in him." He also states that he believed that slaves
would be emancipated because he felt that the spirit of the master was
abating and the spirit of the slave was "rising from the dust." (Jefferson)
At times Jefferson seems conflicted about how he feels about the
slave and the institution of slavery. On one hand he asserts that Blacks
are inferior to whites and that incorporating blacks into the state may
result in the annihilation of one of the races. On the other hand, he
seems to believe that the slaves should be free and that they would
eventually be free despite all the "obstacles" that would complicate their
emancipation. It seems that his convictions about the eventual emancipation
of slaves were grounded in the belief that God would punish America for
slavery. (Jefferson) He conceded that if slavery did not end some type of
supernatural intervention would occur and that God would have no mercy on
the individuals that inflicted such pain on other human beings.
Some of his concepts and ideas of what makes an individuals pigment a
certain color is reflective of the science that was available at that time.
This being said, these ideas are certainly born of ignorance and his views
insinuate that Black skin is not beautiful or acceptable. He explains that
"Whether the Black of the Negro resides in the rectangular membrane,
...