Analysis Of Jefferson And The Problem Of Slavery By William Cohen

William Cohen, “Jefferson and the Problem of Slavery,” Journal of American History 56, no 3 (1969): 503-526
Thomas Jefferson is one of the pioneers who laid the foundation for what is now The United States of America. Jefferson is also reflected to be one of the most controversial because of his juxtaposing political posture of race and slavery compared to his personal beliefs on this same matter. He, along with other “Founding Fathers,” owned slaves but also believed that all men are equal and are to be treated equally. William Cohen in his article, “Jefferson and the Problem of Slavery,” talks about the complexity and contradictions of Thomas Jefferson through his political actions as compared to his personal practices. Jefferson was complex

This is the foundation for one of his contradicting beliefs. He claimed that all men are created equal and have rights bestowed upon them, yet he owned hundreds of slaves and considered them as his property. Contrary to this belief, Jefferson did not think that blacks were equal to whites. He held the belief that the white race was more beautiful, had better abilities to reason, and were overall more superior. Jefferson originally condemned the purchasing and selling of people, but by 1805, he stated that he was “endeavoring to purchase young and able negro men” to work on his plantation. It is true that Jefferson was a politician who vowed for equality among people and he did treat his slaves well, but he was a business person first. Jefferson was an entrepreneur who earned money through owning or growing his assets. During this era, an abundance of land and slaves showed wealth. Cohen states that since Jefferson was always short on cash, he could not afford to acquire more land. Slaves, however, increase by themselves through reproduction. He made sure that his slaves were not overworked and that the breeding women received enough time to nurse their children because this increased the worth in his slaves. His slaves were often treated nicer than other masters would treat their own slaves. He would do so in hopes that his slaves

Jefferson did not believe that there would be a solution for both races to live and be treated equally in America. Jefferson states, “Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Nor is it less certain that the two races, equally free, cannot live in the same government.” He believed that blacks were animalistic, crude, alien and inferior to whites, therefore there was no way that both races would be able to live equally and together. This shows his pessimism and hopelessness of finding a solution for both blacks and whites within America. After further calculation and upon reaching the realization that African colonization of the slaves was practically impossible and very costly, he thought of another plan to essentially buy slave children from their mothers. This required the government to pay the child’s mother to raise the child and allow the child to compensate the government by working. When the child reached a certain age, that child would then be deported to Santo Domingo. This solution shows how, although Jefferson feels that the slaves should be free, he cannot stop his continual objectification of such people. He refers to them as property that holds a value of $200 a person (Cohen,