On the score of human dignity and the justice of the Creator

When all you know about George Washington is that he owned slaves, it's easy to assume the worst, and many do.

After all, slavery is evil. Frederick Douglass observed that there is not a man on Earth who doesn't know that slavery is wrong for him. Abraham Lincoln expressed his desire that if anyone would try to justify slavery, he would like to see it tried on him personally.

But the terrible, tragic truth is that slavery has existed throughout human history and has been practiced on every continent and by every people. That was the world into which George Washington was born, and he was a man of his time.

But that is not the end of the story. To Washington's credit -- and to our great benefit -- he admitted that slavery was wrong, and he wanted to end it. (It is worth noting that not only did Washington foresee the impending civil war that would arise over slavery, but he declared that if the Republic were to descend into conflict, he would join the North.)

Here is George Washington, a man for all times, on the subject of slavery:

"I wish from my soul that the legislature of this state could see the policy of a gradual abolition of slavery. It would prevent much mischief."

"… No man desires more heartily than I do [the end of slavery]. Not only do I pray for it on the score of human dignity, but I can clearly foresee that nothing but the rooting out of slavery can perpetuate the existence of our union."

"The unfortunate condition of the persons whose labour in part I employed, has been the only unavoidable subject of regret. To make the Adults among them as easy & comfortable in their circumstances as their actual state of ignorance and improvidence would admit; and to lay a foundation to prepare the rising generation for a destiny different from that in which they were born, afforded some satisfaction to my mind, and could not I hoped be displeasing to the justice of the Creator."