Arguments Defending Slavery
In the defense of slavery, the colonies had years of bondage thanks to English need for hard laborers. The colonial, and later American, society was unable to exist without slavery, which made states so dependent on it that they struggled to give it up. It was also believed that the paganism and heathenism Africans had in their home country was dealt with by being under ownership in a land of God and civilized men. To teach them Christian doctrine made them not only better people, but better servants, too. There was a thought that they could live happily and comfortably as slaves under a Christian master. They were unhappy in their old lives, and kind masters along with God would give them a happy life.*
Some saw white servants better than black servants, but knew that black servants would only be given up if owners were compensated fully for their troubles. All slaves were purchased with the intent of creating profit, and they were seen as property. They were investments, and to suddenly lose one's investment could severely hurt a slave owner's wealth. It was also speculated that if black servants were freed all at once, they needed to be deported from the colonies, or chaos would ensue.* There was also a fear of retribution from the slaves if they were freed. Poisonings and uprisings already made white colonists fear for their lives. To give a slave freedom meant giving a slave the chance to ally with other Freedmen and rise up against white colonists.*
*1 Tise, Larry E. Proslavery: A History of the Defense of Slavery in America, 1701-1840. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1987. Pgs. 15, 18, 20-22.
*2 Ibid, 17-18.
*3 Horne, Gerald. The Counter-Revolution of 1776. New York University Press, 2014. Pgs. 237-240, 246.