Washington was not without his moments of torment, those moments of conscience when something within told him that slavery was wrong. As he searched the future of America one day, he wrote to his nephew: “I wish from my soul that the legislature of this State could see the policy of gradual abolition of slavery. It might prevent much future mischief.” In spite of this, Washington never made a public statement condemning slavery. He could not pull away from the system. When he died he owned, or had on lease, more than 160 slaves. Here, in the life of the father of our nation, we can see the
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