1799 - Human Rights, Social Justice

Human Rights, Social Justice

Federal authorities in Rhode Island seize the schooner Lucy at Bristol and the brig Eliza at Warren on charges of their having broken the 1794 U.S. law prohibiting traffic in slaves (see 1797). Merchant John Brown has recently been acquitted of trafficking in slaves, his onetime captain James De Wolf and De Wolf's brother Charles own the Lucy, and their ship is sold at auction July 25 along with the Eliza.

George Washington's will provides for the emancipation of the 125 slaves he has owned in his own right, but only upon the death of his widow, Martha. He has changed his will to that effect this year, having been persuaded a decade ago by the idea that slavery is an evil and economically unsound, but he has made no public statement to that effect. Martha Washington owns 193 slaves herself; fearing for her life, she will go to court and have her late husband's slaves freed, but her own slaves (who include her half sister, Ann Dandridge), will not go free until her death in 1802.