n 1776 he submitted to the revolutionary convention in
Virginia a constitution in which was incorporated the clause
prohibiting slavery. He undertook also to induce the legislature of
Virginia to take this step in 1783, and as chairman of the committee
of the Congress of the Confederation appointed to draw up an ordinance
for the government of the Northwest Territory, he submitted a plan
providing that after the year 1800 neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude should exist there. These clauses and some comments thereon
follow:

No person hereafter coming into this country shall be held within
the same in slavery under any pretext whatever.--Proposed Va.
Constitution.[89]

The General Assembly (of Virginia) shall not have power to ...
permit the introduction of any more slaves to reside in this
State, or the continuance of slavery beyond the generation which
shall be living on the 31st day of December, 1800; all persons
born after that day being hereby declared free.[90]--Proposed
Constitution for Virginia.

After the year 1800 of the Christian era, there shall be neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude in any of the said States,
otherwise than in punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall
have been duly convicted to have been personally
guilty.[91]--Proposed Ordinance of 1784.

"The clause respecting slavery," said he "was lost by an
individual vote only. Ten States were present. The four Eastern
States, New York and Pennsylvania, were for the clause. Jersey
would have been for it, but there were but two members, one of
whom was sick in his chambers. South Carolina, Maryland, and
Virginia! voted against it. North Carolina was divided, as would
have been Virginia, had not one of its delegates been sick in
bed."[92]

"I congratulate you" said he to a coworker, "on the law of your
state (South Carolina) for suspending the importation of slaves,
and for the glory you have justly acquired by endeavoring to
prevent it forever."[93]

VII

Jefferson seemed to get further from the idea of immediate
emancipation, looking upon it as a very serious problem. He tended, as
the following extracts will show, to advocate lightening the burden of
the slave, hoping that in the West Indies, where he thought the Negro
would eventually rule absolutely, the blacks might establish
governments to