republics of the West Indies would
become a safety valve for the United States.

I become daily more convinced that all the West India Islands
will remain in the hands of the people of color, and a total
expulsion of the whites sooner or later take place. It is high
time we should foresee the bloody scenes which our children
certainly, and possibly ourselves (south of the Potomac), have to
wade through and try to avert them.[111]

If something is not done, and soon done, we shall be the
murderers of our own children. The "_murmura venturos nautis
prudentia ventos_" has already reached us (from San Domingo); the
revolutionary storm, now sweeping the globe, will be upon us, and
happy if we make timely provision to give it an easy passage over
our land. From the present state of things in Europe and America,
the day which begins our combustion must be near at hand; and
only a single spark is wanting to make that day to-morrow. If we
had begun sooner, we might probably have been allowed a lengthier
operation to clear ourselves, but every day's delay lessens the
time we may take for emancipation. Some people derive hope from
the aid of the confederate States. But this is a delusion. There
is but one State in the Union which will aid us sincerely, if an
insurrection begins, and that one may, perhaps, have its own fire
to quench at the same time.[112]

As to the mode of emancipation, I am satisfied that that must be
a matter of compromise between the passions, the prejudices, and
the real difficulties which will each have its weight in that
operation. Perhaps the first chapter of this history, which has
begun in St. Domingo, and the next succeeding ones, will recount
how all the whites were driven from all the other islands, may
prepare our minds for a peaceable accommodation between justice,
policy and necessity; and furnish an answer to the difficult
question, whither shall the colored emigrants go? and the sooner
we put some plan under way, the greater hope there is that it may
be permitted to proceed peaceably to its ultimate effect.[113]

Jefferson finally despaired of seeing his emancipation scheme succeed.

I have long since given up the expectation of any early provision
for the extinguishment of slavery among us. There are many
virtuous men