What Was Jefferson’s True Outlook on Blacks and Native Americans?

Within the “Bowels” of the Republic by Ronald T. Takaki:

What was Jefferson’s true outlook on blacks and Native Americans?

HIST-1301-168

19 February 2016

What was Jefferson’s true outlook on blacks and Native Americans?

Jefferson always felt strongly about equality, but his actions revealed otherwise. Having grown up all his life with black slaves, Jefferson grew dependent on them for labor and financial worth. Moreover, the fear of revolt was likewise a motivator to hold blacks captive a lifetime. Jefferson also believed blacks were inferior to whites and could never co-exist together, because to him being white was beautiful and blacks could not posses such beauty. On the other hand he felt compassion towards the Natives and treated them with added respect. But nevertheless, he didn’t want the Natives to posses any power that would overthrow his Democracy.

Equality has always been at the forefront of every discussion, either by the government who infringed on those rights or by the very same people who so desperately wish to have it. As closely examined by Ronald T. Takaki and verified by several primary sources will show that I agree with Takaki based on letters written by Jefferson to Harrison, on the course of action they will take with the Natives so as to slowly take their lands. Halting free blacks from entering or passing through Pennsylvania and the involuntary deportation to Africa of freed blacks. These are not actions one would presume for such a prominent and influential president for his time. Thomas Jefferson was noble but his need for a stable society with homogenous morals overpowered those ideals.

Document five titled “Thomas Jefferson on the Indians’ Future” (1803), a letter Jefferson wrote to William H. Harrison, about his position on the Natives (Document 5, Page 130). Jefferson’s views about the Natives are perplexing; he once pronounced “Our system is to live in perpetual peace with the Indians” along with providing them with protection, but he also made it very obvious that he wanted to force the Indians out by having them acquire debt and constraining them to sell their lands for less (Document 5, Page 131). Seems as if he wanted to 6tg7appear as someone who wanted to co-exist with the Indians in peace, but in reality had another agenda. In the note to Harrison, he expressed their fear and weaknesses as a way of capitalizing on it and subjecting them to unfair treatment. Unaware of Jefferson’s authentic motives, he led the Indians to believe that any misfortune was of their own doings.

Document eleven titled “A Letter from a Man of Colour” (1813), written by James Forten, a free black who worked as a Philadelphia sailmaker (Document 11, Page 140). In the letter addressed to the Pennsylvania Legislature, Forten reasoned that the bill would infringe the rights of free blacks. He wanted to show that there were many upstanding black citizens and believed in punishing the guilty, but his sentiments on slavery was that it was inhumane and those who believed and enforced slavery were also committing a crime. In the letter he quotes, “The law knows no distinction” suggesting that the law sees no color or race but the guilty or innocent, making his point that laws should be equal and fair for all people 675(Document 11, Page 141).