Question

In his "Reflection on Slavery,"

what does Washington say he
has done to try to make up for
the "only unavoidable subject of
regret" in his life?

Answer 1

In his "Reflection on Slavery", George Washington claims that by liberating his slaves, he has endeavored to atone for the "one inevitable matter of sorrow" in his life.

What did George Washington think about slavery?

The concept of slavery upset George Washington, a slave owner himself. He realized the intrinsic unfairness of owning other people, but he battled with the practical difficulties of running a plantation without using slave labor. In a letter to John Mercer in 1786, he stated his wish to liberate his own slaves while warning of the economic consequences of abolition.

As the head of the newly constituted United States, Washington, on the other hand, acted on his convictions. He encouraged Congress to abolish slavery and set an abolitionist example in the Northwest Territory, which became the first territory in the United States to do so.