Robert King Carter Quotes
Deed of Gift
He was the richest man in Virginia and he was the first American slave emancipator. He freed more slaves than any other American until Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The nickname “King” was given as he had so much wealth that he appeared almost a king.
Robert King Carter, 1663-1732, Acting Governor of Virginia, Member of the Council of Virginia, Name of Document freeing 450 slaves
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This quotation not only gives us a good insight into Dolley Madison’s character and popularity but illustrates the sad fact that until much later there were no provisions made for the retirement and the families of American Presidents. The fact that a former slave actually gave his own money to help support his ex-owner is a testament to her popularity and a poignant story of its own. Daniel Webster incidentally loaned Jennings the money with which to buy his freedom.
The newly freed slave would have no practical chance of success in a capitalistic, competitive society unless he had the basic tools and property to earn a living and compete. This was mandated for the ancient Jews in the Law of Moses. This was not considered too seriously in Reconstruction after the Civil War, and much of the discrimination and racism might have been avoided if the freed slaves were all given some land as many were in general homesteading programs. These Blacks, and those that went to the industrial North where business owners provided them with the tools and resources in exchange for their labor, were generally the most successful.
Although slavery and indentured servitude existed amongst the Ancient Jews, the slaves had to be emancipated after 6 years. The slave owners had to give the emancipated slave a “nest egg” so that he/she could integrate into the community. The reason that this quotation is very important for Americans is twofold: First, many of the Northern states embodied this concept of a maximum term regarding indentured servitude (without the nest egg however). Second and most important is that the Southern slave owners and slavery apologists pointed to the Old Testament as a moral justification for slavery—ie God’s Chosen People had slaves under His law; so it cannot be immoral as abolitionists claim. However, hypocritically they used the Bible to justify their institution of slavery, but never followed God’s requirement of emancipation after 6 years, much less the nest egg concept.
