The free state of Virginia

MAlexMatt

Banned
Virginia, perhaps uniquely (or at least outstandingly) amongst American cotton states, was the home to a native abolitionist/manumissionist movement for a long time in the late 18th century and early 19th century. It never got huge, but it did exist and would peak from time to time. In the immediately post-Revolutionary era it was perhaps at its strongest and most capable of success. It was still quite a while from true success, but it's interesting to note that it was in this period that many prominent planters in this period manumitted their slaves in their wills.

Now, what can be done about getting either this small movement or a later one to succeed? Part of the reason this early movement is so promising is that this is when the state of Virginia had the resources in terms of open land to actually pursue a program of compensated gradual manumission. During the 1780's, Virginia had only just ceded its Western Domain to the national government, and talk about conditions for the cession was endemic when it was being considered. Usually those conditions involved putting the screws to land companies from other states which were interested in the cession, but there might be the possibility for a Virginian abolitionist to slip a condition in that requires the national government to offer land to slave-owners who would manumit their slaves.

This is only one possibility. Jefferson attempted to introduce a provision into the first bill by the Confederation Congress governing the organization and use of the National Domain that would have barred slavery in the entirety of the West, instead of just in the Old Northwest as occurred IOTL's Northwest Ordinance. If such a thing had occurred, Virginia would have several examples of free states populated almost entirely by emigrant Virginians to look at for a generation or two and help convince resident Virginians that maybe abolition or manumission isn't such a terrible idea.

How else might we be able to get Virginia as a free state as early as possible?
 
Wasn't Virginia a toboacco state rather than a cotton state? You could perhaps do something with a lull in the tobacco price...
 
If, perhaps, slavery would be banned in the West, could it have been possible to see a near-Great Migration of sorts to it from places in the South?

Also, exactly what was the "West"?
 
Unfortunately the political power resides with the aristocracy, which is the class that benefits the most from slave labor. Until they are driven from power, by whatever means, there is no possibility of Virginia abolishing slavery within its territory.

And the general rule is that the less coercive the means, the longer it takes to achieve the goal. If you want the slaves freed in one hundred years, peaceful means will suffice. If you want them freed in ten years, violence will be required.
 
Unfortunately the political power resides with the aristocracy, which is the class that benefits the most from slave labor. Until they are driven from power, by whatever means, there is no possibility of Virginia abolishing slavery within its territory.

The Virginia state legislature's vote on abolition in 1850, failing by one vote, says otherwise. As do the previous votes on abolition, although none of them were as close as the 1850 one.

Jefferson's ban of slavery throughout the "West" would make a fascinating timeline to me, since Kentucky and Tennessee would be admitted as free states. Alabama would be a problem, since I think we see people arguing that Congress does not have the right to forbid slavery to the Indians, and people sell their slaves to the Cherokee and Creek and then "rent" them back :( I'm at a loss as to how we can make abolition stronger within Virginia, though...although if slavery is illegal throughout the west, doesn't this drive demand for slaves down, thereby lowering their price? Manumission becomes easier when it costs less. Although cheaper slaves unfortunately means it's less self-destructive to cripple and kill them, also :(
 
The Virginia state legislature's vote on abolition in 1850, failing by one vote, says otherwise. As do the previous votes on abolition, although none of them were as close as the 1850 one.

Jefferson's ban of slavery throughout the "West" would make a fascinating timeline to me, since Kentucky and Tennessee would be admitted as free states. Alabama would be a problem, since I think we see people arguing that Congress does not have the right to forbid slavery to the Indians, and people sell their slaves to the Cherokee and Creek and then "rent" them back :( I'm at a loss as to how we can make abolition stronger within Virginia, though...although if slavery is illegal throughout the west, doesn't this drive demand for slaves down, thereby lowering their price? Manumission becomes easier when it costs less. Although cheaper slaves unfortunately means it's less self-destructive to cripple and kill them, also :(

Even if that bill passes there is no guarantee that the supporters of slavery won't rally and get the law repealed, reinstituting slavery. They still have the money and the power, after all. To get abolition to stick you have to break the aristocracy's hold on political power.
 
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