Jul 15, 2016 Orange County Review
One cause, one country, wow!
That was the response from an old high school friend, now a retired professor at a prestigious Virginia college. He was remarking on a motto displayed on the regimental flag of the 45th United States Colored Infantry. "Wow" may not be a preferred scholarly word, but then again why use 40 words when one will accomplish the mission succinctly? And what of the timeliness of the motto in application to today’s tragic and dismal issues? "Wow" sums it up pretty well for me! "Wow," who knew? "Wow," what a concept?
I am encouraged to share a few other tidbits that may not be well known to the general population, at least not yet.
Let’s look for a moment at the issue of slavery in America and the question of emancipation or more accurately manumission. Though often applied interchangeably, emancipation technically addresses a legislative act impacting large numbers of people whereas manumission speaks to a private act; both require a legal transaction.
Living in the 21st century, we tend to develop viewpoints that are often out of context. No intent here to justify enslaving another human being; however, it simply was not that simple. Without question, the decisions were intricately entangled in the universal and timeless cloud of economics and legalities.
One was not allowed to free a slave without a legal action presented to the court of the day; a petition that required approval and not just by the courts:
• Was the owner providing sufficient funds to support those who were old and infirm or under a certain age, either status designating their capacity to be income producing?
• Was the owner providing sufficient funds to relocate the individual in question to another state?
• Were there creditors standing at the ready to impose a lien on all property?
Then there are the families! Ponder the disturbing stories you have experienced first- hand or read about where families have been destroyed by the actual or pending distribution of assets.
• Will the manumission cause financial distress for family members? Will they contest?
Consider a few examples of Orange County natives:
Lucy Quarles: by will manumitted an estimated 66 slaves and provided to relocate them to Ohio. She was wealthy with no children and would not be leaving behind a plantation to operate. Her remaining assets were sufficient to provide her nieces and nephews with a cash inheritance.
John Payne Todd: in his will freed all of his slaves, however, he was deeply in debt and there is no evidence that the slaves still resided in Orange (rather than those in Washington, D C who had remained there with his mother Dolly Payne Madison).
James Twyman (Madison County on the county line at Locust Dale): by will manumitted 37 individuals providing significant funds to begin a new life in Burlington, Ohio. Mr. Twyman never married and had no children, but his nieces and nephews unsuccessfully contested the instrument of freedom. The loss of potential inheritance left a bitter taste prompting them to deny James burial in the family cemetery.
• American legislation has been most successful when it set its sights on changing the system rather than to attempt to rope and wrestle the human psyche. Indeed, the two can be separated; commitment, sacrifice, brain power and diligence have many times altered our most precious collection of laws, the American Constitution.
Until next week, be well.