ted a few slaves who had
served faithfully in the army; and the recital of the noble deeds of
black soldiers was listened to with great interest, had an excellent
effect upon many white men after the war, and went far towards
mollifying public sentiment on the slavery question.

If Massachusetts were ever moved by the valor of her black soldiers to
take any action recognizing their services, the record has not been
found up to the present time. After commemorating the 5th of March for
a long time, as a day on which to inflame the public zeal for the
cause of freedom, her Legislature refused to mark the grave of the
first martyr of the Revolution, Crispus Attucks!

Slavery flourished during the entire Revolutionary period. It enjoyed
the silent acquiescence of the pulpit, the support of the public
journals, the sanction of the courts, and the endorsement of the
military establishment. In a free land (?), under the flag of the
government Negroes fought, bled, sacrificed, and died to establish,
slavery held undisputed sway. The colonial government, built by the
cruel and voracious avarice of Britain, crumbled under the
master-stroke of men who desired political and religious liberty more
than jewelled crowns; but the slave institution stood unharmed by the
shock of embattled arms. The colonists asked freedom for themselves
and children, but forged chains for Negroes and their children. And
while a few individual Negro slaves were made a present of themselves
at the close of the war, on account of their gallant service, hundreds
of thousands of their brethren were still retained in bondage

FOOTNOTES:

[622] See Slavery in Mass., p. 178.

[623] House Journal, pp. 19, 25.

[624] Mass. Archives; Revolutionary Resolves, vol. vii. p. 133.

[625] Hening, vol. ix. p. 226.

[626] Hening, vol. xi pp. 308, 309.

CHAPTER XXXI.

SLAVERY AS A POLITICAL AND LEGAL PROBLEM.

1775-1800.

BRITISH COLONIES IN NORTH AMERICA DECLARE THEIR
INDEPENDENCE.--A NEW GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED.--SLAVERY THE
BANE OF AMERICAS CIVILIZATION.--THE TORY PARTY ACCEPT THE
DOCTRINE OF PROPERTY IN MAN.--THE DOCTRINE OF THE LOCAL
CONSTITUTION IN THE SOUTH.--THE WAR PARTY THE DOMINANT
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN THE NORTHERN STATES.--SLAVERY
RECOGNIZED UNDER THE NEW GOVERNMENT.--ANTI SLAVERY AGITATION
IN THE STATES.--ATTEMPTED LEGISLATION AGAINST
SLAVERY.--ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION.--THEIR ADOPTION I