adual emancipation carried out.

It was found that the public mind would not bear the proposition
(gradual emancipation), nor will it bear it even at this day
(1821). Yet the day is not distant when it must bear and adopt
it, or worse will follow. Nothing is more certainly written in
the book of fate, than that these people are to be free; nor is
it less certain, that the two races, equally free, cannot live in
the same government. Nature, habit, opinion have drawn indelible
lines of distinction between them. It is still in our power to
direct the process of emancipation and deportation, peaceably,
and in such slow degree, as that the evil will wear off
insensible, and their place be, _pari passu_, filled up by free
white laborers. If, on the contrary, it is left to force itself
on, human nature must shudder at the prospect held up. We should
in vain look for an example in the Spanish deportation, or
deletion of the Moors. This precedent would fall far short of our
case.[130]

* * * * *

In 1769, I became a member of the legislature by the choice of
the country in which I live (Albemarle), and so continued until
it was closed by the Revolution. I made one effort in that body
for the permission of the emancipation of slaves, which was
rejected; and indeed, during the regal government, nothing
liberal could expect success. Our minds were circumscribed within
narrow limits, by an habitual belief that it was our duty to be
subordinate to the mother country in all matters of government,
to direct all our labors in subservience to her interests, and
even to observe a bigoted intolerance for all religions but hers.
The difficulties with our representatives were of habit and
despair, not of reflection and conviction. Experience soon proved
that they could bring their minds to rights on the first summons
of their attention. But the King's Council, which acted as
another house of legislature, held their places at will, and were
in most humble obedience to that will; the Governor, too, who had
a negative on our laws, held by the same tenure, and with still
greater devotedness to it; and, last of all, the royal negative
closed the last door to every hope of
ameloration.--Autobiography.[131]

The first establis