n had perceived an encouraging change in attitude toward slavery since the beginning of the Revolution. The harshness of masters was abating, the spirit of the slaves was rising, and the conditions of the latter were being mollified. However, no one could find in his words any ground whatsoever for the opinion that slavery in 18th century Virginia was or would ever become a beneficent institution. Jefferson regarded it as fundamentally cruel, and was in no possible doubt that it undermined the morals and destroyed the industry of the masters while degrading the victims (Malone 264). In addition, it sapped the foundation of all liberties by denying that freedom was the gift of God and the birthright of all men, regardless of their color or condition.
In his Notes on Virginia, Jefferson outlined his plan of gradual emancipation. This provided that all slaves born after the passing of the slavery abolition act should be freed, that they should remain with their parents for a time, that they should be trained at public expense for useful employment, and that they should be colonized as soon as they reached maturity. He proposed to send them somewhere, probably into the vast interior of the continent, and to aid them in the establishment of a free and independent society. They were to remain in alliance with the white man's state, however, until they were strong enough to stand alone. Meanwhile, an equal number of white settlers would be brought from Europe to replace them. He regarded this as a humane and realistic plan.
It is interesting to note that despite Jefferson's belief that slavery was immoral, he still believed that people of black and white races should not live together. For the rest of his l
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