I did read the Federalist papers. The Founders considered a standing army as an evil thing of despots like the Kings of France and Prussia or the Russian Tsars.
Patrick Henry was a slaveholder, as was Jefferson. Jefferson in fact met the two most famous educated blacks of his day, Wheatley and Banneker, and dismissed them as even worthy of note.
Washington and Franklin were also slaveholders but Washington did emancipate his slaves and Franklin went on to become an outright abolitionist, the only Founder to ever do so. But perhaps you've missed my point: did any of them ever indicate that they saw whites and blacks as equal human beings? Slavery was the cause, but do find me a statement from any of them said whites and blacks were in fact equals. I won't hold my breath.
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Date: 26/11/10 20:26 (UTC)Patrick Henry was a slaveholder, as was Jefferson. Jefferson in fact met the two most famous educated blacks of his day, Wheatley and Banneker, and dismissed them as even worthy of note.
Washington and Franklin were also slaveholders but Washington did emancipate his slaves and Franklin went on to become an outright abolitionist, the only Founder to ever do so. But perhaps you've missed my point: did any of them ever indicate that they saw whites and blacks as equal human beings? Slavery was the cause, but do find me a statement from any of them said whites and blacks were in fact equals. I won't hold my breath.