ABSTRACT

An intensive examination of Hamilton’s record on slavery reveals little basis for his current reputation as an antislavery icon, fostered by Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical. During the American Revolution, Hamilton, in an idealistic, antislavery phase, joined John Laurens in proposing to raise slaves for military campaigns, offering them “freedom with their muskets.” Disillusioned after proslavery forces rejected the plan, his abolitionist zeal abated. During the 1780s, as New York’s delegate to Congress and the Constitutional Convention, Hamilton, influenced by devotion to private property rights and desiring a stronger national government, seemingly condoned slavery. Although Hamilton joined the New-York Manumission Society (NYMS) in 1785 and served as its president (a largely ceremonial office) for one year, he was not a leader. In 1801–1802, he refused to cooperate with NYMS in prosecuting Mme. Volunbrun and in emancipating slaves she illegally brought with her from Haiti. He eventually became aloof from NYMS activities, finally contesting its antislavery principles in federal court as attorney for Robert Cuming, a slave trader. Evidently, Hamilton abandoned his youthful Revolutionary-era antislavery idealism and became indifferent toward the cause of abolition, considering slaveholders as property holders entitled to their chattel under common law. Contrary to most scholars’ unproven assumptions that Hamilton vigorously opposed slavery, his indifference to antislavery measures for most of his public career indicates that no Founder would have fought for abolition. Ultimately, only civil war could end slavery.

摘要

对汉密尔顿在奴隶制方面的记录进行的深入研究表明，他目前作为反奴隶制偶像的声誉几乎没有根据，这一声誉是由罗恩·切尔诺 (Ron Chernow) 2004 年的传记和林-曼努埃尔·米兰达 (Lin-Manuel Miranda) 的百老汇音乐剧所培养的。在美国独立战争期间，处于理想主义和反奴隶制阶段的汉密尔顿与约翰·劳伦斯一起提议为军事行动培养奴隶，为他们提供“用火枪自由”。在奴隶制势力拒绝该计划后，他的幻想破灭，他的废奴主义热情减弱了。在 1780 年代，作为纽约州国会和制宪会议的代表，汉密尔顿受到对私有财产权的热爱和渴望一个更强大的国家政府的影响，似乎宽恕了奴隶制。尽管汉密尔顿于 1785 年加入纽约手工业协会 (NYMS) 并担任其主席（主要是礼仪性办公室）一年，但他并不是领导者。在 1801-1802 年，他拒绝与 NYMS 合作起诉 Mme。Volunbrun 和她在解放奴隶时从海地非法带来的。他最终远离了 NYMS 的活动，最终作为奴隶贩子罗伯特·卡明的律师在联邦法院挑战其反奴隶制原则。显然，汉密尔顿放弃了他年轻的革命时代反奴隶制理想主义，对废除奴隶制的事业变得漠不关心，认为奴隶主是根据普通法有权获得动产的财产所有者。与大多数学者未经证实的假设相反，汉密尔顿强烈反对奴隶制，在他的大部分公共职业生涯中，他对反奴隶制措施的漠不关心表明，没有创始人会为废除奴隶制而斗争。最终，只有内战才能结束奴隶制。