A Plan for Improving the Condition of the Free Blacks
Bonus:
Summary: Ben wants to establish a bunch of committees for helping the Free Blacks
Commentary: This feels condescending to me. We should establish a committee to do this, advise them according to that, etc., etc.
Obviously recently emancipated people and their kids will need some kind of support, but this feels more like, "we're going to do x, y, and z for them, because they can't." rather than supporting them in doing x, y, and z.
"THE business relative to Free Blacks, shall be transacted by a committee of twenty-four persons" (some of whom should probably be Free Blacks?)
"A committee of Inspection, who shall superintend the morals, general conduct, and ordinary situation of the Free Negroes, and afford them advice and instruction; protection from wrongs; and other friendly offices."
(That sounds like three steps, tops, above slavery.)
"A committee of Guardians, who shall place out children and young people with suitable persons, that they may (during a moderate time of apprenticeship, or servitude) learn some trade or other business of subsistence."
(We're now down to two steps.)
"They shall also procure, and preserve a regular record of the marriages, births, and manumissions of all Free Blacks."
(This would be a great job to give an actual Free Black, instead of a rando committee.)
"they will also provide, that such as indicate proper talents, may learn various trades, which may be done by prevailing upon them to bind themselves for such a term of years, as shall compensate their masters for the expense and trouble of instruction, and maintenance."
(This is basically how apprenticeship works at the time, but doesn't seem like something you'd want right after getting freed.)
They can't all be winners.
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