Dissertation on Slavery With a Proposal for the Gradual Abolition of it, in the State of Virginia

Written in 1796 by a Virginia law professor who also served as a judge, this dissertation confronts the stark contradiction between the fledgling American ideals of liberty and the entrenched institution of slavery. Addressed directly to the Virginia General Assembly, the work invokes natural law, the spirit of the Constitution, and the democratic principle that all men are equal, arguing that slavery wounds both moral character and the health of the republic.

The author proposes a measured, step‑by‑step plan for emancipation, emphasizing that a gradual shift would avoid disrupting the interests of creditors and the current generation while easing the burden on future citizens. Interwoven with contemporary legal references—such as the 1793 act ending the international slave trade and the exclusion of non‑white men from militia service—the essay aims to persuade lawmakers that a careful, humane transition is both practical and essential for the commonwealth’s political salvation.