NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you think that the US would has been a better place had Southern slaves been Manumated instead of Emancipated? I'm using the New York's Manumission act as a guide it stated. (roughly)
1)All slaves would be freed 5 years from x date.(I think New York's was in 1/1/1781)
2)As of this date all children born to slaves shall be considered freeborn.
3)At the time of manumission all formers slaves will be literate and posses a basic trade. This will done at the former owners expense.
4)If at the date of manumission a former slave does not possess these skills his former owner will be responsible for his well being until he does.
5)During the 5 year period leading to manussion former slave will be considered "bonded" labor to their former owner who will continue their upkeep and in return for any labor provided pay a fair wage minus reasonable expenses for food and clothes.

Vs
Emancipation
1) You're all free have a nice life and we'll get around to give you 40 acres and a mule ......eventually.


Do you think this would have had a better outcome 150 years later.

Sounds like a great idea, except that it would have fucked off the slave owners to no end. They probably would have just told the slaves to bugger off as soon as the law was passed.

Nope, people would still be bitchin about it today and probably the same result in the South would have occured. Though possibly the KKK would have a larger following for people would be quite angry in those five years.

You might have seen wholesale slaughter of slaves as the date approached. It would have been cheaper than educating them.

You might have seen wholesale slaughter of slaves as the date approached. It would have been cheaper than educating them.

I can see that happening. Up until about what date were lynchings common? I'm sure it was well after the slaves were freed, although I don't know all that much about US history.



(I've been sig-quoted, and I love it)

It would have been better. No civil war, for one thing. The problem with manumission was that there wasn't much of a legal basis for it in English colonies.

It would have been better. No civil war, for one thing. The problem with manumission was that there wasn't much of a legal basis for it in English colonies.
Emancipation happened during the civil war...so yeah it would have still happened.

Lynching regularly occured until the 1960's

I can see that happening. Up until about what date were lynchings common? I'm sure it was well after the slaves were freed, although I don't know all that much about US history.



(I've been sig-quoted, and I love it)

sure it would have been better. it would have been a great thing if they had voluntarily given up the biggest part of their wealth instead of starting a civil war to keep it. it would have been wonderful if all our slave holding founding fathers had followed george washingtons example and freed their slaves in their wills

but they didnt so it had to be emancipation. how long should a person wait to be free?

the new york slave holders didnt sell their slaves south when they had the chance? (yeah im asking, i have no idea of what happend at that time)

Slavery died of it's own accord in the North, as most of the labor was skilled and why buy and feed and train a slave when cheaply hired well skilled immigrants are coming in droves?


sure it would have been better. it would have been a great thing if they had voluntarily given up the biggest part of their wealth instead of starting a civil war to keep it. it would have been wonderful if all our slave holding founding fathers had followed george washingtons example and freed their slaves in their wills

but they didnt so it had to be emancipation. how long should a person wait to be free?

the new york slave holders didnt sell their slaves south when they had the chance? (yeah im asking, i have no idea of what happend at that time)