South Carolina Slave - Essay Example

Such inalienable rights also refer to my inherent rights to freedom. The declaration also speaks of equality and although Jefferson and the other founding fathers have been largely embroiled in the practice of slavery, slavery is still very much against the concept of equality. Slavery is basically a war against human nature. It is also an act of assault against people from a distant place, an assault which captivates them into a degrading existence (Nininger, Jr., 2011). Based on these primary precepts, I therefore deserve to be freed from my servitude.

I believe that although Jefferson himself had slaves, such fact cannot prevent the deeper understanding of the statements of independence upon which the declaration of independence was based. I believe that Locke was a significant influence in the Jefferson’s ideals. Locke believed that God gave man four fundamental rights. These rights included the right to life, liberty, and property (Maier, 2001). Locke also believed that the most important human law is that of the preservation of mankind.

In order to meet such purpose, Locke believed that it is incumbent upon all individuals to protect their own rights. I, therefore, have the right to preserve my life and my rights. Preserving my life is preserving it for my own, not for other people, and certainly not for those who have tied me to servitude (Maier, 2001). I also feel more support from Locke in terms of seeking freedom from servitude. Locke succinctly points out that all people must have the right to make choices on the way they would carry out their activities, for as long as their actions do not interfere with the rights of others.

In effect, Locke believes that one’s liberty must be extensive and not be filled with limitations. Slavery however extensively limits the rights and liberties of a person. I believe that the role of the government is to protect the exercise of my inherent and inalienable rights. Such principles under the declaration of independence ensure that I have the same rights as other people. My status as a slave is therefore something I can inherently discard, even without the declaration of other people, including my masters or owners.

My owners or masters also have a legal obligation to obey the principles of declaration and the laws of their rulers (Maier, 2001). The Declaration of Independence also claims that all men are created equal. This claim is the best support for my desire to be free of my servitude. Those who signed the declaration of independence had dubious stands on slavery as they loudly declared it to be wrong, but were themselves slave owners (Maier, 2001). Hutcheson also stated that “all men are morally equal to one another and that nature makes none masters, none slaves” (Maier, 2001).

Still, slavery remained persistent, especially among these Declaration signatories because they actually did not see a clear way of ending the practice. I believe that it would have indeed been difficult and disruptive to have slaves freed at once. It would have cause chaos in society and it would have left slaves without any visible and immediate means to support themselves (Maier, 2001). The cotton industry was also dependent on hundreds of slaves. Freeing them was bound to cause the collapse of the cotton industry.

With these considerations, I believe that it would not be easy for me to gain freedom from my servitude. The Articles of Confederation provide no support or recognition for slavery. The only