I over heard a comment the other day by someone denigrating the Founding Fathers as just being a bunch of rich, white slaveowners. As I reflected on this unsympathetic comment, I was struck by how misunderstood Thomas Jefferson and his stand on slavery is by the current generation.

In our current politically correct environment, I believe it’s difficult for any of us Americans, hyphenated or not, to understand Jefferson’s predicament.

Jefferson’s feelings regarding slavery are well documented, if misunderstood. Included in his first draft of The Declaration of Independence is a strong chastisement against King George III for bringing slavery to the colonies. Jefferson blamed slavery on the King of England.

This section dealing with slavery was removed from the final draft in order to allow the slave states to accede to its ratification.

Jefferson also wrote about slavery in his book “Notes on Virginia.” He concluded his statement of feelings with the following words: “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.”

In his later years, six years before his death he decried his situation as a slave holder. His words seem strangely prophetic: “We have the wolf by the ears: and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. Justice is in one scale, and self-preservation in the other.”

Some slaves were granted their freedom while Jefferson was alive with disastrous results. Withoug adequate education and preparation a slave’s freedom often resulted in reliance on alcohol, homeless conditions and even suicide.

It would take a war between the States to put an end to the life of this wolf. To Jefferson’s credit he at least tried to cage this wolf during his lifetime.