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UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
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George Washington, the Father of our country
Freed his slaves in his will
When the loss of work income and wealth in slaves
Could not impact him
He had no biological children
He appeared to protect Martha
From this loss also
By specifying the slaves only be freed
Upon Martha's death
He died, his conscience soothed by the thought
He had protected his wealth and
Maintained the status quo for his wife
But ultimately did the right thing and gave the slaves
Their freedom
(Upon Martha's demise)
But what he really did was give slaves
Desperate for freedom
The desire for Martha's immediate death
Put that thought in the forefront of the slave's minds
And put the mortal fear in Martha that the slaves now had
A very powerful motive to kill her
A year later she signed manumission papers
For all George's slaves
So she could sleep at night
In her nightgown and bedcap
Without thinking every creaking floorboard
Was someone coming to slit her throat.
Did she think about what he did
The terrifying situation he put her in
As his final act in this world?
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