Martha Washington's Slaves

Brother George Washington, was torn by the fact that slavery was wrong, yet he remained a slave owner.  Because of his grave reservations about the institution, he freed all of his slaves upon the death of his wife Martha.  Martha, however, freed the slaves prior to that time, feeling with the covenant in her husband's will, her life might be in danger.  Abagail Adams wrote of Martha's concern, "In the state in which they were left by the General, to be free at her death, she did not feel as tho her Life was safe in their Hands, many of whom would be told that it was [in] their interest to get rid of her – She therefore was advised to set them all free at the close of the year."