Thornton's plan for slave stonecutters

"He suggested they 'hire 50 intelligent negroes for six years,' or better yet buy them, 'as no interference of the owners could then take place.'"

Quote from Slave Labor in the Capital, page 93

William Thornton was the youngest commissioner. Although his West Indian background gave him experience with slavery, he was new to slavery in the American South. His colleagues did not respond to this letter and no slaves were hired or bought and trained as stone cutters.

In the letter Thornton suggested giving the slave stone cutters their freedom after five or six years as payment to the slaves. There is no evidence that Thornton suggested giving slave laborers who were hired that incentive. The commissioners never bought a slave and gave him his freedom at the end of his services.

Although his reputation remains high, I think Thornton was an egocentric manipulator who harmed the city, but that's the topic for another book.

The bottom part of the letter discusses the problems of getting workers from Ireland.