The Impace of Thomas Day on John Laurens

As John’s good friend, Day in particular influenced John’s view on slavery. In 1776, at the request of John Laurens who wanted to know Day’s sentiment on the slavery, Day sent his letters to him, in which Day exposed the hypocrisy of American slave owners. The letters were finally collected into a political tract which was entitled as Fragment of an Original Letter on the Slavery of the Negroes and finally published in 1784. Day attacked slavery system, because he believed that slavery as “a violation of natural rights and God’s will for the happiness of mankind.” Day wrote it and hoped his arguments would convince the slave owner to free their slaves.

In John’s short life, he was known for proposing a plan of setting up a black regiment of 3000 slaves. When the American Revolutionary war was broken out, John was just 23 years old, but he joined General George Washington's camp as a volunteer without hesitation. As an American soldier, John devoted himself to the independence war. In early 1778, it was a harsh winter that General George Washington’s Continental Army endured a lot at Valley Forge. On the contrary, British adversaries enjoyed the relative security and comfort of Philadelphia. Observing the military situation, on January 14th, John, an aide to Washington, wrote to his father and asked him to release slaves in his plantations, rather than leave him as a fortune. In the letter, he wrote, “I am sure of rendering essential Service to my County. I am tired of the Languor with which so sacred a War as this, is carried on.” Finally the Continental Congress approved his proposal to recruit a regiment of 3000 slaves by promising them freedom in return for fighting in 1779. As a patriotic soldier, as well as an enlightened revolutionary, John put his ideas into practice and sacrificed himself in a small skirmish in 1782. By setting himself as a good example, John encouraged Martha to devote herself to achieve her goals and make contributions to the new country.