John Adams to Jeremy Belknap, October 22, 1795

Quincy October 22. 1795

Dear Sir

Inclosed is the Letter of D r Tucker.— 1 If I should agree with him in his Maxim Fiat Justitia ruat Cælum 2 the question would Still remain what is Justice. Justice to the Negroes would require that they should not be abandoned by their Masters and turned loose upon a World in which they have no Capacity to procure even a Subsistance. What would become of the old,? the young? the infirm? Justice to the World too would forbid that Such Numbers should be turn’d out to live by Violence or Theft or fraud.

I believe no better Expedient will be found than to prohibit the Importation of new Negroes, and Soften the Severity of the Condition of old ones, as much as possible, untill the increasing Population of the Country shall have multiplied the Whites to such a Superiority of Numbers, that the Blacks may be liberated by Degrees, with the Consent both of Master and Servant

your sincere

John Adams