Her Opinions on Slavery
Elizabeth Van Lew was always against slavery, even as a child. Growing up, her family owned a farm run by dozens of slaves. Elizabeth would constintly beg her father to free their slaves. She strongly states, "Slave power crushes freedom of speech and opinion. Slave power degrades labor. Slave power is arrogant, is jealous and intrusive, is cruel, is despoyic, not only over that slave, but over the community, the state."
Many people viewed Elizabeth as a strong willed abolitionist, but she doesn't see herself that way. This is one of the quotes that she wrote in her diary, "I was never an abolitionist. Abolitionists are fanatics who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. I have always spoke out against slavery, for which I paid dearly in the loss of many friends. But I was never a fanatic.” As you can see, Elizabeth Van Lew felt compassionate for all slaves and was determined to do whatever she could to stop slavery.
Many people viewed Elizabeth as a strong willed abolitionist, but she doesn't see herself that way. This is one of the quotes that she wrote in her diary, "I was never an abolitionist. Abolitionists are fanatics who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. I have always spoke out against slavery, for which I paid dearly in the loss of many friends. But I was never a fanatic.” As you can see, Elizabeth Van Lew felt compassionate for all slaves and was determined to do whatever she could to stop slavery.
