Examples Of Conflicting Presidential Views

Conflicting Presidential Views
Former Presidents Madison, Monroe, and Adams each believed that the institution of slavery should be illegal, though they were inconsistent in supporting their stance. In the case of two of the former president's stated, they were contradicting their own views. President Madison, “held slaves” even though, “he was opposed to the practice”(“Slavery Views”). Madison's presidency, like Jefferson in the late 1700s, believed in the gradual emancipation of slaves in order to prevent commotion as well as indirectly keep the slaves for an increased amount of time. In regards to Madison’s repertoire in his presidency, he was unable to directly address the slavery issue. Like Madison, Monroe was another participant in the practice he so called did not support. Monroe was known, “... as the owner of

In his presidency, Monroe had to address the introduction of Missouri into the Union as a slave state since slavery was not in practice in the North, yet existed in the South. Monroe was forced to sign the Missouri Compromise in order to prevent the development of a civil war which ultimately became inevitable. Even though Monroe claimed to oppose slavery, he never took a strong viewpoint in the establishment of yet another slave state into the Union. Former President Adams was more insurgent in his efforts to annihilate slavery since he did not own slaves. Not only did he disagree with the institution of enslavement, but in the government “he became an important antislavery voice in Congress”(“Slavery Views”). Adams, the only out of the 3 listed that took action in implementing his views, used his power for the better good. In his presidential term, “From 1836-37, Adams presented to Congress the many petitions for the abolition of slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia”(“Slavery Views”). By exhibiting adamant behavior in regards to the government, President Adams was able to abolish the automatic