[HandyDandy]

.....why did the slave states want to wreck this paragraph?

According to Jefferson's autobiography, Congress struck the passage from the final version of the Declaration in deference to South Carolina and Georgia, who wanted to continue the slave trade with Africa. But that is the easy part to understand. What you keep avoiding is this part, ".....every legislative attempt to prohibit or restrain this execrable commerce." This statement is contrary to your myth that the 13 original colonies were pro-slavery. Who made these legislative attempts that Jefferson speaks of? Perhaps there was an active abolitionist faction alive and well in your mythological pro-slavery North? Perhaps Jefferson is correct that the North voted, not for slavery, but in deference to South Carolina and Georgia?

[BroJoeK]

HandyDandy: "Perhaps Jefferson is correct that the North voted, not for slavery, but in deference to South Carolina and Georgia?"

Well said!
Our FRiend jeffersondem has been told the truth of this matter now several times, but it has no effect on him.
He keeps right on keeping on posting nonsense.

[jeffersondem]

“According to Jefferson's autobiography, Congress struck the passage from the final version of the Declaration in deference to South Carolina and Georgia, who wanted to continue the slave trade with Africa.”

Thomas Jefferson? Sure, why didn't I think of that.

Do you mind if I quote from Jefferson's notes made at the time of the debates over the DOI?

“The clause too, reprobating the enslaving the inhabitants of Africa, was struck out in complaisance to South Carolina and Georgia, who had never attempted to restrain the importation of slaves, and who on the contrary still wished to continue it. Our Northern brethren also I believe felt a little tender under those censures; for tho’ their people have very few slaves themselves yet they had been pretty considerable carriers of them to others.”

There, the Man himself, identifies not just South Carolina and Georgia but “Our Northern brethren” for deleting the slave trade reference because they had been “pretty considerable carriers of them to others.”

It makes a difference in the debate when you read the entire paragraph. The North; slave ships; slave trading in the past; ongoing slave trading; future slave cargoes; more millions of dollars in northern profits.

It was probably easy for the northern state delegates to vote to wreck Jefferson's original paragraph and just focus on the need to stop the slave rebellions - err, I mean “domestic insurrections.”

Your turn.