Slave Trade Act of 1794

Washington privately felt that slavery was morally indefensible, and he regarded the divisiveness of his countrymen's feelings about slavery as a potential mortal threat to the unity of the nation.

Though he never publicly challenged the institution of slavery, possibly because he wanted to avoid provoking a split in the New Republic over such an inflammatory issue, he did sign into law the Slave Trade Act of 1794, which limited American involvement in the Atlantic slave trade.

He was the only prominent founding father to grant freedom to all his slaves in his will.

Upon his death, Congressman Henry Light Horse Harry Lee, a Revolutionary War comrade and father of the American Civil War general Robert E. Lee, eulogized Washington as follows, First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.