William Gardner (former slave)

Gardner was 23 years old in 1783 when Madison was preparing to depart Philadelphia as the Continental Congress ended.^[2] Gardner had been with Madison for three and a half years in the city; he was exposed to liberty, freedom, and philosophy and he saw free Black people daily.^[2][4][7] Gardner did not want to return to Virginia.^[8][9] Madison and his father worried that they could not force the enslaved Gardner back to Virginia because he could potentially foment rebellion. Madison said in a letter to his father, "I have judged it most prudent not to force Billey back to Montpelier, Virginia even if it could be done." Madison went on to say, "I am persuaded his mind is too thoroughly tainted to be a companion for fellow slaves in Virginia."^[2][7][8] Madison considered options related to Gardner, including smuggling him out of Pennsylvania and then selling him where slavery was legal, such as the south or the Caribbean. But in a letter to his father, Madison expressed trepidation regarding this, saying he could not "think of punishing him by transportation merely for coveting that liberty for which we have paid the price of so much blood, and have proclaimed so often to be the right, and worthy of pursuit, of every human being."^[2] Madison ultimately decided to sell Gardner into seven years of indentured servitude.^[5][10] Had Madison not done so, Gardner would likely have earned his freedom through Pennsylvania's emancipation laws.^[7][11]

Virginians in Philadelphia, including Martha Washington, would likely have been aware of Madison's dilemma regarding Gardner's emancipation. These situations worried many enslavers, who feared enslaved and Native American rebellions and their mass attempts at escaping as a result of the Colonies' rebellion with Great Britain, was based on a philosophy that men who are not represented in their governance are enslaved.^[5][10]

Following his sale, Billey changed his name to William Gardner. At the end of his period of indentured servitude, Gardner became a merchant's agent, shipping agent, and merchant seaman.^{[12][13][14][11]} As a merchant's agent, Gardner would handle business for several well known historical figures, including James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.^[13] When Madison needed to buy some plows, Jefferson organized the purchase by giving Gardner $34.70 to acquire them.^[6] Gardner married a woman named Henrietta and raised a family in Philadelphia.^[12][13] Later, Gardner's wife would work as a clothes launder and would clean Thomas Jefferson's clothes weekly when he was in the city.^[8][12][13] Gardner never returned to Montpelier.^[15]