"Saving Washington" at NYHistoric Soc-Dolley Madison was no Saving Grace

A brand new gallery (the paint is still wet) opened on the 4th flr of the NY Historic Soc.  Its 1st exhibit is entitled "Saving Washington" which sheds light on one of America's most influential women, First Lady Dolley Madison.  It's dismaying, but enlightening (I had no idea) that Dolley maintained slaves in the White House.  Dolley is famously credited with saving the iconic portrait of George Washington from being destroyed during the War of 1812 when the British overran the White House.  A grand gesture indeed but Dolley should also be notoriously known for owning slaves while her husband served as President.  She absconded prisoners from the local gales and sold them into slavery for personal financial gains.   The NY Historic Soc allowed for the slavery relevations but meant to mitigate her resounding onus behaviors by claiming her as "...a bold force of empowerment, activism, and leadership at a time when women were excluded from affairs of state."  True, women were not given the right to vote but that hardly compares the rights of men, women & children to have been oppressed by slavery.  There is mention of the US governement's eradication of Native Americans in a minor subtext during the industrial expansion after the War of 1812.  The exhibit contains some interesting artifacts from the early 18th C - early 19th C.  There is a resplendent Union uniform replete with sword.  And, there are more than 100 artifacts from weaponery to culinary utensils that are fascinating.  Nonetheless, history still seems to repress the fact that our War of Independence did not result in liberties for all.  The Constitutional Convention in 1787 was more concerned with state v federal power.  George Washington is quoted "I do not expect the Constitution to last more than 20 years."  Washington released his slaves upon his death and little is made of his owning slaves.  Alexander Hamilton asked and answered his own perplexing posturing, "Why has government been instituted at all?  Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint."  Perhaps, our historical institutions need to reflect events without restraint.