He himself worked steadily and he chided the incompetent, the shirkers, and the lazy.
A short experience as landowner convinced him that slave labor was the least efficient of all.

This conviction led him very early to believe in the emancipation of the slaves.

I do not find that sentiment or abstract ideals moved him to favor emancipation, but his sense of fitness, his aversion to wastefulness and inefficiency made him disapprove of a system which rendered industry on a high plane impossible.

Experience only confirmed these convictions of his, and in his will he ordered that many slaves should be freed after the death of Mrs.Washington.He was careful to apportion to his slaves the amount of food they needed in order to keep in health and to work the required stint.

He employed a doctor to look after them in sickness.
He provided clothing for them which he deemed sufficient.