Key owned slaves from 1800, during which time abolitionists ridiculed his words, claiming that America was more like the "Land of the Free and Home of the Oppressed". As District Attorney, he suppressed abolitionists, and he lost a case against Reuben Crandall in 1836 where he accused the defendant's abolitionist publications of instigating slaves to rebel. He was also a leader of the American Colonization Society which sent former slaves to Africa. He freed some of his slaves in the 1830s, paying one as his farm foreman to supervise his other slaves. He publicly criticized slavery and gave free legal representation to some slaves seeking freedom, but he also represented owners of runaway slaves. He had eight slaves at the time of his death.
key owned slaves from 1800 during which time abolitionists ridiculed his words claiming that america was more like the "land of the free and home of the oppressed" as district attorney he suppressed abolitionists and he lost a case against reuben crandall in 1836 where he accused the defendant's abolitionist publications of instigating slaves to rebel he was also a leader of the american colonization society which sent former slaves to africa he freed some of his slaves in the 1830s paying one as his farm foreman to supervise his other slaves he publicly criticized slavery and gave free legal representation to some slaves seeking freedom but he also represented owners of runaway slaves he had eight slaves at the time of his death