You don't reference the story or the petition (it would be nice to actually read the petition). You mention this in reference to racism so I must assume that the petition was not just to make slavery legal but that the slaves should be selected based on race. By itself, slavery is wrong and using race as the basis for the selection of who would be owners and who would be slaves compounds the felony.

Are things as they are now for some people very little better than slavery. Consider having to work with little choice of task and still not having secure food and shelter. Is freedom of choice, freedom at all if all your choices are dismal. Consider also that opportunity for less dismal choices is often dictated by race.

TEK