What expression in the declaration of independence did author find too personal?

The expression in the Declaration of Independence that Thomas Jefferson, the primary author, found too personal was the "He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither."

This passage, condemning the transatlantic slave trade, was initially included in the Declaration but was ultimately removed at the insistence of South Carolina and Georgia delegates, who feared it would jeopardize their support for independence.

Jefferson himself was a slave owner, and while he expressed deep moral objections to slavery, he was also hesitant to criticize the institution openly, particularly at a time when the colonies needed the support of slave-holding states.

While the passage was removed, it serves as a reminder of the complex and contradictory nature of the American Revolution, as well as the powerful legacy of slavery in American history.