His idea behind "equality" is plain, it means never look at someone as different because of the color of their skin, in his time racism and slavery where still norms, He wasn't asking that everyone be financially equal, that is an impossibility, in Bob Marleys words "until the color of a mans skin is of no more significance than the color of his eye's-war". What we need to different is the basis of which equality is applicable from which it is a necessity. Height, means nothing if Bill Gates is richer than every sports man on earth, those characteristics don't mean much per say. So did He lie or is His CONTEXT being misinterpreted? I'd go for the latter. I like your post, extremely captivating. Thumbs up.
Hmm, I don't know. He was drawing heavily on Locke, so I don't think he was speaking about racial equality so much as legal equality, and specifically attacking the idea of arbitrary rule over another (as a king does). Still, I think you're right that he wasn't addressing the factual equality I bring up in this piece. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the piece.