Name
Course
Institution
Date
Proponents and Opponents of Slavery
In 19th-century American society, the subject of slavery was divisive. Rapid industrial and economic growth in the United States need additional work, which those who were still under slavery could provide for little or no compensation. The use of slaves, however, gave rise to two factions with diametrically opposed views of them. First, the pro-slavery party desired to maintain the distinction between “slaves” and “enslavers,” which was supported by Fitzhugh’s Cannibals All! Or Slaves without Masters and the US constitution. Second, as indicated in the Congressional Confiscation Acts and the Emancipation Act papers, the antislavery organization aimed to provide enslaved people freedom so they could take part in democracy and have unrestricted access to the entire country. Consequently, the study will explore two texts that supported slavery and two documents that opposed it in 19th-century American society, as well as how each document affected many issues such as democracy, mobility, and capitalism.
Many politicians held opposing or pro-slavery positions during the time of slavery, and each position was supported by rationale. Some justifications were racially motivated, while others had a valid argument. It is widely believed that the Democratic Party supported slavery. The “cornerstone” speech by Alexander Stephens, which supported the idea that black and white men are not equally equal, held that black men are not. He said this in his speech:, “Our new system is constructed upon exactly the opposite concept; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the enormous truth that the Negro is not equal to the White Man; that servitude subjugation to the Superior Race is his Natural and Normal Condition.” Citing the Constitution while attempting to defend state rights, he only clarifies that it is not equal.
Another pro-slavery James Hammond created the “mudsill theory,” which contends that there must be and always has been a lower class for the upper classes to rest upon. It refers to the idea that slaves still require food, water, shelter, and even employment to survive even if they are not being paid for it. The stance is as follows: “She found a race that was well-suited for that purpose, which is good news for the South. Despite being a race inferior to her own, they were exceptionally well suited to fulfill all of her needs in terms of temperament, vigor, docility, and ability to withstand the elements. We refer to them as slaves because we employ them for our purposes.” (Hammond, 318–20)
Although they did not maintain the lower class through poverty, it appears that they believe all black people are from the low class, which they used to support the separation of whites and blacks as well as democracy. There is a lot of racism present because it comes from politicians who support slavery. They still believe that black people cannot and are not equal to any white man, so they lack an understanding of what it means to be non-racist. James offers justifications for his claim in the areas of economics, society, religion, science, and politics.Although Abraham Lincoln supported the abolition of slavery and focused more on labor and capital, the anti-slavery movement continued to campaign for the abolition of slavery. “They hold that labor is previous to and independent of capital; that in fact, capital is the product of labor, and that it could never have existed if labor had not first existed; that labor can exist without capital, but that capital could never have existed without labor,” declared Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln fought for free labor even if he opposed slavery.
Labor is the basis of capitalism and the economy. It is vital because if the slaves are fully set free, the amount of labor will decrease until they finally have to work to survive. They still get the basic essentials of existence, such as food, water, and shelter, even though they are not compensated for their work or labor. Frederick Douglass, a former slave and fervent opponent of slavery, declared in one of his speeches: “Everything that supports the continuation of slavery is America’s greatest sin and source of national disgrace, and I have the authority to order it. I won’t go back and explain myself “I shall use the toughest language I am capable of employing, but not a single phrase will escape me that any man whose judgment is not at heart a slaveholder or whose judgment is affected by bias will not admit to being honest and right. Even if they are not being paid for it, they need to have access to food, water, and shelter to survive. His point is supported by experience gained from going through this period as a slave. He became one of the most well-known abolitionists in the United States after learning to read and write. He was formerly a slave. He does challenge those who support slavery out of pure racism or because it was the norm at the time.
The anti-slavery movement hoped to make a difference by removing the lack of freedom experienced by slaves while still protecting their right to work and other basic needs. Mobility, diversity, capitalism, and democracy are the main areas of disagreement between the two sides’ positions. These four analytical concepts have been shown to be used by each individual to try to support their positions using their own justifications and arguments.
Reference
WORKS CITED Douglass, Frederick. “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July.” July 5, 1852. Web. Teaching American History.org.
Hammond, James H. Selections from the Letters and Speeches of the Hon. James H. Hammond of South Carolina. New York: John F. Trow and Co. 1866.
Stephens, Alexander. “The Cornerstone S
