The Hypocrisy of A Nation

             "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" (The Declaration of Independence).
             The evident immorality within the institution of slavery and the necessity for its abolition are deeply interwoven into the history of America and are profoundly correlated to the orations of Frederick Douglass. In particular, Douglass's "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" speech can be evaluated in the context of a critique on American institutions with focus on the hypocrisy of those who abide by the sacred documents that embody the American society. Throughout his speech, Douglass reiterates his perception,
             "Americans! Your republican politics, not less than your republican religion, are flagrantly inconsistent. You boast of your love of liberty, your superior civilization, and your pure Christianity, while the whole political power of the nation is solemnly pledged to support and perpetuate the enslavement of three million" (1833).
             The statement proves to verify Douglass's belief in relation to the illogical nature of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Holy Bible in the face of slavery. So, in context, Douglass' speech is rhetorically effective and rises above the most sacred documents of American civilization.
             William Lloyd Garrison, author of The Liberator, a leading abolitionist, and one of the greatest influences on Frederick Douglass, states, "I will be as harsh as the truth and as uncompromising as justice. On this very subject (slavery) I do not wish to think, or speak, or write with moderation (...) I am in earnest-I will not equivocate-I will not excuse-I will not retreat a single inch-and I WILL BE HEARD" (Garrison 256). It is this strong and enduring attitude toward abolition that cap...

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The Hypocrisy of A Nation. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 19:05, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/80259.html