Although the fight for abolition is far from over, this movement has already seen pretty substantial results, results which seemed impossible just years ago.
To begin with, many northerners have joined the abolitionist movement in recent years, while before many were afraid to be so radical due to violence from those who were pro-slavery. Being anti-slavery angers many pro-slavery individuals because the position is morally right. The only argument those who are pro-slavery have is that slavery provides labor that boosts the economy. They have no moral backing. So, speeches and leaflets from abolitionists spreading the evils of the practice threaten the existence of what they have convinced themselves to be a necessary act. As an effect, those in favor of slavery began interrupting speeches, sometimes with cruel acts of violence. An example would be the assassination of famed abolitionist, journalist, and newspaper editor Elijah Lovejoy. In 1837, Lovejoy was shot and killed by a member of a pro-slavery mob, while defending the printing site of his anti-slavery newspaper, The Saint Louis Observer.
Although violent acts of pro-slavery first frightened those thinking of being abolitionists, these acts eventually made many free whites realize the defense of slavery was threatening their freedoms of speech and press, among others. Many soon saw that if this cry of morals was being suppressed, any future movement could be suppressed. This caused them to join the abolitionist movement, to fight for not solely the morals of the situation, but also for the personal liberties they were promised in the founding of the country, so that people could not just think these liberties could be ignored. No matter what the motivation was, this movement gained many more supporters, which will greatly even out the sides of the debate.
Secondly, the publishing of slave narratives from free blacks has caused much sympathy for slaves in the eyes of many northerners. One in particular, Frederick Douglass, has become famous for his moving, heart wrenching story. Douglass wrote several autobiographies. He first described his experiences as a slave in his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which was a bestseller and helped our movement greatly. Douglass did not stop there with his abolitionist writings. His second autobiography, My bondage and my Freedom, was also a bestseller. One thing that buyers admired about Douglass was his educated, eloquent writing style, despite his harsh upbringing as a slave. In fact, he himself was a counterexample to the pro-slavery notion that slaves could never be educated enough to function as regular American citizens. Douglass wrote in great detail about his life as a slave, being sure to capture how inhumane the practice was, "The opinion was ... whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion I know nothing.... My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant.... It [was] common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age.
"I do not recollect ever seeing my mother by the light of day. ... She would lie down with me, and get me to sleep, but long before I waked she was gone." Emotional parts of his autobiographies like this were what broke people from their silence and convinced them to join the movement.
Religion also has played a big role in convincing others that slavery simply cannot go on and must end. The second great awakening brought forth Christian revivalism, and convinced people that ignoring the moral wrong of slavery is like refusing to carry out God's will on earth. This helped convince many people that abolition could not wait, and it was their moral duty to stop slavery and all of its wrongs. Figures such as William Lloyd Garrison, Theodore D. Weld, Arthur Tappan, Lewis Tappan, and Elizur Wright, Jr. were spiritually enlightened and all joined the movement. The Tappans, Garrison, and sixty others met in Philadelphia to found the Anti-Slavery Society, where they declared that slavery was a sin and it was the responsibility of good Christians to stop it, and also stated their negative position on racial prejudice against blacks.
Free blacks have become a large part of the movement, emotionally and financially. In the north, there is now an everflowing abundance of abolitionist literature and petitions prompting congress to end their support of slavery.
The Compromise of 1850 with the pro-slavery south brought some losses but quite a few gains in the antislavery movement. Washington D.C. Is no longer a slave trade state, and new territories, New Mexico and Utah got to decide their stance on slaveowning.
There is still a long way to go. We need there to be no more slavery anywhere in America. It is un-American, and we have proved that. What we need to do is be persistent with getting the Federal government to support the abolitionist movement, because recently a bill was passed in which congress can refuse to view an anti-slavery petition. The Constitution may be on the side of the south (since they have the right to capture their fugitive slaves), but it is also on our side. We have the right to the freedoms of speech and press, and we must use these to shake all fear or selfish thoughts from the minds of northerners who have not yet joined the abolitionist movement. As for the stubborn south, the movement will soon overwhelm them, especially if the participation in it continues to exponentially increase as it has in past years. This means that in addition to convincing as many as we can in the North, we must convince inhabitants of the new territories to convert to anti-slavery and go against those in the south.
All this movement needs is a few more supporters, and some support from the federal government, and soon slavery will be outlawed. It is on the tip of the horizon, and with our eloquent white and black abolition writers, religion, and our moral right, we will win over the south in this debate. We cannot and will not allow the physical and mental homicides of millions of innocent people.
To begin with, many northerners have joined the abolitionist movement in recent years, while before many were afraid to be so radical due to violence from those who were pro-slavery. Being anti-slavery angers many pro-slavery individuals because the position is morally right. The only argument those who are pro-slavery have is that slavery provides labor that boosts the economy. They have no moral backing. So, speeches and leaflets from abolitionists spreading the evils of the practice threaten the existence of what they have convinced themselves to be a necessary act. As an effect, those in favor of slavery began interrupting speeches, sometimes with cruel acts of violence. An example would be the assassination of famed abolitionist, journalist, and newspaper editor Elijah Lovejoy. In 1837, Lovejoy was shot and killed by a member of a pro-slavery mob, while defending the printing site of his anti-slavery newspaper, The Saint Louis Observer.
Although violent acts of pro-slavery first frightened those thinking of being abolitionists, these acts eventually made many free whites realize the defense of slavery was threatening their freedoms of speech and press, among others. Many soon saw that if this cry of morals was being suppressed, any future movement could be suppressed. This caused them to join the abolitionist movement, to fight for not solely the morals of the situation, but also for the personal liberties they were promised in the founding of the country, so that people could not just think these liberties could be ignored. No matter what the motivation was, this movement gained many more supporters, which will greatly even out the sides of the debate.
Secondly, the publishing of slave narratives from free blacks has caused much sympathy for slaves in the eyes of many northerners. One in particular, Frederick Douglass, has become famous for his moving, heart wrenching story. Douglass wrote several autobiographies. He first described his experiences as a slave in his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which was a bestseller and helped our movement greatly. Douglass did not stop there with his abolitionist writings. His second autobiography, My bondage and my Freedom, was also a bestseller. One thing that buyers admired about Douglass was his educated, eloquent writing style, despite his harsh upbringing as a slave. In fact, he himself was a counterexample to the pro-slavery notion that slaves could never be educated enough to function as regular American citizens. Douglass wrote in great detail about his life as a slave, being sure to capture how inhumane the practice was, "The opinion was ... whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion I know nothing.... My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant.... It [was] common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age.
"I do not recollect ever seeing my mother by the light of day. ... She would lie down with me, and get me to sleep, but long before I waked she was gone." Emotional parts of his autobiographies like this were what broke people from their silence and convinced them to join the movement.
Religion also has played a big role in convincing others that slavery simply cannot go on and must end. The second great awakening brought forth Christian revivalism, and convinced people that ignoring the moral wrong of slavery is like refusing to carry out God's will on earth. This helped convince many people that abolition could not wait, and it was their moral duty to stop slavery and all of its wrongs. Figures such as William Lloyd Garrison, Theodore D. Weld, Arthur Tappan, Lewis Tappan, and Elizur Wright, Jr. were spiritually enlightened and all joined the movement. The Tappans, Garrison, and sixty others met in Philadelphia to found the Anti-Slavery Society, where they declared that slavery was a sin and it was the responsibility of good Christians to stop it, and also stated their negative position on racial prejudice against blacks.
Free blacks have become a large part of the movement, emotionally and financially. In the north, there is now an everflowing abundance of abolitionist literature and petitions prompting congress to end their support of slavery.
The Compromise of 1850 with the pro-slavery south brought some losses but quite a few gains in the antislavery movement. Washington D.C. Is no longer a slave trade state, and new territories, New Mexico and Utah got to decide their stance on slaveowning.
There is still a long way to go. We need there to be no more slavery anywhere in America. It is un-American, and we have proved that. What we need to do is be persistent with getting the Federal government to support the abolitionist movement, because recently a bill was passed in which congress can refuse to view an anti-slavery petition. The Constitution may be on the side of the south (since they have the right to capture their fugitive slaves), but it is also on our side. We have the right to the freedoms of speech and press, and we must use these to shake all fear or selfish thoughts from the minds of northerners who have not yet joined the abolitionist movement. As for the stubborn south, the movement will soon overwhelm them, especially if the participation in it continues to exponentially increase as it has in past years. This means that in addition to convincing as many as we can in the North, we must convince inhabitants of the new territories to convert to anti-slavery and go against those in the south.
All this movement needs is a few more supporters, and some support from the federal government, and soon slavery will be outlawed. It is on the tip of the horizon, and with our eloquent white and black abolition writers, religion, and our moral right, we will win over the south in this debate. We cannot and will not allow the physical and mental homicides of millions of innocent people.