Frederick Douglas - Part 2

“In no sound philosophy can slavery be justified. 'Tis at war with the best feelings of the human heart. 'Tis at war with Christianity. Wherever we find an individual justify[ing] slavery on such a pretext you will find him also justifying the slavery of any human beings on the earth. 'Tis the old argument on the part of tyrants. Tyrants have ever justified their tyranny by arguing on the inferiority of their victims. The Slavery of only part or portion of the human family, is a matter of interest to every member of the human family; slavery being the enemy of all mankind.” http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/douglass/support8.html This is an excerpt from a speech that Frederick Douglas gave in Ireland around 1846 at the beginning of the famine that overtook Ireland. After escaping from slavery in 1838, Frederick Douglas met William Lloyd Garrison an avid abolitionist who hired Douglas as a lecturer. After Douglas published his book “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave.” He traveled the country lecturing and his book became a best seller. His fame brought with it danger from people who opposed him. He left the country for a tour of England, Scotland and Ireland. In Ireland, he met Daniel O’Connell, a great Irish Nationalist who was to become a great friend and major influence. He is pointing out that tyrants, in order to justify their crimes against humanity argue that their victims are inferior. We have seen this same tyranny by Hitler against anyone non-Aryan and the English against the Irish. And that slavery in any form diminishes all of mankind. I have chosen this quote because while I have always been against slavery and have much admired Frederick Douglas, I did not know that he helped or was involved in the fight for Irish sovereignty or “Home Rule” as it was called. In reading about Frederick Douglas’ life, I have been amazed at his strength and intelligence. He is almost self-educated and yet, a brilliant writer and lecturer. He even influenced our great president Abraham Lincoln.