Eleanor Finch
In a speech delivered in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1860, Frederick Douglass outlined his views on the American Constitution, specifically addressing the question of whether it was pro-slavery or anti-slavery. Douglass believed that the Constitution, though flawed, was a valid document that could be used as a tool to advocate for the freedom and civil rights of African Americans and women. Despite facing opposition from some of his allies, he continued to view the Constitution as an ideal that the country had yet to fulfill. Even amid the violence and disenfranchisement faced by Black people, Douglass held the Constitution in high reverence, seeing his life's work as aligned with the principles of liberty and humanity expressed within it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| View on the Constitution | A valid document and a tool to advocate for the freedom and civil rights of African Americans and women |
| View on the Fifteenth Amendment | Supported it, despite opposition from his women's rights allies |
| View on the American Government | Distinct from the American Constitution |
| View on Slavery | Anti-slavery |
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What You'll Learn
- Douglas believed the US Constitution was anti-slavery
- He used the Constitution as a tool to advocate for freedom
- He supported the Fifteenth Amendment and Black male suffrage
- He believed the intentions of the framers of the Constitution were good
- He believed the Constitution was distinct from the American Government
Douglas believed the US Constitution was anti-slavery
In a speech titled "The Constitution of the United States: Is It Pro-Slavery or Anti-slavery?" given in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1860, Frederick Douglass outlined his views on the American Constitution. In this speech, Douglass argued that the Constitution was anti-slavery. He presented several points to support this claim.
Firstly, Douglass pointed out that the Constitution included a provision that required the slave trade to end within twenty years of the slave states joining the American Union. This indicated that the Constitution was anti-slavery as it set a time limit on the slave trade, implying that slavery was a temporary system that would eventually disappear. Secondly, he argued that even if this provision applied to the African slave trade, it had expired by its own limitation more than fifty years ago, further demonstrating the Constitution's anti-slavery stance.
Thirdly, Douglass believed that the Constitution's framers intended for slavery to be abolished rather than perpetuated. He saw their intentions as good, suggesting that they did not support slavery. Additionally, Douglass may have interpreted the Constitution as a tool to advocate for the freedom and civil rights of African Americans, believing that it established principles of liberty and humanity.
Despite the existence of articles within the Constitution that could be interpreted as pro-slavery, such as those facilitating the recovery of fugitive slaves and requiring the President to suppress slave insurrection, Douglass maintained his position that the Constitution was anti-slavery. He believed that the real question in debate was not the historical presence of slavery or the intentions of slaveholders, but whether the Constitution guaranteed the right to enslave or hold people as property.
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He used the Constitution as a tool to advocate for freedom
The United States Constitution played a powerful and enduring role in the career of Frederick Douglass. Once he committed to his belief in the Constitution as a valid document, he used it as a tool to advocate for freedom and, later, the civil rights of African Americans and women.
In the spring of 1851, Douglass publicly changed his stance on the Constitution. He began to view it as an ideal to which the country had yet to fulfill. He continued to hold the Constitution in high reverence, stating that his life's work had been to see the principles of liberty and humanity expressed in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Despite facing conflict and opposition from friends and allies, including White female allies, Douglass remained steadfast in his support of the Fifteenth Amendment and Black male suffrage.
In a speech before the Scottish Anti-Slavery Society in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1860, titled "The Constitution of the United States: Is It Pro-Slavery or Anti-slavery?", Douglass outlined his views on the American Constitution. He argued that the Constitution was anti-slavery rather than pro-slavery due to its provision for the abolition of slavery. Douglass believed that the intentions of the framers of the Constitution were good and that it established a new paradigm for the country.
Even at the height of violence and disenfranchisement of Black people, Douglass found no fault with the Constitution itself. He characterized the status of Black Southerners as "in law free, in fact slave; in law a citizen, in fact an alien; in law a voter, in fact disenfranchised." Douglass emphasized the tension between the burdens and benefits of citizenship, highlighting the ongoing battle for civil rights in the United States.
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He supported the Fifteenth Amendment and Black male suffrage
The United States Constitution played a significant and enduring role in the life and work of Frederick Douglass. Once he committed to his belief in the Constitution as a valid document, he used it as a tool to advocate for the freedom and civil rights of African Americans.
Frederick Douglass supported the Fifteenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1870, granting African American men the right to vote. This amendment was seen as the fulfillment of promises made to African Americans, guaranteeing their suffrage in all states, regardless of which political party was in power. The Fifteenth Amendment was the last of the three Reconstruction Amendments, following the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, and the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted citizenship.
Douglass's support for the Fifteenth Amendment and Black male suffrage put him at odds with some of his allies, particularly White female allies involved in the women's suffrage movement. The women's suffrage movement had previously made common cause with the abolitionist movement, but the Fifteenth Amendment, which barred race discrimination in voter laws, did not address sex discrimination. This conflict led to fractures in Douglass's relationships with his women's rights allies.
Despite the opposition he faced, Douglass continued to view the Constitution as an ideal that the country had yet to fulfill. He saw his life's work as being dedicated to ensuring that the principles of liberty and humanity expressed in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were realized for all. Even amid the violence and disenfranchisement faced by Black people, Douglass maintained his reverence for the Constitution.
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He believed the intentions of the framers of the Constitution were good
In a speech given in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1860, titled "The Constitution of the United States: Is It Pro-Slavery or Anti-slavery?", Frederick Douglass outlined his views on the American Constitution. Douglass believed that the intentions of the framers of the Constitution were good. He argued that the Constitution was anti-slavery rather than pro-slavery. According to Douglass, the Constitution included provisions that indicated the framers' intentions to eventually abolish slavery. For example, Article 1, Section 9, provided for the recovery of fugitive slaves from other states, and Article 1, Section 8, required the President to use military force to suppress slave insurrection. However, he believed that these provisions had a limited timeframe and were meant to put an end to the slave trade within the Union.
Despite the presence of slaveholders among the framers of the Constitution, Douglass maintained that their intentions were not to perpetuate slavery indefinitely. He acknowledged that the American Government had been wielded in favour of slavery for many years, but he believed that the Constitution itself could be used as a tool to advocate for freedom and civil rights. Douglass saw the Constitution as an ideal that the country had yet to fulfill. He continued to hold the Constitution in high reverence, even as he worked to secure the rights and benefits of citizenship for Black Americans, who were facing violence, poverty, and disenfranchisement.
In his speech, Douglass also addressed the complexities of the Constitution's impact on different groups. He acknowledged that the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted suffrage to African American men, had caused fractures in his long-term relationships with women's rights allies. Douglass attempted to compromise by committing to efforts to gain rights without regard to gender while also supporting the Fifteenth Amendment. However, his proposal was ignored, highlighting the ongoing challenges in the battle for civil rights.
Throughout his career, Douglass's position on the Constitution evolved. Initially, he found himself at odds with fellow abolitionists, but he eventually committed to his belief in the Constitution as a valid document. He used it as a tool to advocate for the freedom and civil rights of African Americans and women. Despite the conflicts and challenges he faced, Douglass remained dedicated to seeing the principles of liberty and humanity expressed in both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
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He believed the Constitution was distinct from the American Government
In a speech delivered in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1860, titled "The Constitution of the United States: Is It Pro-Slavery or Anti-slavery?", Frederick Douglass outlined his views on the American Constitution, emphasizing its distinct character from the American Government.
Douglass believed that the Constitution and the Government, while often conflated, are inherently different. He likened the relationship between the two to that of a ship and a compass, with the Constitution serving as a guiding document and the Government as the entity responsible for its implementation. This perspective highlights his understanding of the Constitution as a set of principles and ideals that should direct the actions and policies of the Government.
Despite the challenges faced by African Americans, including violence and disenfranchisement, Douglass maintained a steadfast belief in the Constitution's validity and its potential to bring about positive change. He saw the Constitution as a tool to advocate for freedom and civil rights, particularly for African Americans and women. Douglass's support for the Fifteenth Amendment, which granted suffrage to African American men, exemplifies his commitment to using the Constitution as a means to advance equality and justice.
In his speech, Douglass also addressed the question of whether the Constitution was pro-slavery or anti-slavery. He argued that certain provisions within the Constitution, such as the three-fifths compromise (Art. 1, section 2) and the requirement for the President to suppress slave insurrection (Art. 1, section 8), could be interpreted as pro-slavery. However, he maintained that the Constitution, in its essence, was anti-slavery. Douglass believed that the inclusion of these provisions was a necessary compromise to bring slave states into the American Union, with the ultimate goal of ending the slave trade within twenty years.
Overall, Frederick Douglass's views on the Constitution reflect his deep commitment to using it as a tool for positive change, even as he recognized the distinct roles and responsibilities of the Government in implementing it. His belief in the Constitution's validity and its potential to advance freedom and civil rights for all Americans remains a powerful aspect of his legacy.
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Frequently asked questions
Frederick Douglass viewed the United States Constitution as a valid document and a powerful tool in his work advocating for the freedom and civil rights of African Americans and women.
No, in his 1860 speech "The Constitution of the United States: Is It Pro-Slavery or Anti-slavery?", Douglass argued that the Constitution was anti-slavery. He cited Article 1, Section 9, which provides for the recovery of fugitive slaves from other states, as evidence of the Constitution's anti-slavery intentions.
No, while these amendments created a new paradigm for Douglass, he acknowledged that they did not protect African Americans from poverty, violence, or disenfranchisement.
Yes, like all great thinkers, Douglass was a complicated man whose position evolved throughout his lifetime. He initially found himself at odds with fellow Garrisonian abolitionists, and later, his support for the Fifteenth Amendment and black male suffrage was opposed by some of his white female allies.
No, in his 1860 speech, Douglass distinguished between the American Government and the American Constitution, stating that they are distinct in character, just as a ship and a compass are distinct.
