Opposition To Slavery Dbq Essay

The Republican Party was committed to restricting the growth of slavery, and its victory in the election of 1860 was the trigger for secession acts by Southern states. The debate before 1860 was mainly focused on the Western territories, especially Kansas and the popular sovereignty controversy. Lincoln was nominated as the Republican candidate for president in the election of 1860. Lincoln was opposed to the expansion of slavery into new areas, but held that the federal government was prevented by the Constitution from banning slavery in states where it already existed. His plan was to halt the spread of slavery, and to offer monetary compensation to slave-owners in states that agreed to end slavery (see Compensated emancipation).

Abraham Lincoln, Frederic Douglass, were one of the most appealing well-known speakers, people who did believe that slavery was morally wrong and devote their lives to fight for freedom. However, there are several differences between the view of the Constitution’s position differences between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Kansas-Nebraska Act indicated that the recognition of slavery should be determined by the decision of these residents (popular or squatter sovereignty). This act itself conflicted heavily with the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, which was essentially seen as the admittance of slavery anywhere in the country. This act made a political issue of confrontation between North and South.

1858. Using the Bible as his source of reference, Lincoln stated "A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free." Lincoln believed that either slavery would extend throughout the entire country or it would become extinct, but it would not co-exist without having the country eventually collapsing. To add to his statement, Lincoln argued that slavery was a moral wrong and was opposing what the Founding Fathers' intended for the country.

Darien Dillavou S.S./English Per. 5/6 Abraham Lincoln essay 12/12/16 Abraham Lincoln Everyone in America has met at least one colored person, but only a few of them treat them differently than everyone else. On December 6, 1865 the 13th amendment was ratified ending slavery in America it was not ended in 1863 when the emancipation proclamation was issued. To Lincoln the union was more important than personal ideals and goals so some of Lincoln’s goals for the union were. Keeping it from separating into the Union and the Confederacy, Lincoln then saw slavery as morally wrong but he was willing to overlook slavery so that he could save the country, and Lincoln had a plan to try and cut off the confederates resources so that they had to come back

He said that if a territory did not adopt the slave codes that protected the master’s property, slaves would not be brought into that territory. Douglas’ idea became known as the Freeport Doctrine. Lincoln further expanded on the subject by stating his belief that negroes had the same rights listed in the Declaration of Independence as whites. He also continued to touch on the fact that slavery had never united the country, but had always been the issue that divided it.

Lincoln believed that “...if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.” (Fourth). Lincoln accepted that he must uphold the laws of the the United States as defined in the Constitution, even if he disagreed morally with the law. Lincoln professed that “slavery is founded in the selfishness of man’s nature ---opposition to it, is [in?] his love of justice.”

Lincoln was well educated over current case-law problems pertaining too slave and free states. Over one of the worst decisions ever made by the Supreme Court, the Dred Scott decision threatened to bring slavery into the North. Lincoln was stressing the fact that if something wasn’t done, slavery would no doubt trickle out of the South, and into the rest of America. While the Supreme Court was fumbling and backtracking, there was another law that brought slavery closer. The Kansas-Nebraska bill overrode previous legislation and allowed white male residents to vote on whether to permit slavery therein.

Lincoln also spoke out to the legislatures about outlawing slavery. Both candidates fired back at each other about who was right and who wasn’t, they also seemed to like “calling out” each other's plans and futuristic

On the other hand, Douglas did not consider blacks American citizens, therefore they were undeserving the same rights and protection as whites. There was a prevailing view that Africans were beneath Anglo-Saxons in both character and intellect. He stated that the U.S. government was created “by white men for the benefit of white men.” (Foner, 488).

Lincoln absolutely hated slavery and wanted to stop the spread of it as well. He hated the thinking of Stephen A. Douglas, the Democrat he was running against for president. Douglas was simply indifferent to the spread of slavery to new territories, such as Michigan (“Abraham”). Lincoln fought back to stop the spread of slavery stating, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe the Government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free” (Current).

While the debates did not address the rights of Black Americans, it did allow the public to see both Lincoln and Douglas in a brighter light. Douglas publically stated that Lincoln had favored race equality, calling him a Radical Republican and therefore hurting his chances at ever getting a position in politics. Lincoln then challenged Douglas to a series of debates between late August and mid October in Illinois. Douglas accused Lincoln and Trumbull of conspiring to bring down Whig party in order to get their dream of abolishing slavery and getting into office. One person commented that these debates showed how much American politics have changed over the last two years, and will continue to change in the years coming.

Lincoln characterizes the depiction of slavery in the south as having been defined as a necessity due to the institution of slavery being so engrained in everyday life and economy there. Lincoln goes on to contend that in the settling of new lands the argument for slavery being a necessity or engrained in society is a complete falsity and an abhorrent violation of humanity. Lincoln speaks about how important our constitution is and that we, as a country, would be perceived as hypocrites by other nations for the inequalities we demonstrate with slavery. He expresses his fears that allowing slavery to spread to Nebraska would further the expansion of it into other areas of the country and eventually the world. It is very enlightening to read how broad and thorough Lincoln’s insights are.

McGovern notes that “Lincoln’s approach to the issue [slavery] started with his personal view, often expressed privately and sometimes publicly, that he abhorred slavery (66).” McGovern also notes that Lincoln’s own family had antislavery values (66). But in congress, his position on slavery was not always consisten with his own personal values. “He was never an abolitionist, because he firmly believed that slavery was constitutionally protected in states where it already existed (66).”

but I do expect it will cease to be divided.” Because Douglas had an advantage of already being Senator, Lincoln believed that with a debate over slavery, there was a possibility that people would vote for him by knowing him better. They had seven encounters of debates on this subject, and it was called the Lincoln- Douglas debate of 1858. All the effort that Lincoln put into the debates was not enough, because in the end Douglas won the Senate

Abraham Lincoln was opposed to slavery from a philosophical point of view because of his ancient faith. Abraham Lincoln’s ancient faith is that all men are created equal and that their should always be consent of the governed. His ancient faith and many of his other beliefs played into the idea of anti-feudalism and going against the divine right of kings. Slavery went against these beliefs because slavery was like a monarchy where slave owners would be the king or queen who believe it is their divine right to own slaves. This would all go against American morals and the beliefs set forth in the Declaration of Independence, such as the fact that all men are created equal and that they are born with unremovable rights.