The Abolitionist Study Part 1

In my studies of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass has always stood out to me because of his interaction and contentious relationship with Abraham Lincoln. Before the civil war, both Lincoln and Douglass traveled the country speaking about the effects of slavery on the nation. Frederick Douglass, in my opinion, was more to the point and backed by white abolitionist spoke about the total abolishment of slavery. Abraham Lincoln, on the other hand, seemed to take the more political approach which forced him to walk the line between slavery, and the total abolishment of slavery a situation that endeared him to neither side of the argument. For those in favor of abolition Lincoln's words were not strong enough, and for those in favor of slavery, his words lacked the confidence of a true conviction to preserving the institution of slavery in America.

One side wanted to see slavery abolished, over with and gone. The other side not only wanted to preserve slavery but also wanted to expand slavery into new territories. Frederick Douglass himself was surprised that the south would choose secession. From what he had heard of Lincoln's speeches he had come to the conclusion that the institution of slavery would be safe with the political appeasement and seeming desire to please both sides of the slavery argument that came from Lincoln's address to the crowds. 

Being direct in the political arena meant choosing a side, and choosing a side made it clear where you stood. Neither the abolitionist nor the southern Democrats had a problem with that because they were in total opposition to each other. Douglass understood that even if Lincoln was elected president the slave killing pledges and slave hunting would continue, it was after all the law, and while Lincoln might be in favor of changing those laws once in office he would still have to support and carry out those laws until, if or when, the laws were changed. 

So to Douglass, it was simple Lincoln is at heart a politician and while some things might change with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the major issue that drove  Frederick Douglass, the complete and total abolition of slavery, would basically stay the same. Frederick Douglass did not see Abraham Lincoln as an ally to the abolitionist, not a very reliable one anyway, in Frederick Douglass' mind only the total emancipation of the African Americans as the only path to a lasting peace.

In December of that year (1860) word reached Washington that Charleston, South Carolina had formally terminated its relationship with the Union of states.  Not since the ratification of the Constitution seventy-two years earlier had this country faced such a crisis; and things went from bad to worse, there was no internet back then but telegraph offices all over this nation coming apart at the seams constantly turn out news of states leaving the Union, I believe the secession of southern states from the union changed Lincoln's calculus. (To be continued)