Frederick Douglass Quotes
Judging from my own observation and experience, I believe these holidays to be among the most effective means, in the hands of slaveholders, of keeping down the spirit of insurrection among the slaves. To enslave men, successfully and safely, it is necessary to have their minds occupied with thoughts and aspirations short of the liberty of which they are deprived. A certain degree of attainable good must be kept before them. These holidays serve the purpose of keeping the minds of the slaves occupied with prospective pleasure, within the limits of slavery
The “holidays” were a given by most slaveholders for a few days a year. During these times, liquor was usually provided to the slaves and they were encouraged to get drunk end engage in singing, dancing, sports, and social and sexual activities. See {611086} for details about slave holidays and encouraged alcohol use.
Frederick Douglasss, ~1817-1895, Abolitionist & Editor, Recorder of Deeds, District of Columbia, U. S. Minister to Haiti, My Bondage and Freedom
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Douglass was also of the opinion that slavery could not continue without alcohol. See {632445}.
The slaves to which he is referring were the serfs of Slovakia who for hundreds of years had literally been the property of the Hungarian nobility. The problem however has been observed about any long-term slavery.
He was making a generalization based on his historical study of nations and societies.
In early New England the General Court served as both a legislature and a judiciary before separation of powers was introduced. 5 years later the Court banned importing African slaves at all. While slavery was not common in Rhode Island, the laws was not seriously enforced on those who would defy them. It does represent a public anti-slavery sentiment that existed in Early America. It would take 200 years for Rhode Island to finally eliminate all forms of slavery.
Southern secession and the Civil War This is one of the major quotations with which historians rebut the revisionist view that the Civil War was about States’ Rights or other economic factors.
Referring to Black Congressman Julian Bond: Louis Eugene Walcott
- Born: February 14, 1817
- Died: February 20, 1895
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Abolitionist, Suffragist, Author, Editor, Diplomat
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, becoming famous for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. Accordingly, he was described by abolitionists in his time as a living counterexample to slaveholders' arguments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens. Likewise, Northerners at the time found it hard to believe that such a great orator had once been a slave.
