Muhammad Musharib 

ENG 1121

Professor Jessica Penner

Quote ~ By an act of the American Congress, not yet two years old, slavery has been nationalized in its most horrible and revolting  form. By that act, Mason & Dixon’s line has been obliterated; New York has become as Virginia; and the power to hold, hunt, and sell men, women and children as slaves, remains no longer a mere state institution, but is now an institution of the whole United States.(Douglass ~13)

Paraphrase ~ Slavery is something horrific in the American Society. Genders and ages that are being sold as slaves which should be abolished. 

Respond ~ Fedrick Douglas is targeting slavery. He’s also condming the act of selling gender and childrens as slaves. 

Quote ~ The American church is guilty, when viewed in connection with what it is doing to uphold slavery; but it is superlatively guilty when viewed in connection with its ability to abolish slavery.(Douglass ~ 15)

Paraphrase ~ The connection of religion and slaves is disappointing because religion should interfere and be in the favor of going in a favor of freedom in equal rights. 

Responding~ Douglas is disappointed with the religious churches for not being in favor of freedom although this can be abolished but churches remained to stay neutral. 

Quote 1 ~ But the church of this country is not only in different to the wrongs of the slave, it actually takes sides with the oppressors. (Douglass ~14)

Explanation ~ This quote shows the reason of Fredrick Douglass argument because Fredrick Douglas explains in this quote how religious did not play a roll abolishing slavery. 

Quote 2 ~ And instead of being the honest men I have before declared them to be, they were the veriest  imposters that ever practised on mankind (Douglass ~18)

Explanation ~ the word in this quote “them” refers to the constitution, which was not fair because those rules that were passed by the constitution were slave hunting. Again he used a reason that associated with constitution to back up his argument that is in a favor of abolishing slavery.   Â