Lincoln is strongly opposed to slavery being permitted in the Kansas-Nebraska territory. Lincoln views the nation is being hypocritical. Under the Declaration of Independence America established itself as a free country, yet there are provisions for slavery. If America established itself as the new world leader of independence, what country would value the sincerity of the U.S. by allowance of slavery. Lincoln recognizes the text in the Constitution which allows a “ PERSON HELD TO SERVICE OR LABOR” yet feels this has been taken to an extreme, and has been far removed from its context. According to Lincoln, the framers were adamantly opposed to using the word SLAVE in the Constitution. A small reference was included to reference established slaves, and as technology would advance slavery would then end.
1 comment:
Jeff,
Good job. You're right about L's attack on the hypocrisy of slavery and also his belief he had to accept it, though he thought it would die out.
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