The Ethical Issue of Slavery - Assignment Example

Slavery: History and Political Science April 3, Introduction The ethical issue of slavery is a hotly contested issue prior to the Civil War. Most of the people of the Southern United States favored slavery. The slaves toiled the farms during the hot and cold days as their master whipped, punished, and oppressively treated their human properties. On the other hand, most of the people from the Northern United States favored freeing the Southern White American’s slaves. The Civil War between the Northern American and the Southern American focused on resolving the slave issue with finality. Different individuals have diverse opinions on the issue of slavery. Senator Calhoun’s pro-Slavery Stance Senator Calhoun justifies the Southern states’ democratic right to own slaves. Senator Calhoun affirms Slavery benefits both the slave owners and the slaves (Niven 49). Slavery benefits both the White slave owners and the African American slaves. In terms of physical, intellectual and moral standards, the Senator states that those living in Africa have not reached any success compared to the African American slaves who were brought to the United States. Senator Calhoun equates the Southern White slave owners as equal in status with the Northern White American. The North American Whites freed their African American Slaves. On the other hand, the South American White Owners decided to hold on to their personal properties, the African American slaves. The Senator goes further by stating that the White Slave owners treat their Southern Slaves far better than societies in other countries treat their paid employees. Consequently, Senator Calhoun boasts that the Southern American States’ White owners treat their African American Slaves better than other societies treat their employees. As a resident of one of the Southern States, Senator Calhoun proudly states that the Southern White Americans treat their slaves far better than the White people from other communities treat their African American employees. Everyone is entitled to one’s opinion. Senator Calhoun is entitled to his preference for the institution of slavery. Senator Calhoun believes that removing the slaves from the Southern slave owners would bring hardship to the White slave owners. With the slaves, the White slave owners of the South will be forced to work in the farms and other labor activities. The senator is creating a false impression that God had destined the African American people to be the slaves of the White Americans. In the same manner, Senator Calhoun insists that it is a god given right for the White Americans to use the forced African American slaves to do menial jobs (Niven 49). Senator Hammond’s Mudsill Theory and Pro-slavery stance Senator James Hammond affirms slavery is necessary for society’s survival (Towers 15). The White Americans need the slaves to do the drudgery-tainted menial jobs. The slaves need only low intellect and little skill to contribute their share to improving American life. Consequently, the White slave owners need slaves who are passive, docile, has no penchant for challenging authority (especially the slave owner’s authority over the slave), and life-long loyalty to the slaves’ White masters. The African American slaves are necessary for the survival of the White American slave wealthy owners’ economic success and survival. The beneficial relationship between the slaves and the slave owners generate to the enhancement of progress, refinement, and civilization. This is the essence of the mud-sill theory of survival. In turn, the white slave owners give the slaves a cozy home to sleep in, food, and other personal necessities of the African American slaves. However, Senator Hammond affirms God approved slavery. Senator Hammond mentions that slavery was had been eradicated in most areas of the world. However, Senator Hammond affirms that the inferior African American slaves have the necessary docility, vigor, and temper attributes that constitute an effective master and slave relationship. The Senator affirms that the paid employees of other societies perform the same jobs as African American slaves do. However, the employees can be easily terminated or retrenched. On the other hand, the African American Slaves are assured of a lifelong job. Likewise, Senator Hammond is also entitled to his own opinion. Consequently, Hammond can freely espouse the African Americans were born to be the personal property of the White Americans. In the same manner, other individuals are entitled to their opinion on slavery. The White Americans of the North are entitled to espouse slavery is illegal and violates the rights of the African Americans to freely choose their own destinies and paths in life. Consequently, the coming Civil War was a fight as to who will win the slavery issue. Since the North Americans won the war, the African Americans are now free citizens. On the other hand, there is a high probability that the Southerners today will continue having African American slaves tilling their fields. Abraham Lincoln’s criticism of Mudsill Theory Abraham Lincoln made some criticisms of the mudsill theory (Rawley) 28. Lincoln insists that labor is needed to help capital achieve its goals and objectives. Consequently, it is more preferable for capital to pay the free slaves for work done for the capitalists. Consequently, t he labor’s desire to be paid by capital is the driving force or connecting link between the capital (employers) and the employees (free slaves). Lincoln contradicts the mudsill theory that the employee is forced against his or her will to work as an employee. Consequently, Lincoln contradicts the mudsill theory that the said employee’s working condition is similar to the working condition of the African American slaves. Similarly, Lincoln opposes that theory that the employee is forced against his or her will to work as employee in order to feed one’s family. Lincoln states that democracy includes a strong cooperative relationship between capital (employers) and labor (employees). As evidence, Lincoln offers the example of families working together as free persons tilling their own family farms, family shops to feed their families. Consequently, Lincoln’s hating slavery runs counter to the mudsill theory of Senator Calhoun and Senator Hammond’s concept of slavery. Lincoln insists that the two senators’ theory that it is God’s desire for the retention of slaves tilling the fields and other forced chores of the slave owners is unethical and wrong. Lincoln’s example of the family farm clearly obliterates the required slave – slave owner compulsory economic relationship. Lincoln goes further by stating that with the reduction of the uneducated members of society, the two pro-slavery senators are wrong in stating only the uneducated individuals should do labor. In our current society, Lincoln firmly believes that companies (capital) can hire college graduates, the educated persons, to do labor. To finally resolve the issue of slavery, President Abraham Lincoln was instrumental in Civil War (Striner) 137. The Southern White Americans fought to retain their right to keep the slaves. The North Americans entered the war to force the Southern White American slave owners to grant freedom to their African American Slaves. History shows that the Northern White Americans won the Civil War. Consequently, the Southern White Americans were forced to grant freedom to their properties, the African American slaves. Frederick Douglass’ personal experience Contradicts two senators’s favoring slavery Frederick Douglas’ account of his childhood clearly contradicts the pro-slavery stance of Senators Calhoun and Hammond. Douglas’ personally witnessing his master punishing his aunt Hester suffer from the harassment of her White owner shows slavery forces people to do the will of their masters, failure to do so would result to injury, whippings, physical hurt, and using the cow skin to whip his aunt’s back until pools of blood dripped from the poor slave aunt’s body. Likewise, Douglas personal experience of his master not granting the rights of the mother to visit and care for her son, Douglas, against the mother’s will surely contradicts the two senators’ theory that the slaves benefit from their lifetime bondage. Similarly, Douglas admits that his master treats Douglas cruelly, like an animal and not treated like an equal human being. Douglas affirmed that his White master, Edward Covey, beat him almost daily (Fleming 1). Frederick Douglass’ Childhood Slavery Experience Frederick Douglas’ July 5, 1852 speech questions the July 4th United States Independence Day celebrations (Levine 100). Douglas insists that July 4th reminds African American slaves, especially Douglas, of the injustices forcefully inflicted on the African American slaves, the victims of the White persons’ kidnapping of free African American citizens from Africa and selling them as forced slaves to White slave owners in the United States. Douglas feels that the July 4th celebration must include freeing the African American slave victims from their unwanted bondage from the rich White American slave owners. The White American’s shouting liberty and freedom on July 4 is a sham for the African Americans are not free to choose their own path in life. Conclusion Based on the above information, the settled ethical issue of slavery was a hotly contested issue before the Civil War. A majority of the Southern United States White people preferred the continued practice of slavery as a God-given right. However, a majority of the Northern United States white persons preferred granting freedom to the Southern White American’s slaves. The consequent Civil War between the Northern American and the Southern American resulted in the Northern Americans winning the slavery issue. Evidently, Different persons are entitled to their own opinions on the issue of slavery. Works Cited Fleming, Alice. Frederick Douglass: From Slave to Statesman. New York: Rosen Press, 2004.Print. Levine, Robert. Martin Delaney, Frederick Douglass, and the Politics of Representative. New York: University Press, 1997. Print. Niven, John. John Calhoun and the Price of Union. New York: University Press, 1993. Print. Rawley, James. Abraham Lincoln and a Nation Worth Fighting For. New York: University Press, 2003. Print. Striner, Richard. Father Abraham: Lincolns Relentless Struggle to End Slavery. New York: University Press, 2006. Print. Towers, Frank. The Urban South and the Coming of the Civil War. New York: University Press, 2004. Print. Read More