In The Radical and the Republican: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the Triumph of Antislavery Politics, the author, James Oakes, articulates Abraham Lincolns and Frederick Douglass’s attitudes in regard to the issue of abolition and the freedom of slaves. Whilst Frederick Douglass was inactive in politics, he was a radical heavily engaged in the abolition of slavery. On the other hand, Andrew Jackson was a diligent Republican politician who had strong notions towards the enslavement of blacks. Although they came from different backgrounds and had divergent idealistic views, ultimately they joined forces to fight for the implementation of the emancipation and the nullification of slavery. “By 1858 Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass
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Lincoln strongly believed that after the emancipation, the emancipated slaves would get to settle in colonies. Douglass was skeptic about colonization and disagreed with it because he envisioned a world without segregation. He could see a world where whites and blacks could exist together as equal. Douglass said, “We are Americans… and we ‘shall rise or fall with Americans’” (190). He believed that blacks could prosper in America with their future newfound freedom. Douglass and Lincoln also argued over Lincoln’s dealings with Reconstruction. Douglass did not feel that Lincoln was doing enough to guarantee liberation for the free slaves. He wanted Lincoln to give blacks the same rights as the white northerners. He was immensely disappointed when Lincoln failed to “support black voting rights in Louisiana” (225). He believed that Lincoln’s emancipation had nothing to do with racial equality, since Lincoln didn’t fight for the voting rights of the blacks. These two men had strikingly different identities. Frederick Douglass was straightforward and impetuous, whilst Abraham Lincoln was careful and cautious. He took time to make decisions based on being afraid of making a mistake because of “his concern to prevent a backlash” (216). Lincoln was petrified of the adverse reaction of his country if he made a faulty error in any of his judgments. Douglass didn’t feel like President Lincoln did enough for the proclamation and felt like his head was in the wrong place which led to Douglass to become frustrated with
Lincoln strongly believed that after the emancipation, the emancipated slaves would get to settle in colonies. Douglass was skeptic about colonization and disagreed with it because he envisioned a world without segregation. He could see a world where whites and blacks could exist together as equal. Douglass said, “We are Americans… and we ‘shall rise or fall with Americans’” (190). He believed that blacks could prosper in America with their future newfound freedom. Douglass and Lincoln also argued over Lincoln’s dealings with Reconstruction. Douglass did not feel that Lincoln was doing enough to guarantee liberation for the free slaves. He wanted Lincoln to give blacks the same rights as the white northerners. He was immensely disappointed when Lincoln failed to “support black voting rights in Louisiana” (225). He believed that Lincoln’s emancipation had nothing to do with racial equality, since Lincoln didn’t fight for the voting rights of the blacks. These two men had strikingly different identities. Frederick Douglass was straightforward and impetuous, whilst Abraham Lincoln was careful and cautious. He took time to make decisions based on being afraid of making a mistake because of “his concern to prevent a backlash” (216). Lincoln was petrified of the adverse reaction of his country if he made a faulty error in any of his judgments. Douglass didn’t feel like President Lincoln did enough for the proclamation and felt like his head was in the wrong place which led to Douglass to become frustrated with