George Fitzhugh and Frederick Douglass

George Fitzhugh and Frederick Douglass have opposing views on slavery. Fitzhugh was a proponent while Douglass was an abolitionist. Both were considered contemporaries an although they proposed their ideas at the same time (mid 1800's), they never argued face-to-face. One side is far more just than the other. One side of the argument is completely unethical.

George Fitzhugh was a lawyer living in the South. He presents his argument in "The Universal Law of Slavery." Fitzhugh thought of slaves as children and that they need to be governed like children. Whereas he looked at the masters like they were the parents. He believed slaves were less intelligent and would never survive in a capitalist society. They do not have the "intellectual capacity." One of his ideas stated that back in Africa, slaves would become savages and cannibals and in the North, they would never survive. Slaves, apparently, have a "defect of character" according to Fitzhugh, that makes them inferior. He tried to make slavery sound as if it was for their own good. His argument stated that slavery provided them with Christianity, support, safety, and assurance of the future. He believed slaves were “the freest people in the world.” This clearly makes him delusional. Being a slave is not freedom in any scenario. According to Fitzhugh, slaves do not have a care in the world. He essentially believed that slavery was beneficial for the African-Americans. He did not see any aspect of slavery as wrong.


Frederick Douglass was a freed slave living in the North. He had a very opposing argument to Fitzhugh and his argument is extremely emotional. Douglass wanted slaves to be freed and when confronting people about it, they never knew what to do with the slaves. He wanted people to stop feeling sorry for them and to let them liver their own lives and figure it out for themselves. He states at one point “Your doing with us has already played the mischief with us.” In other words, it is the white people’s fault that they are in the situation in the first place and they do not need their help to get out. Douglass wanted people to give slaves a chance to be free. He wanted them to have a chance to succeed in society and if they did not, then to let them fail and fall. Everyone has a chance to succeed or fail in life; he believed slaves should also have that privilege. Another thing that Douglass explains in his article, is that even though some people had ideas to send slaves back to Africa, it would not work. Slaves were no longer connected to Africa, according to Douglass. "We trace it to Englishmen, Irishmen, Scotchmen; to Frenchmen; to the German; to the Asiatic as well as to Africa. 'The best blood of Virginia courses through our veins."' Slaves were not just African anymore. They were mixed with many nationalities and sending them back to Africa would be sending them to unfamiliar territory. Slaves were American; there was no blood connection to Africa. Frederick Douglass brought up Crispus Attucks and how he died for the freedom of this country. He couldn't understand why if this country was founded on freedom, then why everyone (even slaves) were not free. Another one of his many ideas about freedom was the idea of being forced to celebrate the fourth of July. "The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not me..." Slaves were forced by their masters to celebrate their freedom. To slaves, it was a day of mourning. Douglass knew from first hand experience what being a slave really meant.

George Fitzhugh was a very intelligent lawyer. Though, his views on slavery were crazy and completely against everything this country was built for. Just because slaves were not free, does not make them any different intellectually. He looked at slaves as if they were defected or not the same species as himself. Looking at slaves as children is completely irrelevant and wrong. They could do just the same as any free man if given the chance. Putting a slave back into Africa, not only a bad idea, but they would obviously not become cannibals and savages. They are civilized beings. In no way are slaves inferior to free men. They are exactly the same. And again, slavery in no way would ever be for the good of the slaves. True, they would never have to worry about food or shelter, but they do have to worry about their children having the life they deserve. Slaves could never be looked at as "the freest people in the world." It is a contradictory statement. Slaves cannot decide what they want to do with their lives, that is obviously not freedom. As I stated before, Fitzhugh is delusional. Slavery is wrong and it should have been banned. As for Fitzhugh, he was extremely biased. He lived in the South and there, slaves were as common as anything. His argument is very well supported and very persuasive and eloquent. He had a good way of placing his words in a way that almost made me think he had some good points. He defended his argument and stuck to what he thought. He did not let people sway his point of view.

Douglass had a very emotional and personal response for the concept of slavery. He had been freed and decided to live up North to pursue the life he wanted to live. He wanted slaves to have a chance to succeed or fail in life, as well as they should. Everyone should have that opportunity. Douglass's argument is definitely more believable and logical than Fitzhugh's. And unlike Fitzhugh, he was not biased. It is not being biased if he had a first-hand account. He also had a very good point when he said that slaves no longer just had ties to Africa. It was very true that slave women were forced to have children with their masters and sending a child back to Africa that had never been there and was purely from there would have made no sense; just as he said. Douglass's argument was supported very well by emotion. It made the argument realistic instead of just words on a paper. He made the reader (especially me) feel his pain in what he had to go through and what others had to go through being slaves.

After reading these two articles, it was very clear that Douglass's made more sense and was just. Although I believe Fitzhugh's argument was worded better, his had no points or ideas that were correct. Slavery is something that this country should not be proud of and Douglass understands that. Being a slave had obviously scarred him. Douglass's ideas were a lot better and overall were supported with a lot of emotion which definitely made his article better.