Frederick Douglas's Letter To Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery

Frederick Douglass was an African American abolitionist, who fought to end slavery after he escaped slavery in Maryland. He became a national leader against slavery, whose writing still inspires people today. In a letter written to the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society, Douglas questions why they are celebrating freedom on Independece Day whilst there are still people enslaved in America. He uses logical reasoning, diction, and syntax to assert his argument. In his letter, Douglass supports his claim using insightful evidence. He appeals to his audience’s sense of political freedom and justice. He also lets it be known how the U.S. are helping other countries to acquire their freedom, however are not helping people in their own country gain freedom. Douglass states, “You hurl your threats at tyrants in Russia and Austria and pride yourselves on your Democratic institutions, while you consent to the more tools and bodyguards of the tyrants of Virgin and Carolina.” The letter shows how the government threatens other countries who envoke terror on others, yet they are not doing anything about the ones in their own states who do the same. He also implies how they allow immigrants into the country with hospitality, but will not help the “fugitives' ' in their own country and instead “advertise, bunt, arrest, shoot, and

He uses words such as, “hideous” and “revolting” to show how America’s past promises of all men are equal and present actions of slavery are both repulsive and disgusting. In one example, he stated “a day that reveals to him the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim”. The words “injustice” and “cruelty” reveals how slaves are treated in the country and on the 4th of July it is divulged to them that they are “the constant victim”. Douglass additionally utilizes sentence structure to improve the quality of his