Lincoln Speech Dred Scot

Lincoln Speech on The Dred Scott  Decision


    " No man can vindicate the character, motives and conduct of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence except upon the hypothesis that they referred to the white race alone, and not to the African, when they declared all men to have been created equal-that they were speaking of British subjects on this continent being equal to  British subjects born and residing in Great Britain- that
they were entitled to the same inalienable rights, and among them were enumerated life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness.  The Declaration was adopted for the purpose of justifying the colonists in the eyes of the civilized world in withdrawing their allegiance from the British crown, and dissolving their connection with the mother country."

This passage refers to Lincoln giving Justice Douglas view on the the subject of slavery and the question of what to do with the slave. The question of slavery had been plagueing the country since
even before the formation of the union.  His view is that (Douglas) the framers did not intend to
include the African,  as equal.  It was believed that slaves would then be assimilated into white
society, miscegenation would soon follow. He suggest that the framers only meant when it was said of being equal that it was meant for only the British, to be be equal as citizens. Consequently only then having allegiance to the union. There seemed to be great fear in the mingling of white and black
blood.

I write about his because, it relates to us still today.  Although slavery has been abolished in the
de jure sense, it is still de facto.  The climate has shifted from slavery, that now there is e.g.
immigration.  When in reality we are all immigrants.

These articles show how the slave believed that their participation in the war would eventually
allow them freedom.  Not knowing deep rooted prejudices and white male superiority would
ultimately curtailed all those efforts. The slave was by no means able to fight those prejudices
off for the institution of slavery had embedded a system that  would still be prevalent today.
It has keep the African from ever extolling the virtues of societal equality, by never the letting family
structure to develop.  Whereby that important fact would help in the slave mentality for freedom
as opposed to equality.

"Contraband of War"--African American Fugitives To Union Lines

Alfred R. Waud. Contrabands Coming into Camp. Drawing. Chinese white on brown paper. Published in Harper's Weekly, January 31, 1863. Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction Number: LC-USZC4-6173/LC-USZ62-14189 (4-1)

As Union armies moved into the South, thousands of slaves fled to their camps. Although some Union officers sent them back to their masters, others allowed them to remain with their troops, using them as a work force and dubbing them "contraband of war." Of this sketch, Waud, who photographed the "contrabands" and then prepared the drawing for the newspaper, wrote: There is something very touching in seeing these poor people coming into camp--giving up all the little ties that cluster about home, such as it is in slavery, and trustfully throwing themselves on the mercy of the Yankees, in the hope of getting permission to own themselves and keep their children from the auction-block. This party evidently comprises a whole family from some farm . . . .

"Contrabands" at the Nation's Capitol

Contrabands, Camp Brightwood. Washington, D.C., ca. 1863. Carte de visite. Gladstone Collection, Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction Number: LC-USZC4-6158 (4-9)

Black slaves who fled to Union lines, or "contrabands," often proved themselves extremely useful, even before the government enlisted them into service. A group of "contrabands" appear on this calling card. Calling cards, or cartes de visite, with photographs were popular during this era partly because photography was relatively new and the cards provided a means of sharing likenesses with friends and relatives. This one includes images of white officers of the 2nd Rhode Island Camp at Camp Brightwood in the District of Columbia. On the left is Capt. B. S. Brown. In the center is Lt. John P. Shaw, killed in action at the Wilderness, Virginia, May 5, 1864, and on the right is Lt. T. Fry. The "contrabands" with them are not named.