Slavery for a better tomorrow ?

Before the Civil War, during the 1850’s slavery was a big topic of discussion. Everyone had their own opinion, followed by their reasoning for having that opinion. George Fitzhugh, a believer in slavery for a better tomorrow and Fredrick Douglas, a former slave himself hoping slavery will end for a better tomorrow. Two different people, with two different stories each are trying to convince the world that their opinion is the right one.

George Fitzhugh, a white male living in the South, was a strong believer in slavery. He felt that slavery was something not only bettering the economy, but bettering the slaves themselves. Living in the south would be extremely hard for a former slave seeing as: "they wouldn’t be far outstripped or outwitted in the chaos of free competition". Slaves or former slaves are seen as helpless creatures that no longer have a chance of a normal life. It's easy to see that Fitzhugh is fighting for something that he grew up with. Never being a slave, or having any evidence of him owning slaves Fitzhugh is clearly fighting for his opinion and not from his own personal experience. It's hard to believe an argument that hasn't been proven. Fitzhugh and his party have no faith in slaves, and are assuming that they will fail if put out in the real world.

Fredrick Douglas, a former slave himself understands the hardships and punishment that slaves endure while living under the roof of a slave owner. Now being a free and successful man Douglas has learned how to live in the real world, without the "help" of a slave owner. "All I ask is give him a chance to stand on his own two legs". How can you judge something, or state something that has yet to be proven? A former slave was never given a fair chance to change the life that they lived, they were just kicked the curb and treated as though that's where they belonged. Fredrick Douglas unlike George Fitzhugh has a personal experience backing up his argument. He's lived through his own examples, and is trying to give the ones he left behind a fight for freedom.

For the most part George Fitzhugh gave a pretty promising argument, though I don't agree with what he's fighting for he did make some valid points. It's clear that slavery really was helping the economy, however morally wrong it really was. When Fitzhugh states the slave owners doing nothing but help the slaves, and it's really them who have everything to worry about I strongly disagree. Yes, it's a great thing to not have to worry about clothing, food, housing, or abusing your spouse but; when the clothes you own are torn, the food you are given is limited, your housing is a shack, and you have no spouse period things are as great as they seem. He talk about slavery like it's a privilege when really it was an awful thing; family's were torn apart, innocent people were beaten practically to death, and children were killed that couldn’t keep up. I personally feel that Fitzhugh, never being a slave himself has no room to talk what so ever.

The argument that Fredrick Douglas gave was for the most part just common sense. You can't judge what you haven't experienced. I agreed with what he said completely. Slaves white or black were never given a fair chance in society. Douglas being a slave himself understands both sides of the argument seeing as he has lived through it. Something that I appreciated about his argument was that he wasn't fighting to end slavery all together but just to give them a chance. Douglas calls out not only Fitzhugh but basically then entire south when stating: "Do nothing with us! You’re doing with us has already played the mischief with us". He basically is stating that slavery is the problem, and seeing as slavery is growing in the south that they are creating the problem.

Both arguments are strong and come with some very valid points however I agree with Douglas over Fitzhugh. Mainly seeing as I do not agree with slavery, and everything that it caused. However, the fact that Douglas was a slave and endured everything to become a successful person proves Fitzhugh wrong, no argument needed. Though Fitzhugh's words were stronger and very persuasive the fact that Douglas was living proof of his own argument is no competition.