Summary: Frederick Douglass discusses how the Constitution will affect people’s lives. He draws attention to the fact that common sense must be at the head of any government action. He criticizes the Constitution by explaining its promotion of the slave system (Blackpast, 2012). Douglass expresses his attitude toward the Constitution through several meaningful arguments: he is not convinced that it will help eliminate slavery.
Disadvantages: An essential flaw in the text is the abundance of persuasive language. Douglas uses a substitution of concepts to persuade his position: the argument about the inconsistency of the delicate articles with civil realities. The critique of legal interpretation is also weak because Douglas is selective in this area (Blackpast, 2012). Along with the equal assessment, he points out the need for special treatment of the slave stratum.
Questions: The text raises questions about the critical evaluation of the provisions of the Constitution from all sides. For example, who wrote the Constitution affects its application in society. Douglas himself wonders who and what determines the rules that should be prescribed in the regulations. In addition, the topic of crimes committed before the adoption of the Constitution and who is responsible for them remains open.
References
Blackpast. (2012). (1860) Frederick Douglass, “The constitution of the United States: is it pro-slavery or anti-slavery?”. Web.