I don't understand what the answer would be to this question: What subject is being addressed in the passages from the Constitution included by the author?

THE PRESIDENT AT GETTYSBURG
It is not supposed by any one, we believe, that Mr. Lincoln is possessed of much polish in manners or conversation. His adherents, however, claim for him an average amount of common sense, and more than an ordinarily kind and generous heart. We have failed to distinguish his pre-eminence in the latter, and apprehend the former to be somewhat mythical, but imagine that his deficiencies herein being less palpable than in other qualities constituting a statesman have led his admirers greatly to overestimate him in these regards. . . .
But aside from the ignorant rudeness manifest in the President’s exhibition of Dawdleism* at Gettysburg,—and which was an insult at least to the memories of a part of the dead, whom he was there professedly to honor,—in its misstatement of the cause for which they died, it was a perversion of history so flagrant that the most extended charity cannot regard it as otherwise than willful. That, if we do him injustice, our readers may make the needed correction, we append a portion of his eulogy on the dead at Gettysburg:
“Four score and ten [sic] years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a nation consecrated [sic] to liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. [Cheers.] Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any other [sic] nation so consecrated [sic] and so dedicated can long endure.”
As a refutation of this statement, we copy certain clauses in the Federal constitution:
“Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included in this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons.”
“The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year 1808, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.”
“No amendment to the constitution, made prior to 1808, shall affect the preceding clause.”
“No person held to service or labor in one State under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due.”
Do these provisions in the constitution dedicate the nation to “the proposition that all men are created equal”? Mr. Lincoln occupies his present position by virtue of this constitution, and is sworn to the maintenance and enforcement of these provisions. It was to uphold this constitution, and the Union

The author is addressing the topic of slavery, which was recognized as legal under the Constitution.

“Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included in this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons.”

“The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year 1808, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.”
“No amendment to the constitution, made prior to 1808, shall affect the preceding clause.”
No person held to service or labor in one State under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due.”


Sounds as if someone was using the issue of slavery as he pounded in his point of view.

Now... what do YOU THINK that point of view was?

See the XIII amendment to the constitution. It changed all these provisions. Apparently, the speaker didn't think that constitutional amendment was legal.

Well, the subject being addressed in the passages from the Constitution included by the author is the contradiction between President Lincoln's statement about the nation being dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal and the provisions in the Constitution that contradict this idea. It seems like there's a disagreement about the true values and intentions of the Constitution. On one hand, we have Lincoln's statement about equality, and on the other hand, we have specific clauses in the Constitution that seem to contradict that. So, it kind of sets up a debate about the interpretation of the Constitution and the values it upholds. It's like a constitutional tug-of-war, but instead of a rope, they're using words!

Based on the passages from the Constitution included by the author, the subject being addressed is whether the provisions in the Constitution dedicate the nation to "the proposition that all men are created equal."

To understand the subject being addressed, you can analyze the passages from the Constitution that are included by the author. The author presents these passages as evidence to refute Mr. Lincoln's statement at Gettysburg. By examining the specific clauses and provisions from the Constitution, you can determine if they support or contradict the idea that the nation is dedicated to "the proposition that all men are created equal."

In this case, the author argues that the passages from the Constitution do not support the notion of equality for all men. The author highlights certain clauses, such as the provision regarding apportionment and the clause on persons held to service or labor, to demonstrate that the Constitution includes provisions that contradict the idea of equality.

By critically analyzing the evidence presented in the passages, you can conclude that the subject being addressed is the interpretation of the Constitution and its relation to the proposition that all men are created equal.