I just need someone to read over what I have written and let me know if that answers the question.
Thanks!
Excerpt from the speech on the Dred Scott Decision: Frederick Douglass | May 1857
“Neither in the preamble nor in the body of the Constitution is there a single mention of the term slave or slave holder, slave master or slave state, neither is there any reference to the color, or the physical peculiarities of any part of the people of the United States. Neither is there anything in the Constitution standing alone, which would imply the existence of slavery in this country.
“We, the people” — not we, the white people — not we, the citizens, or the legal voters — not we, the privileged class, and excluding all other classes but we, the people; not we, the horses and cattle, but we the people — the men and women, the human inhabitants of the United States, do ordain and establish this Constitution, &c.
I ask, then, any man to read the Constitution, and tell me where, if he can, in what particular that instrument affords the slightest sanction of slavery? Where will he find a guarantee for slavery? Will he find it in the declaration that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law? Will he find it in the declaration that the Constitution was established to secure the blessing of liberty? Will he find it in the right of the people to be secure in their persons and papers, and houses, and effects? Will he find it in the clause prohibiting the enactment by any State of a bill of attainder?”
How does Frederick Douglass' views differ from the original intent of the words from the Preamble to the United States Constitution and excerpt from the Declaration of Independence above?
I think that his views differ in the sense that although the founding fathers didn't initially intend the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence to read as every people had rights. They may not have outlined a certain group of people, it wasn't really thought of that a slave would sue for his freedom. That wasn't a thought of that time. And the "We, the people" was said to include every type of people, no matter who they are or where their from.