"The right to have a slave implies the right in some one to make the slave; that right must be equal and mutual, and this would resolve society into a state of perpetual war"
- William H. Seward
About this Quote
This quote by William H. Seward is a commentary on the morality of slavery. He argues that if a single person deserves to own a slave, then another individual must deserve to be oppressed. This creates an unequal power dynamic in between the 2 celebrations, and Seward suggests that this would lead to a state of perpetual war. He implies that slavery is an unethical practice, as it creates an unequal power dynamic in between two celebrations and causes a state of perpetual war. Seward's quote is a powerful tip of the oppression of slavery and the need for equality in between all individuals. It is a tip that we must pursue a society where everyone is dealt with equally and fairly, and where no one is enslaved.
"Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future"
"The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other. Our children see this, and learn to imitate it"