TOW #15 William H. Seward "Irrepressible Conflict" Speech

     In the 1850-60s in the United States, tensions revolving slavery were at an all time high. The country was almost evenly split, with the North calling for the abolition of slavery and institution of a Free-Soil system, and the South demanding to keep slavery. In his "Irrepressible Conflict" speech, Senator William H. Seward of New York noted that it was impossible for "two radically different political systems" to exist in the same nation. Though Seward is most notable for his idea that slavery violates a "higher law", (a very moral and emotional appeal), "Irrepressible Conflict" is a surprisingly rational argument. Through contrast and testimonials, he explains that slavery and free-labor systems can not both exist in the United States, and calls for the abolition of slavery.
     Seward exemplifies the negatives of slavery by contrasting it with a free-labor system. He notes that most of the world has abolished slavery in exchange for a free-labor system. He writes that free-labor is synonymous with "the strength, wealth, greatness, intelligence, and freedom which the whole American people now enjoy." (para. 5). This extreme praise of a free-labor system is very opposite to his description of slavery: "The slave system is not only intolerable, unjust and inhuman towards the laborer... but is scarcely less severe upon the freeman, whom... it denies facilities for employment." Seward praises the free-labor system, equating it desirable traits the American people would want, and condemns the slave system for not only being morally unjust, but also economically hindering for white Americans. Through the contrast of the two political systems, he illustrates how vastly different they are, and, explains, "they are more than incongruous-- they are incompatible." He proves this by quoting Napoleon, who held the same view when France was split between to vastly different parties, the Cossack and Republican parties. Thus Seward explains that the two cannot exist together, and that a free-labor system would be more beneficial in America, for slavery is not only morally wrong, but economically unsustainable as well.
 Seward then points out, through testimonials, that his views are not revolutionary, but in fact shared by many of the founding fathers. He says, "[The Founding Fathers] regarded the existence of the servile system in so many of the States with sorrow and shame, which they openly confessed, and they looked upon the collision of them" (para. 11) Seward goes onto explain that the forefathers knew that two separate abor systems in American would not work out, and that the two would eventually collide, which is why they included such provisions in the Constitution that would allow for the gradual abolition of slavery. By including the testimonies of the Founding Fathers, Seward makes his claims seem much more reputable and logical. Of course people think that the founding fathers knew what was best for the nation, and they thought that the best thing was to abolish slavery.
      William H. Seward makes excellent use of contrast and testimonials in order to advocate for the abolition of slavery. Seward was just one of many people who worked to abolish slavery in the United States in the 1850s. Though many advocated for the peaceful transition to a free-labor system, it would take a civil war to finally end slavery.

William H. Seward himself whoa