what faults did emerson see in both politicians and citizens?

In his speech, The Fugitive Slave Law, Emerson both ordinary people and politicians as being equally complicit in the evils of slavery, thus, exposing their lack of moral fiber.

The popular assumption that all men loved freedom, and believed in the Christian religion, was found hollow American brag ; only persons who were known and tried benefactors are found standing for freedom : the sentimentalists went down-stream.