Liberty and Independence
The central theme of Douglass's speech is America's conception of liberty and independence. Douglass was asked to speak on July 4, 1852, but refused, arguing that "the blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common . . . This Fourth of July is yours, not mine" (55). As such, Douglass's choice to deliver the speech on July 5 is evidence of his commitment to interrogating the notion of American liberty. Ultimately, Douglass argues that for Americans to continue to celebrate the Fourth of July is actually an affront to the real meaning of independence because so many people were still enslaved in the United States.
American History
To bolster his argument about the incongruity of American Independence Day, Douglass draws on historical narratives from what was still, at the time, a young country. The primary references Douglass makes are to the founding fathers: he praises their strength and willingness to act, and encourages his audience to continue remembering the founding fathers as exemplary actors in the formation of America. However, Douglass ultimately uses this praise of the founding fathers to further amplify the experiences of those currently and literally enslaved by tyrannical, abusive masters. If we celebrate the founding fathers for their passion for liberty, Douglass posits, why do we continue to deprive innocent people of the same right?
American Hypocrisy
As Douglass's speech progresses, his modesty and humility expressed at the beginning of the lecture give way to condemnation, fervent criticism, and impassioned judgment. His allusions to American history and the founding fathers ultimately lead him to conclusion that America is a hypocritical country when it comes to liberty and independence. He encourages his audience to travel all over the world, documenting the abuses imposed on innocent people, and concludes, "and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without rival" (72).
The Church
Douglass dedicates a prominent section of his speech to criticizing the Christian Church in the United States. He argues that, rather than uphold the actual words of Christ, the Church has enabled and fostered the existence of slavery, with some preachers even arguing that the Bible endorses it. Douglass lambasts the Church for this behavior, arguing that not only does the Church abet the continuation of the slave trade, but that the Church alone could abolish slavery but chooses not to. The Church's influence in the United States, Douglass asserts, could perhaps play the largest role in ending slavery for good, but its representatives choose their own private interests over humanity and a truly Christian life.
The Constitution
Douglass addresses those who would refute him with the argument that the Constitution sanctions slavery in the United States. Douglass argues that this is not the case, and that indeed the Constitution is "a glorious liberty document" when "interpreted as it ought to be interpreted" (88). He asks such critics how, if slavery is actually endorsed by the Constitution, the word nor any iteration of it does not appear in the document at all. Instead, Douglass argues that the Constitution, when read plainly, is entirely hostile to the perpetuation of slavery.
The Present
While Douglass spends a fair amount of the speech referring his audience to America's past, he makes clear that his focus is for the present. He quotes Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life" in which the speaker declares the past "dead" and the future untrustworthy (66). Instead, Douglass entreats his audience to think about the possibilities available to them in real time and to know that at this very moment, people are suffering under the hand of slavery in America.
Hope
Douglass's speech is rife with arguments and images that would lead one to despair over the state of slavery in America. However, Douglass himself acknowledges at the end of the speech that he comes not from a place of resignation or weakness, but of hope. He notes that the abolition of slavery is, in actuality, inevitable, that there "are forces in operation" that will bring about its destruction (90). Furthermore, Douglass revels in the notion of an increasingly connected world, suggesting that a single nation perpetrating evil will be held accountable by others.
