The Preamble and Article 1's Most Gripping Quotes
“That we are the most degraded, wretched, and abject set of beings that ever lived since the world began; and I pray God that none like us may live again until time shall be no more” (3). Despite that this awful situation of slavery has happened to blacks, he would never want it to happen to another race.
"God has been pleased to give us two eyes, two hands, two feet, and some sense in our heads as well as they. They have no more right to hold us in slavery then we have to hold them” (14) Walker explains that blacks have been giving the same physical features as whites, so should be equal in terms of rights in American society.
"God has been pleased to give us two eyes, two hands, two feet, and some sense in our heads as well as they. They have no more right to hold us in slavery then we have to hold them” (14) Walker explains that blacks have been giving the same physical features as whites, so should be equal in terms of rights in American society.
Article 2's Most Gripping Quotes
“Ignorance my brethren, is a mist, low down into the very dark and almost impenetrable abyss in which, our fathers for many centuries have been plunged” (22) Walker talks about blacks being ignorant and unable to overcome slavery.
"But they were dis-united, as the coloured people are now, in the United States of America, the reason our natural enemies are enabled to keep their feet on our throats." (23). This is the basic theme of Article II-- the need for blacks to join together and rise up against their oppressors.
“These are some of the productions of ignorance, which he will see practised among my dear brethren, who are held in unjust slavery and wretchedness, by avaricious and unmerciful tyrants, to whom, and their hellish deeds, I would suffer my life to be taken before I would submit.” Walker shows his detest for slavery and more than that slave owners, and vows he'd rather die before be a slave owner.
"But they were dis-united, as the coloured people are now, in the United States of America, the reason our natural enemies are enabled to keep their feet on our throats." (23). This is the basic theme of Article II-- the need for blacks to join together and rise up against their oppressors.
“These are some of the productions of ignorance, which he will see practised among my dear brethren, who are held in unjust slavery and wretchedness, by avaricious and unmerciful tyrants, to whom, and their hellish deeds, I would suffer my life to be taken before I would submit.” Walker shows his detest for slavery and more than that slave owners, and vows he'd rather die before be a slave owner.
Article 3's Most Gripping Quotes
“ Now I ask them, would they like for us to hold them and their children in abject slavery and wretchedness? No says one, that never can be done--your are too abject and ignorant to do it--you are not men--your were made to be slaves to us, to dig up gold and silver for us and our children” (40). Walker rhetorically asked whites if they would want slavery for themselves and their children.
“Did not God make us all as it seemed best to himself? What right, then, has one of us, to despise another, and to treat him cruel, on account of his colour, which none, but the God who made it can alter? Can there be a greater absurdity in nature, and particularly in a free republican country?” (48). Walker asked why if God made everyone, then why do they treat Him cruelly by making other creations slaves.
"The Pagans, Jews, and Mahometans try to make proselytes to their religion, and whatever human beings adopt their religions they extend to them their protection. But Christian Americans not only hinder their fellow creatures, the Africans, but several thousand of them will absolutely beat a colored person nearly to death, if they catch him on his knees, supplicating the throne of grace.” (41) Walker proposed the idea that other religions tried to be examples, and tried to extend their own religion out to newcomers, but Christians are only kind to people of the same skin tone.
Article 4's Most Gripping Quotes
“For if the free are allowed to stay among the slaves, they will have intercourse together, and, of course, the free will learn the slaves bad habits by teaching them that they are MEN, as well as other people, and certainly ought and must be FREE” (52). Walker quoted Henry Clay's argument that whites should colonize a place outside of the U.S. to immigrate free blacks.
“Let them commence their attack upon us as they did on our brethren in Ohio , driving and beating us from our country, and my soul for theirs, they will have enough of it. Let no man of us budge one step, and let slave-holders come to beat us from our country. America is more our country, than it is the whites--we have enriched it with our blood and tears.” (73) Walker demanded that his people stand up to the whites and not allow them to take away the land that they earned from working on it.