Douglass, in
agreement with the position previously taken by Cornish and
Russwurm, believed that blacks must assume leadership in their
own cause.
Before long, "The North Star" was recognized as the
voice of the black man in America. Douglass spoke out on all
issues through its pages, and he continued to tour the country
lecturing before audiences of both colors and discussing matters
of policy with other abolitionists. He did not believe in merely
exercising patience and obedience. Rather, he believed it was
necessary to prick the white man's conscience with moral
persuasion. His tactics combined nonviolence with self-assertion.
Although the Constitution had indirectly recognized slavery,
Douglass believed that its spirit, as well as that of the
American Revolution, implied the eventual destruction of that
institution. Therefore, political action was a legitimate and
necessary tool with which to attack slavery and racial
discrimination. From his knowledge of the South, he was convinced that
slavery could not be overthrown without violence. However,
he insisted that the black man was in no position to take the
leadership in the use of physical force.
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