Journal #8

Henry Highland Garnet's vision of the American dream is that one day the oppressed people of the country will join together and emancipate themselves and they will not stop until justice is achieved. He states, "It is often asked when and where will the demands of the reformers of this and coming ages end?". Garnet says that we need a great leader that will stand out and represent the people who have no voice and to fulfill Gods duty as a righteous and fair leader. Those people who see our union as corrupt will stop at nothing to change its policies for the greater good of the people. Once this is achieved, our nation will come together as one and other nations will see us as one United America. Reformers of the era would rejoice in brotherhood to come together as one, mostly in the northern states that opposed slavery. But those that would read this is the south would likely oppose the thought of ever considering the black slaves as equals. William Cullen Bryant's poem, 'The Death of Lincoln' reflects on the unjust death of our martyred president. Like in Garnets vision, Bryant saw Lincoln as noble leader that brought together a shattered union. His vision  of the American Dream can arguably come to life, but at the cost of bloodshed. I think that no matter the audiences geographical location, would agree that their stance of Lincolns death was unjust and we should honor him. Readers would be very persuaded by both pieces and would hopefully see the outcome of this quarrel was necessary.