"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July" by Frederick Douglass and Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address" are two powerful speeches delivered during the Civil War era, each with a different purpose and argument structure.
Douglass's speech was delivered in 1852, at a time when slavery was still legal in the United States. He uses his speech to denounce slavery and the hypocrisy of celebrating independence and freedom while millions of African Americans were still enslaved. Douglass's argument structure is mainly deductive, where he starts with a general principle and uses examples and evidence to support his argument.
On the other hand, Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address" was delivered in 1865, towards the end of the Civil War, and his purpose was to bring the country together and offer a vision for the future. His argument structure is mainly inductive, where he starts with examples and observations and builds towards a general principle.
Both speeches were directed towards different audiences and received different receptions. Douglass's speech was delivered to a group of abolitionists and was met with enthusiasm and support, as they shared his sentiments about slavery. On the other hand, Lincoln's speech was delivered to a nation that was divided and exhausted from years of war, and was met with mixed reactions.
In terms of which speech is more important, it is difficult to compare the two as they serve different purposes and address different issues. However, considering the impact that Lincoln's speech had on bringing the country together and laying the foundation for the end of slavery, it could be argued that his speech was more important in terms of its impact on the course of history.
In conclusion, while both speeches are important and powerful in their own right, Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address" played a significant role in bringing the country together and ending slavery.