Final answer:
Slaveholders would likely defend slavery based on economic and societal justifications, whereas factory workers might feel a kinship with slaves but also see themselves as entrapped in 'wage slavery.' Abolitionists would support essays critical of slavery, aligning with their moral and ideological stance against the institution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The perspectives on slavery during the era of its practice would vary greatly among different groups. A slaveholder might view an essay critical to the practice as an attack on their way of life, which in their belief, provided a paternalistic structure where slaves were cared for in return for their labor. They would likely reject arguments for abolition, relying on the economic and social justifications of the time that defined slaves as necessary for the 'mudsill class' to maintain societal order and prosperity.
A factory worker in the North, subjected to harsh conditions and low wages, might empathize with the plight of enslaved individuals but also feel trapped in what was referred to as 'wage slavery'. Therefore, their reaction to the essay might be mixed, understanding the call for freedom yet feeling a sense of despair about their own constrained circumstances.
The abolitionist, on the other hand, would likely praise the essay if it criticized slavery, seeing it as a moral blight and antithetical to the values of personal freedom and equality. The abolitionist movement, imbued with Enlightenment ideals and religious fervor, saw slavery as a grave injustice that needed to be eradicated, even if their society had economic ties to the institution.