Question

which line from \what to the slave is the fourth of july?\ supports douglasss claim that the fourth of july is not a cause worthy of celebration by all?

fellow citizens, i am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. the signers of the declaration of independence were brave men. they were great men, too great enough to give frame to a great age.
would to god, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful.
fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, i hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them.
but, i submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. what point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? on what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light?

Explanation:

⚡ Using what you learned: inferential comprehension and textual evidence

Step 1: Analyze the Claim

The question asks for a line from Frederick Douglass's speech that supports his claim that the Fourth of July is not a cause worthy of celebration by all. This means we need to find a quote that highlights the contrast between the celebration of freedom by some and the ongoing suffering and lack of freedom experienced by enslaved people.

Step 2: Evaluate the Options

• Option 1: "Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic..."
• This line expresses respect for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It does not support the claim that the holiday should not be celebrated by everyone.
• Option 2: "Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions!..."
• This expresses a wish that things were different, but it does not directly contrast the joy of the holiday with the suffering of the enslaved.
• Option 3: "Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them."
• This line directly contrasts the "national, tumultuous joy" (the celebration) with the "mournful wail of millions" in chains. It explicitly shows that the celebration is not shared by all and actually makes the suffering of enslaved people feel more intolerable, directly supporting the claim.
• Option 4: "But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued..."
• This line discusses the self-evident nature of the anti-slavery argument, rather than the holiday's celebration itself.

Answer:

• Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them.