Perspectives on Slavery in Mid-19th Century America

In the context of the struggles over slavery and the sectional conflict of the mid-19th century, analyze the extent to which the documents below illustrate the varying perspectives on the institution of slavery among different groups in the United States. Consider how the authors' backgrounds, purposes, and historical contexts may influence their viewpoints on slavery.

Document A: An excerpt from a speech by Frederick Douglass, a formerly enslaved person and leading abolitionist, delivered in 1852.

Document B: A passage from the 1852 book 'Cotton is King' by South Carolina Senator James Henry Hammond, which argues for the economic necessity of slavery.

Document C: A letter from a Southern plantation owner to his Northern cousin in 1845, discussing the 'peculiar institution' and its implications for Southern society.

Document D: An editorial from a New England newspaper in 1856, condemning slavery and advocating for its abolition.

Using these documents, craft an argument that addresses the ways in which the authors' perspectives on slavery reveal the complexities and contradictions inherent in American society during this period.