In a debate in 1851, famed abolitionist Wendell Phillips presented a moving and powerful argument for the acceptance of African Americans in the military by telling the story of Haitian General Toussaint-Louverture. Phillips' message lives on today, more than a century later, not only as a tribute to the hero who freed himself from slavery to create the first black republic, but also as a compelling statement against racial discrimination. Skillfully using a mix of literary devices, including juxtaposition, irony, metaphor, and personification, Phillips allows his audience to see, through the lens of the speaker's mind, the ideals he promotes. Phillips' juxtaposition amplifies his argument that a black man has the same capabilities as other men. The speaker compares Toussaint, the leader of the only successful slave insurrection in history, to Napoleon, "the great captain of the nineteenth century." Ironically, both men, despite being adversaries, inspired political movements based on the principles of freedom, equality and brotherhood. Phillips then pits Toussaint against the revered George Washington. Both men were liberators: Washington fought for American independence, while Toussaint fought for human rights in Haiti. By placing these heroes side by side, the difference between them becomes as evident as their similarity; Washington was a slave owner and Toussaint was a slave liberator. Phillips then measures the Haitian general against the English leader, Oliver Cromwell. Concluding that Toussaint's successes surpassed those of Cromwell, Phillips rightly points out that "the state founded by Cromwell went down with him to the grave." History confirms this statement; in 1660, when Charles II ascended the English throne, his supporters... middle of paper... the "soldier, the statesman, the martyr, Toussaint-Louverture". The story of Toussaint-Louverture, in Phillips' own words, is "the story of a negro who left scarcely a written line." However, as Phillips tells it, the story becomes epochal, as significant as the narratives of other legendary heroes. Through his imaginative use of literary devices, the writer allows us to visualize and see for ourselves, rather than simply telling us about it; when we come across a sentence that we cannot interpret literally, we have to think. Using graphic imagery to communicate, Phillips achieves eminence not only in arguing for black men serving in the military during the Civil War, but also in conveying an enduring message against discrimination. "Born a slave, but endowed with the soul of a free man", Phillips' image of Toussaint-Louverture remains indelibly imprinted in the memory today.