Through the use of historical allusions, Wendell Phillips is able to successfully praise Toussaint-Louverture. In Phillips’ speech, he states, “to tell the story of Napoleon, I should take it from the lips of Frenchmen... the story of Washington... from your hearts”. Additionally, Phillips describes how Toussaint “forged a thunderbolt” which alludes to Zeus, the king of the Gods. By comparing Louverture to powerful historical figures like George Washington, Zeus, and Napoleon Bonaparte, Phillips is essentially elevating the importance of Louverture. Moreover, Phillips explains how Cromwell’s state failed when he died and how Washington had slaves while Louverture “risked his empire”. The use of juxtaposition from Louverture to Washington and
