Argument of John Quincy Adams before the Supreme Court of the United States in the Case of the United States, Appellants vs Cinque and Others, Africans

Adams, John Quincy

Edité par S. W Benedict, New York, 1841

First edition. Presentation inscription at head of title to Hon. John Mills from the author in a secretarial hand. 135, [1, blank]pp. 8vo. On August 24, 1839, a U.S. revenue cutter seized a ship off of Long Island, landing it in New London Connecticut. Aboard the Amistad were fifty-three Africans, kidnapped in Sierra Leone and sold at a Havana, Cuba slave market. Led by Cinque, the slaves revolted aboard ship, killing the captain and other crew members. Tricked by the remaining sailors aboard into believing they would be returned to Africa, the ship sailed north to Long Island before being stopped. Connecticut jailed the Africans and charged them with murder; the Captain of the U.S. Revenue ship filed for salvage rights to the "cargo" (i.e. the slaves); Spanish officials demanded their extradition to Cuba. The Amistad case entered the federal courts to settle the various claims. President Martin Van Buren issued an order of extradition, but a New Haven federal court's decision preempted the return of the captives to Cuba, ruling that no one owned the Africans because they had been illegally enslaved. The Van Buren administration appealed the decision, and the case came before the U.S. Supreme Court in January 1841. Adams, then aged 72 and serving as a Congressman from Massachusetts, was approached by abolitionists Lewis Tappan and Ellis Gray Loring to represent the Amistad captives and argue their case before the Supreme Court. His impassioned speech, published here for the first time, won the slaves their freedom: "The moment you come to the Declaration of Independence, that every man has a right to life and liberty, an inalienable right, this case is decided. I ask nothing more in behalf of these unfortunate men than this Declaration." This example with a presentation inscription (likely in a secretarial hand) to John Mills (1787-1862) a Massachusetts lawyer, and politician who served as Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts, as the President of the Massachusetts Senate, and - at the time of the trial - as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Blockson 101; Blockson, Commented 24; Sabin 254; Work, page 344; Lib. Co. Afro-Americana, 63 Later yellow paper wrappers. Dampstaining. Ink feathering to the presentation inscription First edition. Presentation inscription at head of title to Hon. John Mills from the author in a secretarial hand. N° de réf. du vendeur 372453

Détails bibliographiques

Titre : Argument of John Quincy Adams before the ...
Éditeur : S. W Benedict, New York
Date d'édition : 1841
Reliure : 135, [1, blank]pp. 8vo
Edition : Edition originale