59
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(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.)
JACKSON. W/ Arthur.
A History of the
Trial of Castner Hanway and Others for
Treason, at Philadelphia in November of
1851, With an Introduction upon the
History of the Slave Question by a
Member of the Philadelphia Bar.
86 pages.
8vo, recent wrappers with printed label on the
upper cover in the style of the period.
Philadelphia: Uriah Hunt, 1852
[1,000/1,500]
FIRST EDITION
,
SCARCE
.
When Edward Gorsuch,
a Maryland slave owner, acting on a federal warrant,
attempted to seize fugitive slaves near Christiana,
Pennsylvania, he was met with a volley of gunfire. A
pitched battle ensued, in which many including
Gorsuch himself were killed. President Fillmore,
urged by the Governor of Maryland, sought to make
an example of those who would resist enforcement of
the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Castner Hanway
and others were indicted for “treason” and put on
trial in Philadelphia. W. Arthur Jackson, attorney for
the defendants, wrote this pamphlet to expose “the
most glaring absurdities and incongruities contained
in” Maryland’s Attorney General Robert Brent’s
pamphlet on the trial. An acquittal was sought and obtained by the defense, much to the chagrin of
Attorney General Brent. Cited at length in Finkelman (Slavery in the Courtroom. 101-102).
Finkelman calls this pamphlet “a very useful summary of the case and the strategy of the defense.”
Cohen, 14182; LCP 4563; Blockson 9529, not in Work of the Harvard Law Catalogue.
60
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(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.) VICTOR HUGO, DE TOCQUEVILLE ET
AL.
Letters on American Slavery from Victor Hugo, De Tocqueville, Emile
Girardin, Carnot, Passy, Mazzini, Humboldt, O. Lafayette—&co.
24 pages. 12mo.
Self-wrappers, discreet library de-accession stamp.
Boston: American Anti-Slavery Society, 1860
[300/400]
A compilation of anti-slavery sentiment from some of the great minds of the 19th century.
61
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(SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.) JACOBS, COL. CURTIS M.
Speech of Col.
Curtis M Jacobs on the Colored Population of Maryland, Delivered in the
House of Delegates, on the third of February, 1860 (cover title).
32 pages. 8vo,
original yellow wrappers, sewn; front and rear covers lightly soiled; a few small pencil num-
bers.
Annapolis: Elihu Riley, 1860
[800/1,200]
The Colonel expresses his disdain for Northerners who are sending down “mercenaries” to
steal slaves. But what he was really railing about was John Brown’s raid at Harpers’ Ferry. As
a reaction Jacobs proposes some rather draconian measures. “Free-negroism throughout this
State must be abolished. A universal pass system must be adopted. Emancipation by last will
and testament, or by any other means must be prohibited. Negro worship, except in the assem-
bly of the White congregation, and at the stated place and hours for the same, must not be
allowed. Free negroes going out of the state must not be allowed to return, on pain of being sold
into slavery for life.” These are but a few of the good “Colonel’s” new rules. He goes on to pro-
hibit any sort of meeting for any reason whatsoever. This is the type of rigid and cruel new rules
that were instituted following the Nat Turner rebellion of 1831. While commonly held by a
number of older institutions, no copy has been at auction in the last 20 years.
