History

Speech of John Hossack, Convicted of a Violation of the Fugitive Slave Law (Annotated)

Enriched Edition. Before Judge Drummond, Of The United States District Court, Chicago, IllinoisBy John Hossack

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Length40m

About this audiobook

Speech of John Hossack, Convicted of a Violation of the Fugitive Slave Law is a compact yet powerful example of nineteenth-century abolitionist courtroom rhetoric. Delivered after Hossack's conviction under the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, the speech transforms legal sentencing into moral indictment, opposing federal statute to natural justice, Christian conscience, and the principles of the Declaration of Independence. Its style is direct, scriptural, and republican, belonging to the tradition of antislavery protest literature in which personal testimony becomes a public argument against the legitimacy of slavery. John Hossack was a Scottish-born immigrant, merchant, and committed abolitionist in Illinois, active in assisting freedom seekers at great personal risk. His background as a man shaped by Protestant moral conviction, democratic ideals, and frontier antislavery networks helps explain the speech's fusion of religious duty and civic resistance. Rather than apologizing for his actions, Hossack presents himself as answerable to a higher law than Congress. This work is recommended to readers interested in abolitionism, civil disobedience, American legal history, and political theology. It offers a concise, eloquent witness to how ordinary citizens challenged slavery's national power through conscience, language, and defiance. This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience. - Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance. - Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

Rebellion Crime Hero Political Intrigue Identity