Speaker or author: Langston, John Mercer, 1829-1897.
Newspaper or publication: Nashville Times and True Union
Speech delivered before a mixed race audience in the House of Representatives. The speaker stressed his hope for a brighter future for the former slaves. He spoke of the injustice suffered by slaves over the years since slavery was first established in the U.S. He paid special attention to the contributions and sacrifices that African Americans had made to the country, and his hope for future racial harmony.
Description of file(s): PDF 9 page, 2,243 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Martin, J. Sella (John Sella), b. 1832
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
Sermon delivered during a celebration of the anniversary of the emancipation of the British West Indies. The speaker emphasized the error in moral judgment made by a country that condoned laws like the Fugitive Slave Law. He compared the plight of the slaves in the U.S. with that of slaves in ancient Egypt. He noted that the poor whites were not treated any better than the slaves were regardless of their skin color. The war for freedom was, to the speaker, a holy war for human liberty.
Description of file(s): PDF 15 page, 4,523 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Martin, J. Sella (John Sella), b. 1832
Newspaper or publication: Presscopy -- Rhodes House -- MSS British Empire -- G88, Freedman's Aid Society -- Oxford, England
Overview of a speech addressing the pro-slavery argument that the slave is content in his/her situation. This argument includes the idea that the slave has no right to his contentment if it interfers with another person's freedom. The speaker also eloquently addressed the argument of the inferiority of the black race.
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 968 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Rock, John S. (John Sweat), 1825-1866
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
Speech regarding the influence the question of abolition has on decisions being made within the government during the Civil War. The speaker expressed his views about the war and its possible outcome.
Description of file(s): PDF 17 page, 5,123 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Powell, William P.
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
The speaker addressed a recent essay noting that slavery had become morally and ethically understood in the U. S. as "Negro slavery." In this sense, only one form of slavery was "right" and any other form of slavery was considered "wrong." The government could then condone enslaving one segment of humanity and denounce and abhor enslaving any other. If slavery was admissible, he argued, then enslaving white people should be admissible as well. He also addressed the current conception that the slaves were content in their condition.
Description of file(s): PDF 6 page, 1,558 word document (text and images)