by Slavery, African American
[Slavery & Abolition] A group of 5 ALS from attorneys and others involved in the Amistad case, including Lewis Tappan, Roger Baldwin, Henry Gilpin, and Theodore Sedgewick. This set of documents feature writings from some of the most influential lawyers and public officials who took up the case of the Amistad, a Portuguese slaver ship where abducted West Africans rose up and killed several of the crew. Rather than accede to the slaves demands to return to Africa, the remaining Portuguese crew instead navigated up the American coast, where the mutinying slaves were captured and held for murder upon docking in Long Island, New York. This flashpoint issue ignited both sides of the American slavery debate, and the legendary Supreme Court decision, which ruled in favor of the abducted African would-be slaves to defend themselves, was an early and rare instance of an American court recognizing the humanity of people of African descent.
The earliest ALS is from Theodore Sedgwick Jr., dated 26 July 1829, and regards a parcel containing proofs of Miss Sedgwick's new series. Sedgwick was one of three defense lawyers appointed part of the Africans' legal team by the Amistad Committee of the American Missionary Association. He would later become US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The ALS from Lewis Tappan, New York abolitionist and founder of the American Missionary Association, is dated April 22 [n.y.] and regards making a payment on his account and expressing his satisfaction with the service and charges proffered by recipient. In 1839, Tappan was instrumental in securing lawyers and public support for the captive Africans on the Amistad following their slave revolt. The two page ALS from Roger Sherman Baldwin, dated 26 June 1843, references a claim against Isaac Hammond. Baldwin served as the 32nd Governor of Connecticut from 1844 to 1846 and as United States senator from 1847 to 1851. Baldwin's legal career was most notable for his participation in the 1841 Amistad case, and while in office, he demanded an "independent tribunal" to protect the rights of free Black Americans and investigate the claims of those enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Henry D. Gilpin's two page ALS, dated 5 March 1858, thanks "The Honorable George Bancroft" for "the very agreeable volume, 'The Chemistry of the Seasons.'" Gilpin served as the 14th Attorney General of the United States under President Martin Van Buren from 1840 to 1841. He served as the 2nd Solicitor of the United States Treasury from 1837 to 1840 and U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1831 to 1837. As Attoney General, he presented the U.S. government's side of the Amistad case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Lastly, this archive also includes a clipped signature from Roger Sherman Baldwin, measuring 2 3/8 x 3/8 in and mounted to blue paper, matted in display with half tone image of Baldwin and half tone court room illustration. This archive is overall in very good condition. (Inventory #: 20158)
The earliest ALS is from Theodore Sedgwick Jr., dated 26 July 1829, and regards a parcel containing proofs of Miss Sedgwick's new series. Sedgwick was one of three defense lawyers appointed part of the Africans' legal team by the Amistad Committee of the American Missionary Association. He would later become US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The ALS from Lewis Tappan, New York abolitionist and founder of the American Missionary Association, is dated April 22 [n.y.] and regards making a payment on his account and expressing his satisfaction with the service and charges proffered by recipient. In 1839, Tappan was instrumental in securing lawyers and public support for the captive Africans on the Amistad following their slave revolt. The two page ALS from Roger Sherman Baldwin, dated 26 June 1843, references a claim against Isaac Hammond. Baldwin served as the 32nd Governor of Connecticut from 1844 to 1846 and as United States senator from 1847 to 1851. Baldwin's legal career was most notable for his participation in the 1841 Amistad case, and while in office, he demanded an "independent tribunal" to protect the rights of free Black Americans and investigate the claims of those enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Henry D. Gilpin's two page ALS, dated 5 March 1858, thanks "The Honorable George Bancroft" for "the very agreeable volume, 'The Chemistry of the Seasons.'" Gilpin served as the 14th Attorney General of the United States under President Martin Van Buren from 1840 to 1841. He served as the 2nd Solicitor of the United States Treasury from 1837 to 1840 and U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1831 to 1837. As Attoney General, he presented the U.S. government's side of the Amistad case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Lastly, this archive also includes a clipped signature from Roger Sherman Baldwin, measuring 2 3/8 x 3/8 in and mounted to blue paper, matted in display with half tone image of Baldwin and half tone court room illustration. This archive is overall in very good condition. (Inventory #: 20158)