Despotism in America: The Nature, Results, and Legal Basis of the Slave-Holding System in the United States

Boston: John P. Jewett and Company; Cleveland: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington; NY: Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman, 1854. Hardcover. Very Good. frontis, title vignette, 6 plates, 302p. Original brown cloth. 20cm. Some chipping at ends of backstrip. Loss of cloth at corner tips. Lacks front free endpaper. Upper right corner neatly clipped on title-leaf. "Despotism in America was first published in 1840 with the author identified only as the author of "Archy Moore," a white-authored novel purporting to be the memoir of a slave which went through seven editions between 1836 and 1848 and which seems generally regarded as the first anti-slavery novel. This 1854 edition of "Despotism in America is almost twice the length of the 1840 edition thanks to the addition of a lengthy fifth chapter titled "Legal Basis of the Slave-Holding System" (pages 169-303) followed by a brief (four-page) Appendix quoting important language from Daniel Webster and ending with the fact that the author of that language voted for the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.