The Constitutional Provision Respecting Fugitives From Service or Labor, and the Act of Congress (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Thomas Hammond Talbot

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0484598767 ISBN 13: 9780484598767

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Exploring the clash between law and liberty in the fugitive slave era

This nonfiction work analyzes the debates surrounding the Constitution’s fugitive slave provision and the 1850 Act, focusing on legal reasoning and political rhetoric of the time. It highlights how different leaders framed the rights of owners, the power of removal, and the role of courts in enforcing the law.

The text studies arguments about whether a fugitive from service or labor could be pursued without a full trial, and it examines the claim that certain proceedings were “final” rather than preliminary. It also contrasts official opinions with implied limits in the existing legal framework, offering a window into how constitutional provisions were interpreted in practice.

• How key figures argued for or against the statute’s authority and its constitutional basis
• The debate over what counts as a final versus a preliminary proceeding
• How concepts like ownership, delivery, and removal shaped legal outcomes
• Contexts for understanding habeas corpus, certificates of ownership, and judicial authority

Ideal for readers of legal history and 19th-century American politics who want a clear view of the arguments surrounding this pivotal episode.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0484598767
• ISBN 13: 9780484598767
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 134