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Original publisher's brown paper wrappers. Missing back cover. 5 3/4" x 9." Seventy-eight pages, complete. Pages are very clean and intact except for light age toning, a shallow vertical crease throughout at center, and small occasional marks or stains. Front cover is clean overall but has a vertical crease at center, offsetting, former owner's black ink signature in upper-right corner, splittiling along front outer joint, and significant chipping along corners, edges, and spine. A Very Good copy. This is a speech that was originally given on September 10, 1863 at the Cooper Institute, New York by Charles Sumner (1811-1874), an American lawyer and politician. He served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1851-1874 and was Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1861-1871. Over the course of his career, Sumner was a member of the Whig, Free Soil, Republican, Radical Republican, and Liberal Republican Parties. He championed the abolitionist cause and was one of its chief advocates at the time. He also forwarded Reconstruction policies that would guarantee suffrage, education, and property ownership for African Americans; opposed segregation; and supported legislation that would guarantee civil rights for everyone regardless of ethnicity. In this speech, Sumner addresses the pressing matter of foreign interference in the Civil War by England and France. Sumner speaks out against the two countries for aiding the Confederacy and addresses many points on the subject. First, Sumner criticizes England for its 1861 Proclamation recognizing the Confederacy as an "equal party" to the Union and claiming neutrality toward both the Union and Confederacy. Throughout the speech, Sumner underscores that the "cornerstone" of the Confederacy is slavery and argues that any aid given to the Confederacy is also supporting the institution of slavery. He argues that the Royal Navy has undertaken naval expeditions "in the name of slavery." Sumner is equally critical of France for similarly recognizing the Confederacy as an "independent power" and "ocean belligerent." Sumner uses many references to past events in the U.S. and Europe, legal decisions from different cases, and laws to back his arguments. Later in the speech, Sumner lambastes the Confederacy and its Confederate Constitution. Quoting the words of the Confederate Vice President, Sumner says that the Civil War was started by slavery. Sumner proceeds to vehemently speak out against the Confederacy and its advocation of slavery. He says that slavery is a great moral, social, and political evil and chastises the Confederacy for proclaiming otherwise. He admits that other nations have slavery but contends that slavery is maintained in those countries by accident while the Confederacy is "exulting in [slavery's] shame" and views it as "principle" and "inspiration." Sumner further says of the Confederacy, "Its origin in Slavery; its main-spring is Slavery; its object is Slavery." Returning to the issue of England's and France's stance toward the Confederacy, he says, "[A]ny Recognition of this Power [Confederate States] will be a Recognition of Slavery itself." Sumner also discusses the Rule of Morality and the Rule of Law and the importance of both in relation to slavery. He also talks about the Comity of Nations and the responsibility of nations to oppose any that would commit injustice against humankind (part of why he believes England and France should not aid the Confederacy). He appeals to England, for its abolishment of slavery, and France, for advocacy of (democratic) ideas, to not back the Confederacy. Lastly, Sumner makes several arguments against the Confederacy having any claim to "Belligerent Rights," especially at sea.
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