Anthony Burns, A History
Boston: John P. Jewett and Company, 1856.
First Edition. Hardcover. Good+. xiv, 15-295 pp, with frontis illustration of "Marshal's posse with Burns moving down State Street." Original blind-stamped cloth boards. Bumped at corners, spine faded but legible, frayed at head and foot. Front free endpaper neatly removed, otherwise internally very good, with sound binding and no markings. Burns, a notorious fugitive slave, sold his story to Stevens to finance his education. "The Burns affair was the most important and publicized fugitive slave case in the history of American slavery because of its unique set of circumstances. It coincided with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and with the Sherman M. Booth fugitive slave rescue case earlier that year, all of which contributed to national political realignment over the slavery issue... Eight states now enacted new personal liberty laws to counter the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law. An 1855 Massachusetts statute protected alleged fugitives with due process of law while punishing state officials and militiamen involved in recaption...Throughout his ordeal Anthony Burns demonstrated his intelligence and resourcefulness, courage and humor, honesty and integrity" (ANB). Blockson 2208; Sabin 91490.
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