<I>Argument of John Quincy Adams, before the Supreme Court of the United States, in the case of the United States, Appellants, vs. Cinque, and others, Africans, captured in the Schooner Amistad</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1841
name: label: Subject of
content: John Quincy Adams
label: Subject of
content: Sengbe Pieh, Sierra Leonean, 1814 - 1879
label: Subject of
content: Supreme Court of the United States, American, founded 1789
label: Published by
content: S. W. Benedict, American
label: Signed by
content: John T. Bradlee, American
notes: label: Description
content: A first edition manuscript of John Quincy Adam’s arguments before United States Supreme Court in the trial United States v. Schooner Amistad, 1841. The Octavo pamphlet-manuscript is constructed of handstitched rag paper, with 35 pages of John Quincy Adams’] full defense of the illegally captured Mende Africans by the Spanish schooner, La Amistad. A signature, possibly from a former owner of the manuscript, is written in blotted ink across the top front. Below it, in staggered size font, is: [ARGUMENT / OF / JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, BEFORE THE / SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES / IN THE CASE OF THE / UNITED STATES, APPELLANTS, / vs. / CINQUE, AND OTHERS, AFRICANS / CAPTURED IN THE SCHOONER AMISTAD, BY LIEUT. GEDNEY, / DELIVERED ON THE 24th OF FEBRUARY AND 1st of MARCH, 1841. / WITH A REVIEW OF THE CASE OF THE ANTELOPE, / REPORTED IN THE 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH VOLUMES OF WHEATON’S REPORTS.]. The lower third of the manuscript’s front reads: [NEW YORK / S. W. BENEDICT, 128 FULTON STREET. / 1841.]. There are no markings on the blank reverse of the manuscript.
label: Transcription Center Status
content: Transcribed by digital volunteers
place: label: Place printed
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Cuba, Caribbean, Latin America, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Sierra Leone, West Africa, Africa
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Illegal slave trade
label: Topic
content: International affairs
label: Topic
content: Law
label: Topic
content: Slavery
label: Topic
content: Trans Atlantic slave trade
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1815-1861
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
label: Classification
content: Books and Published Materials
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2018.46.6
objectType: label: Type
content: books
label: Type
content: manuscripts
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on wove paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 8 11/16 × 5 11/16 in. (22 × 14.5 cm)