Dickinson, Rodolphus

[drop-title] SPEECH OF MR. R. DICKINSON, OF OHIO, ON THE POWER OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT TO LEGISLATE FOR THE TERRITORIES. Delivered in the House of Representatives of the United States, May 17, 1848

[Washington]: Tower Printers, 1848. Unbound. Very Good binding. Item #8450

Octavo. 8 pp. First edition. Unbound and uncut. Minor edgewear and soiling to the first and last leaf; light foxing.

Dickinson argues in this speech that Congress does in fact have the right to determine whether new territories may be slave holding or not—this was not universally agreed upon at the time. He suggests that if an agreed upon and constitutional government for the Oregon Territory could be established, it might be a template for all future territorial governments. But the sticking point with southern legislators, he believes strongly that these territories should not allow slavery. An interesting speech from a fraught period of American expansion—a period in which the slaveholding and free states were pushed further apart. One of many issues precipitating secession and ultimately the Civil War. Rare in commerce and uncommon even in institutional holdings. OCLC identifies only 3 copies in institutional hands. OCLC: 27655917. Sabin 20068.

Price: $125.00