1819 United States Government Pamphlet Concerning the Slave Trade

Description

1819 United States Government Pamphlet Concerning the Slave Trade

An original 1819 United States government pamphlet titled Message from the President of the United States, Stating the Interpretation Which Has Been Given to the Act Entitled “An Act in Addition to the Acts Prohibiting the Slave Trade.” Printed in Washington by Gales & Seaton in 1819.
Dated December 20, 1819, this early federal publication addresses the enforcement and interpretation of legislation concerning the illegal importation of enslaved persons into the United States during the early nineteenth century. Issued during the presidency of James Monroe, the pamphlet reflects the growing federal attention placed upon the suppression of the international slave trade following earlier congressional acts prohibiting its continuation.

The pamphlet remains in original period wraps with visible stitching still present along the spine. The title page displays well with strong legibility and attractive early nineteenth-century typography. Moderate age toning, scattered foxing, edge wear, and minor losses are present from age and handling, all consistent with an original government-issued document of the period.

An important and historically significant early American imprint relating to slavery legislation, federal policy, and the expanding national debate over slavery in the United States decades before the Civil War.

Inventory Number: HIS 317