No Taint Of Compromise: Crusaders In Antislavery Politics (Antislavery, Abolition, and the Atlantic World)

Looking back on his narrow re-election to the House of Representatives in 1862, George Washington Julian of Indiana remarked proudly that, having held fast to his antislavery position, he had secured a "triumph [with] no taint of compromise." Julian’s was one of a small but critical number of voices who, beginning in the late 1830s, battled the institution of slavery through political activism. Those are the voices to which Frederick Blue attends in No Taint of Compromise, an in-depth account of the trials and accomplishments of eleven men and women who insisted that emancipation and racial equality could only be achieved through the political process. The antislavery proponents Blue profiles include Alvan Stewart, John Greenleaf Whittier, Charles Henry Langston, Owen Lovejoy, Sherman Booth, Jane Grey Swisshelm, George W. Julian, David Wilmot, Benjamin and Edward Wade, and Jessie Benton Frémont. Working through the Liberty, Free Soil, Democratic, Whig, and Republican organizations, they represented the full spectrum of opinions on and approaches to abolition. Blue highlights their motives and actions as they undertook the yeoman’s work of organizing parties, holding conventions, editing newspapers, and generally animating and agitating the discussion of issues related to slavery. Their stories, brought together for the first time in this comparative biographical study, enrich our understanding of the political crisis over slavery that led to the Civil War. Looking Back On His Narrow Reelection To The House Of Representatives In 1862, George Washington Julian Of Indiana Remarked Proudly That, Having Held Fast To His Antislavery Position, He Had Secured A Triumph [with] No Taint Of Compromise. Julian's Was One Of A Small But Critical Number Of Voices Who, Beginning In The Late 1830s, Battled The Institution Of Slavery Through Political Activism. Those Are The Voices To Which Frederick J. Blue Attends In This Book, An In-depth Account Of The Trials And Accomplishments Of Eleven Men And Women Who, In The Face Of Great Odds And Powerful Opposition, Insisted That Emancipation And Racial Equality Could Be Achieved Only Through The Political Process. The Antislavery Proponents Blue Examines Include Alvan Stewart, A Liberty Party Organizer From New York; John Greenleaf Whittier, A Massachusetts Poet, Journalist, And Liberty Activist; Charles Henry Langston, An Ohio African American Educator; Owen Lovejoy, A Congressman From Illinois; Sherman Booth, A Journalist And Liberty Organizer In Wisconsin; Jane Grey Swisshelm, A Journalist In Pennsylvania And Later Minnesota; George W. Julian, A Congressman From Indiana; David Wilmot, A Congressman From Pennsylvania; Benjamin And Edward Wade, A Senator And A Congressman, Respectively, From Ohio; And Jessie Benton Fremont Of Missouri And California, Wife Of The Republican Presidential Nominee. No Taint Of Compromise Highlights The Motives And Actions Of Those Who Played Instrumental If Not Central Roles In Antislavery Politics - Those Who Undertook The Yeoman's Work Of Organizing Parties, Holding Conventions, Editing Newspapers, And Generally Animating And Agitating The Discussion Of Issues Related To Slavery. Their Stories, Brought Together For The First Time In This Comparative Biographical Study, Enrich Our Understanding Of The Political Crisis Over Slavery That Led To The Civil War.--book Jacket. No Taint Of Compromise : Varieties Of Antislavery Leadership -- A Self-sharpening Plough : Alvan Stewart's Challenge To Slavery -- To Mitigate The Suffering Of Our Countrymen : John Greenleaf Whittier, Abolitionist Poet -- Black Men Have No Rights Which White Men Are Bound To Respect : Charles Langston And The Drive For Equality -- The Barbarism Of Slavery : Owen Lovejoy And The Congressional Assault On Slavery -- Freemen To The Rescue : Sherman M. Booth And The Fugitive Slave Act -- Free Men, Free Soil, And Free Homes : Jane Swisshelm's Search -- My Triumph Had No Taint Of Compromise : George Washington Julian, Free Soiler-republican -- Neither Slavery Nor Involuntary Servitude : David Wilmont And The Containment Of Slavery -- The Plight Of Slavery Will Cover The Land : Benjamin And Edward Wade, Brothers In Antislavery Politics -- Quite A Female Politician : Jessie Benton Frémont And The Antislavery Movement -- Crusaders In Antislavery Politics : A Shared Commitment. Frederick J. Blue. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 271-282) And Index. Cover 1 Contents 8 Preface 10 Acknowledgments 12 Cast of Characters 14 ONE: No Taint of Compromise: Varieties of Antislavery Leadership 18 TWO: A Self-Sharpening Plough: Alvan Stewart’s Challenge to Slavery 32 THREE: To Mitigate the Suffering of Our Countrymen: John Greenleaf Whittier, Abolitionist Poet 54 FOUR: Black Men Have No Rights Which White Men Are Bound to Respect: Charles Langston and the Drive for Equality 82 FIVE: The Barbarism of Slavery: Owen Lovejoy and the Congressional Assault on Slavery 107 SIX: Freemen to the Rescue: Sherman M. Booth and the Fugitive Slave Act 134 SEVEN: Free Men, Free Soil, and Free Homes: Jane Swisshelm’s Search 155 EIGHT: My Triumph Had No Taint of Compromise: George Washington Julian, Free Soiler–Republican 178 NINE: Neither Slavery nor Involuntary Servitude: David Wilmot and the Containment of Slavery 201 TEN: The Plight of Slavery Will Cover the Land; Benjamin and Edward Wade, Brothers in Antislavery Politics 230 ELEVEN: Quite a Female Politician: Jessie Benton Frémont and the Antislavery Movement 255 TWELVE: Crusaders in Antislavery Politics: A Shared Commitment 282 Bibliography 288 Illustration Credits 300 Index 302 A 302 B 302 C 304 D 305 E 306 F 306 G 307 H 308 I 308 J 308 K 309 L 309 M 310 N 311 O 311 P 311 Q 312 R 312 S 313 T 315 U 315 V 315 W 316 Z 318