Handwritten Speech Denouncing Slavery

Very Good. A handwritten speech denouncing slavery, likely written in mid-19th century (1840s-1850s). Author and publication date are unknown. Twenty-nine pages of manuscript; the speech is 26pp and is written in ink and 3pp are notes about other men's beliefs about slavery and are written in pencil. Bound with string. Leaves have light toning and foxing, else very good. The author of the essay begins with "the subject in which I am to enter is the one which has agitated every nation where its baneful influence has been felt." The author then continues with several pages of abolitionist ideals. A few lines of note include: "To live a life of bondage is more intolerable than pen can describe or language express" [p. 3] and "No man on the earth can refer to any period since the creation of the world in which a more unjust unholy unprincipled unfeeling power has been exercised over any part of the human family than that of American slavery" [p. 9]. The author painfully describes the separation of families when sold into slavery and some of the other horrors endured. One passage (pages 11-18) describes some of the crimes of John Murel of Madison County. John Murrell (often spelled Murel or Murrel) was a land pirate and slave stealer, "he told Hees[?] he once stole an active negro youth and eloped with him and sold him at auction for $400 and the same night stole him again and took him to another place and sold him for the same price again…" The author of this speech also relates information about the "Murrell Excitement" of 1835 where Murrell tried to incite a slave uprising to cause enough chaos so that he could "take over the south." At the end of the speech the author implores a "Mr. Chairman" to examine the question "is intemperance in the use of ardent spirits a greater evil than slavery and slave-holding?" The author's answer is a resounding no. The comments at the end of the speech seem to be the author's notes about how people reacted to this speech (or possibly other speeches) regarding slavery and intemperance. Through hours of research we have been unable to determine the author of this item. The eloquent writing indicates a well educated and thoughtful writer. Further research indicated. ; 7 ¾" x 6" .