Caitlin Barebee

ENC 3315
September 7, 2014
Freedom for Free Men
At the oration of l!mo"th in 1#02, $ohn %"in&! Adam' 'aid, ()*Co"ra+e and per'e,eran&e
ha,e a ma+i&al tali'man, before -hi&h diffi&"ltie' di'appear and ob'ta&le' ,ani'h into air() .Nota/
ble %"ote'01 2e 'aid thi' -itho"t an! fore/3no-led+e to the '&hooner Ami'tad or the 44 Afri&an'
aboard in 1#34 that -o"ld brea3 loo'e of their &hain' belo- de&3 and '"&&eed in a rebellion
a+ain't the &aptain and &re-1 5n 1#41, Adam' -o"ld later ar+"e on behalf of tho'e Afri&an'()6 free/
dom on ()*-hat he &on'idered to be the &orner'tone of An+lo/Ameri&an ri+ht' and libertie', the
prin&iple of habea' &orp"'() .7he Ami'tad Ca'e01 A' nat"ral born &iti8en' of a free nation, tho'e
&iti8en' ha,e &ertain "nalienable ri+ht' endo-ed b! their Creator and no +o,ernment ha' a po-er
to 'a! other-i'e, or it i' the re'pon'ibilit! of the people of the nation to repla&e that +o,ernment1
5n the mid/14th &ent"r!, 7he 9nited State' -ere &omin+ to a &r"&ial ape: that -o"ld alter the
fa&e of the nation 'tate' or de'tro! the fo"ndation in -hi&h the &o"ntr! -a' b"ilt1 5n the hi'tori&al
&o"rt &a'e of 7he 9nited State' ,1 7he Ami'tad, the ar+"ment of the S"preme Co"rt b! Attorne!
;eneral, 2enr! <1 ;ilpin, -a' ="ite in'i'tent that the Afri&an' aboard Ami'tad -ere o-ned b!
Spain and 'ho"ld be ret"rned th"'1 7he ar+"ment of the ori+inal <efen'e Attorne! for the &a'e,
>o+er Sherman Bald-in, maintained that the men aboard the Ami'tad -ere not of Spani'h
ori+in, -ere not born 'la,e' and -ere bein+ ille+all! impri'oned a' propert! b! $o'e >"i8 and
edro Monte81 5n thi' anal!'i' of the &o"rt pro&eedin+', in&l"din+ a ne-'paper arti&le b! 7he
Ne- ?ondon ;a8ette, a' -ell a' '"pportin+ re'ear&h b! reno-ned hi'torian Mar&"' >edi3er from
hi' boo3 entitled 7he Ami'tad >ebellion, tho'e "nalienable ri+ht' -ill be identified a' bein+ 'ti/
fled b! the +o,ernment and the rea'on -h! the opinion' of man hold little re+ard to the ,alidit!
of tho'e "nalienable ri+ht' -ill be pre'ented1
5n 1#34, re'ident Martin @an B"ren -a' 'ee3in+ re/ele&tion and -o"ld tr! to manip"late
the '!'tem a' be't he &o"ld in order to a&hie,e that +oal1 7he &onfli&t bet-een the North and
So"th re+ardin+ the 'la,e/trade -a' be+innin+ to +ain tra&tion and international temperament'
-ere hi+h abo"t the i''"e1 Ahen the Ami'tad -a' di'&o,ered off the &oa't of ?on+ 5'land, Ne-
Bor3, b! ?ie"tenant Commander ;edne!, forei+n and dome'ti& poli&ie' be+an to ="e'tion
-hether propert! ri+ht' '"per'eded "nalienable ri+ht', and if 'la,e' e,en po''e''ed "nalienable
ri+ht'1 7a3in+ pro,ided do&"mentation of '"r,i,in+ &re- member' >"i8 and Monte8 a' proof,
@an B"ren de&lared the o-ner'hip of the Ami'tad, and it()6' propertie', in&l"din+ all 'la,e' aboard,
Spani'h in ori+in and ordered e,er!thin+ to be 'ent ba&3 to Spain in a&&ordan&e -ith a treat!
the! held1 7he di'&"''ion o,er 'la,e/trade -a' a 'en'iti,e topi&, and @an B"ren a,oided the topi&
a' m"&h a' po''ible to 3eep hi' n"mber' po'iti,e in the poll'1 2e in'tr"&ted Attorne! ;eneral
;ilpin to -in the &a'e a+ain't the Ami'tad and 'end the 'hip and &ar+o ba&3 to Spain1
2enr! ;ilpin, -ith the &onfiden&e of the re'ident of the 9nited State', pre'ented the
&on,in&in+ do&"mentation a+ain't the Ami'tad ar+"ment1 2e ar+"ed that the manife't pre'ented
to him b! the '"r,i,in+ &re- member', >"i8 and Monte8, -a' le+itimatel! 'i+ned and 'ealed b!
the ;o,ernor of C"ba, de&larin+ ri+htf"l p"r&ha'e and o-ner'hip of the 'la,e' aboard1 S"&h pa/
per-or3 &learl! de'i+nate' o-ner'hip to be b! the %"een of Spain, and th"' all &ar+o 'ho"ld be
'hipped ba&3 to Spain in a&&ordan&e -ith their maritime and 'la,e la-'1 7he Spani'h Amba''a/
dor rela!ed the information ba&3 to Spain, and %"een 5'abella 55, blindl! a+reed to -hate,er 'he
-a' told to be &orre&t and '"mmoned the 'hip to be ret"rned before the &a'e -a' e,en &lo'ed1
;ilpin &ontin"ed to pro,ide d"e and '"ffi&ient proof of propert! to be that of Spain, and e,en
addre''ed Admiralt! ?a-' of the 9nited State' for ?t1 Com1 ;edne!C' portion of propert! &laim'
from the 'al,a+e of the 'hip1 7he admiralt! la- onl! applied to propert!D&ar+o fo"nd and did not
in&l"de ()*life 'al,a+e() be&a"'e it i' a marinerC' d"t!to 'a,e the li,e' of other' in peril -itho"t e:/
pe&tation of re-ard1 7h"', ;ilpin &on&l"ded, the 'la,e' aboard the Ami'tad -ere o-ned b! Spain
and, "nder Spani'h 'la,e la-, -o"ld al'o be ret"rned to Spain -ith the 'hip1 7he '"&&e'' of
;ilpinC' ar+"ment relied on the le+itima&! of the do&"ment' pro,ided b! >"i8 and Monte8 be/
&a"'e the 'la,e' aboard -ere "nable to &omm"ni&ate d"e to a lan+"a+e barrier1
<efen'e attorne!, >o+er Bald-in, -a' able to brid+e that barrier and b"ild an ar+"ment
that &reated rea'onable do"bt abo"t the le+itima&! of the 'hip manife't1 After re'ear&h abo"t the
lan+"a+e the 'la,e' -ere 'pea3in+, Bald-in di'&o,ered it -a' an Afi&an lan+"a+e of the Mendi
people lo&ated in the Sierra ?eone1 Aith the a''i'tan&e of three tran'lator', Bald-in -a' able to
"n&o,er the fa&t that the 'la,e' -ere free/born Afri&an &iti8en', 'old ille+all! into the 'la,e/trade,
and impri'oned b! >"i8 and Monte8 on the Ami'tad, -here the! 'ta+ed a rebellion and o,er/
thre- the 'hip1 2i' ar+"ment -a' 'o"nd and, a' he pro+re''ed, more detail' re+ardin+ the
Ami'tad -ei+hed in hi' fa,or1 5t -a' &on&l"ded that the manife't prod"&ed b! >"i8 and Monte8
-a' a&t"all! the manife't from another 'hip, named the 7e&ora, in -hi&h their Afri&an name' had
been '&rat&hed o"t and repla&ed -ith Spani'h one'1 7he '"&&e'' of Bald-inC' &a'e relied hea,il!
on the -ord of the Afri&an' and the ob,io"'ne'' of their la&3 of Spani'h de'&ent1 2i' 3no-led+e
of propert! la-', and of 'la,e la-', allo-ed him to 'eemin+l! in,alidate 7he 9nited State'C &a'e
that the Afri&an' -ere propert! of Spain and, in additon, the "nfo"nded &laim b! re'ident @an
B"ren1
Both attorne!' "'ed ,er! different ta&ti&' to ar+"e their &a'e1 ;ilpin "'ed &on&rete e,i/
den&e a+ain't the Afri&an' and Bald-in pla!ed on the emotion' of the Abolitioni't' and the ma''
opinion abo"t h"man traffi&3in+1 7heir moti,ation to -in the &a'e -a' al'o ,er! different be/
&a"'e of the '"pport the! -ere re&ei,in+1 ;ilpin had the obli+ation of hi' po'ition in offi&e and
the ba&3in+ of the re'ident of the 9nited State' d"rin+ hi' pre'entation1 Bald-in -a' bein+
f"nded b! the Abolitioni't' and -a' 'olel! moti,ated b! the intri+"e of the Afri&an'1 7hi' &on/
tra't i' not to di'&redit the in&redible po-er the '"pport of the re'ident hold', b"t to impre'' "p/
on the pa''ion Bald-in needed to &ommit to in an ar+"ment a+ain't him1
5n an arti&le p"bli'hed in the Eman&ipater, an Abolitioni't ne-'paper, the Eo"rnali't rep/
rimand' other ne-'paper', 'pe&ifi&all! the 2artford Co"rier, for p"bli'hin+ an arti&le fal'el! a&/
&"'in+ Cin="e, the main ,oi&e amon+ the Afri&an' in &"'tod!, for bein+ in,ol,ed a' a 'la,e/
trader in Afri&a1 Additionall!, the! bla't BennettC' 2erald for ()*mar,elo"' fabri&ation'() and ="e'/
tion their re'pe&tabilit! .()*7he Afri&an'() 01 ?a'tl!, the Eo"rnali't &ontradi&t' the &laim b! the Ne-
2a,en 2erald that fal'el! a&&"'ed the tran'lator' of the &a'e for admittin+ to Cin="eC' in,ol,e/
ment1 7he Eo"rnali't &all' the E"'tifi&ation of the a&&"'ation into ="e'tion in re+ard to ra&e be/
&a"'e the other ne-'paper' -ere &ondemnin+ Cin="e for Afri&an 'la,e/trade, b"t '"pportin+
>"i8 and Monte'C &ond"&t in re+ard to ;ilpinC' ar+"ment for the 'ame b"'ine''1 7he '"pport of
the Abolitioni't' -or3ed hea,il! in Bald-inC' fa,or, -herea' the defle&tion of the topi& b! @an
B"ren, -or3ed a+ain't ;ilpin and, "ltimatel!, lo't him the &a'e1 re'ident @an B"renC' embar/
ra''ment in the &a'e for&ed appeal' at e,er! $"di&iar! le,el "ntil it -a' ar+"ed before the S"/
preme Co"rt -ith $ohn %"in&! Adam' 'tandin+ on the 'ide of the defen'e1
Ahile $ohn %"in&! Adam' -on the &a'e a+ain't 7he 9nited State' in the S"preme Co"rt,
the pre&eden&e too3 pla&e that men, and for that matter, -omen, born free, &annot le+all! be 'old
into 'la,er!1 Additionall!, 'la,e/tradin+ a&ro'' international -ater' be&ame a forefront 'o&ial
&on,er'ationF rai'in+ ="e'tion' abo"t maritime &ond"&t and prin&iple'1 7he Afri&an' -ere +i,en
their freedom after the ,i&tor! in the S"preme Co"rt and, at the &o't of the 9nited State', -ere
'hipped home to Afri&a1
5n 2012, reno-ned hi'torian and di'tin+"i'hed rofe''or of Atlanti& 2i'tor! at the 9ni/
,er'it! of itt'b"r+h, Mar&"' >edi3er, p"bli'hed a boo3 entitled 7he Ami'tad >ebellion, in
-hi&h he di'&"''e' the happenin+' of the &a'e -ith an Afri&an per'pe&ti,e "n/e'tabli'hed in the
&o"rt &a'e d"e to a 'i+nifi&ant lan+"a+e barrier1 >edi3er po'e' the ar+"ment that e,er!thin+ the
Afri&an' did aboard the Ami'tad, and d"rin+ their nineteen month' of impri'onment, -a' a f"n&/
tion of -ho the! -ere before the! -ere en'la,ed1 9'in+ the do&"mentation of e,er!one &onne&t/
ed to the &a'e, in addition to the do&"mentation pro,ided b! all of the people that ,i'ited the'e
"nfore'een heroe' of the Abolitioni't mo,ement, >edi3er e'tabli'he' the amo"nt of trainin+ ea&h
man amon+'t the Afri&an' -o"ld ha,e had in &ombat d"e to the har'hne'' of li,in+ in Sierra ?e/
one1 2e de'&ribe' the hierar&hal '!'tem of the G>G 'o&iet!, in -hi&h all male' of the re+ional
tribe' -o"ld ha,e been a part and the leader'hip that that per'on -o"ld ha,e pro,ided1 >an3 -a'
di'pla!ed b! bod! '&arifi&ation and tattoo', in dra-in+' pre'ented b! man! people, in&l"din+ the
&o"rt arti't', man! of the'e mar3in+' -ere ,i'ible on the Afri&an'1 2e di'mi''e' Bald-in()6' ar/
+"ment be&a"'e of hi' per'onal a+enda in the Abolitioni't mo,ement, not be&a"'e of hi' +ood
intention to free -ron+l! en'la,ed people1 2e obEe&t' to the idea that the Ameri&an le+al '!'tem
be&ame the hero of the 'tor! b! +rantin+ freedom to people that -ere alread! free1 >edi3er in/
'i't' the rebellion on the 'hip -o"ld ha,e happened, and probabl! happened more often than thi'
one &a'e, be&a"'e of the tribal &"lt"re in,ol,ed in ho- '"&&e''f"ll! the! deliberated, or+ani8ed
and e:e&"ted the rebellion it'elf1
5t i' the opinion of thi' -riter to a+ree -ith >edi3er()6' ar+"ment and not 'ide -ith either
Bald-in or ;ilpin()6' pre'entation of the fa&t'1 Ahile Bald-in()6' te'timonial i' profo"nd and
patri/oti&, hi' &on'tant pla! at emotion' re+ardin+ 'en'iti,e 'o&ial &on'tr"&t', dramati8ed the e,ent in
-hi&h made the entire nation a-are of the trial1 7he '"&&e'' i' 'i+nifi&ant in the &o"r'e of the
Abolitioni't mo,ement and "ltimatel! lead to the freein+ of 'la,e' a&ro'' the entire &o"ntr!, b"t
'la,er! -a' alread! ille+al all o,er E"rope and the 9nited State' -ere dra++in+ behind the
mo,ement1 ;ilpin()6' fail"re to pro,ide 'o"nd and '"ffi&ient proof -a' the fla- in hi' ar+"ment,
alon+ -ith ho- di'mi''i,e he -a' to the importan&e of 'la,er! to the people of the E"r!1 2i' ar/
+"ment -a' ba'ed on the -a! thin+' had al-a!' been and -a' not prepared to fa&e the idea that
people -o"ld -ant &han+e1
7hi' trial i' a pre&"r'or to the Ci,il Aar in 1#H1, e:a&tl! t-ent! !ear' after the Afri&an'
-ere +ranted freedom b! the S"preme Co"rt1 5t i+nited the &on,er'ation of 'la,er! on a national
le,el and pro,ed en'la,ed people 'till maintain "nalienable ri+ht'1 7he Afri&an' &ommitted an
a&t of ,iolen&e on a&&o"nt of tho'e "nalienable ri+ht' and -ere +ranted their freedom in all three
le,el' of the $"di&iar! '!'tem1 5t pro,ed the po-er of the people a+ain't a +o,ernment -ith it()6'
o-n a+enda, a' re'ident @an B"ren &learl! demon'trated1 re'ident @an B"ren -a' not re/
ele&ted for a 'e&ond term, and 5 belie,e it i' be&a"'e of the role he pla!ed in the prolon+ed trial'
of thi' &a'e that the people be&ame a-are of hi' inabilit! to &han+e and the opinion he e:pre''ed
abo"t 'la,er!1 5n a letter to Fran&e in 1745, lon+ before the e,ent' of 7he 9nited State' ,1 7he
Ami'tad too3 pla&e, 7homa' $effer'on -rote, ()*5t i' "nfort"nate that the effort' of man3ind to re/
&o,er the freedom of -hi&h the! ha,e been 'o lon+ depri,ed -ill be a&&ompanied -ith ,iolen&e,
-ith error', and e,en -ith &rime'1 B"t -hile -e -eep o,er the mean', -e m"'t pra! for the
end1() .Notable %"ote' 5501












Aor3' Cited
11 ()*7he Afri&an'() 1 Eman&ipator1 7 No,1 1#341 H Sept1 20141
21 7he Ami'tad Ca'e1 National ortrait ;aller!1, n1d1 Aeb1 4 Sept1 20141
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31 Notable %"ote'1 N1p1, n1d1 Aeb1 5 Sept1 20141
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Notable %"ote'1 N1p1, n1d1 Aeb1 7 Sept1 20141
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