[ABOLITION] Early 1st Ed. Anti-Slavery Pamphlets

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Day 2: Early & Historic Americana

By Fleischer's Auctions

Oct 10, 2025

Set Reminder 2025-10-10 09:00:00 2025-10-10 09:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Day 2: Early & Historic Americana https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/fleischers-auctions/day-2-early-historic-americana-19250
Day one of Fleischer's 2025 Fall Premier auction includes early American artifacts, documents, signatures, ephemera, and weaponry. Rare material relating to African American history is featured, as well as fine examples of antique photography. Fleischer's Auctions info@fleischersauctions.com

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• Lot Description

  A lot of two (2) important early abolitionist works, including: 

   

  1. Thomas Clarkson. A Letter to the Clergy of Various Denominations. And to the Slave-Holding Planters, in the Southern Parts of the United States of America. London: Johnston and Barrett, 1841.

   

  8vo, 64 pages. Original wrappers. FIRST EDITION. Dumont p. 40; LCP, Afro-Americana 2394; Sabin 13489. 

   

  Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846) was an English abolitionist who co-founded the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade and was instrumental in the passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807. This pamphlet was written later in his life when he focused his attention on campaigning to end slavery internationally. 

   

  This important first edition begins with an address to the American clergy. Clarkson acknowledges their roles as stewards of the souls of Christians in America and as Christ's shepherds to all people, including those under the yoke of tyranny. He opens by clarifying that he does not wish to be overly severe with the clergy, but after 56 years in the battle, admits he cannot avoid his communication of the clarity of the crimes ministers commit by active or passive complicity in the perpetuation of slavery. Following these remarks, he confronts the slave-holders themselves. If he had held little back for the clergy, he abandons all restraint in a blistering and unapologetically direct demand to account of the entire system of slavery.

   

  An important work for any abolitionist collection.

   

  VERY SCARCE on the market with only 3 copies ever sold at auction, the last in 1975. 

   

  2. Proceedings of the N.H. Anti-Slavery Convention. Held in Concord. Concord, New Hampshire; Eastman, Webster & Co., 1834.

   

  8vo. 37 pages. Original wrappers. FIRST EDITION. Sabin 15149. 

   

  Provenance: Manchester Historic Association Library (stamp to front wrapper).

   

  Scarce imprint of the proceedings of the first meeting of one of the more absolutist anti-slavery societies. During the antebellum period, many in favor of abolition favored gradual emancipation. The more radical adherents found this protracted process outrageous, equating the gradual elimination of slavery to the gradual elimination of permissible murder or rape.

  
  The document opens asking all those who believe that slavery is a sin and that it should be abolished immediately and without concession to sign the originating documents of the Society. From there, the opening sermon is given in brief, in which clergy are charged with preaching regularly on the subject of slavery as a part of their call, and not as an adjacency, to faithfully preach the Gospel.

   

  The pamphlet continues with the Constitution of the newly formed Society, a record of an open conversation among members (each recorded with their name) regarding the evils of slavery, anecdotes illustrating the cruelty of the practice, and an extensive dialogue on a variety of themes, including female anti-slavery societies, their obligation to continue to love white southerners, their stance as a society against expatriation [colonization societies], and more. 

   

  [African Americana, African American History, Black History, Slavery, Enslavement, Abolition, Emancipation] [Pamphlets, Publications, Ephemera, Books, Rare Books, Tracts]

  Condition

  Request Condition Report

  Clarkson - Chipping to wrappers, toning.

  NH - large chip, worming. 

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