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counting on broad surviving unique documents, this e-book analyzes the November 1851 trial within the federal circuit court docket of Robert Morris, the second one black admitted to perform in Massachusetts, for rescuing a fugitive slave from the custody of the U.S. marshal within the federal court in Boston. It demonstrates that Justice Benjamin Robbins Curtis, a supporter of Daniel Webster and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 presiding less than a recess appointment, made serious rulings opposed to Morris that have been at odds with current precedents. ultimately, the publication contextualizes Morris's trial one of the different trials for this rescue, the prosecutions for the try to rescue Anthony Burns, one other fugitive slave, in 1854, and the splendid Court's determination in Dred Scott in 1857.

"This 'small' ebook packs a wide wallop. Gordan navigates the complexities of trial advocacy and trial process with unexcelled mastery. His research of the advanced felony concerns, together with the facility of the jury to rule on questions of legislation in addition to truth, is persuasive. Gordan additionally throws a revisionist mild on many of the significant gamers — like John P. Hale who emerges from the wings because the actual chief of the abolitionist bar; and Benjamin R. Curtis, whose manipulation of the legislation within the Morris trial illuminates his recognized dissent in Dred Scott v. Sandford. A gem of a book."
--R. Kent Newmyer, college of Connecticut college of Law

"A splendidly distinct exposition of the fugitive slave rescue trial of Robert Morris, John Gordan's paintings reveals a wealth of fabric concerning the occasions, the folk, and the felony acumen of the legal professionals and judges concerned. it's going to let students to guage a query imperative to our judicial approach: what's the right department of authority among pass judgement on and jury? the knowledge contained in Gordan's ebook offers a much-needed traditionally exact foundation from which to reply to that question."
-- Maeva Marcus, Director, Institute for Constitutional heritage, The New-York ancient Society, and examine Professor of legislation, The George Washington collage legislation School

"John Gordan's remarkable sleuthing of records and assets and prepared insights offer a hugely readable and interesting account of the slave rescue trial of Robert Morris in 1851. The ebook finds new insights approximately Benjamin Robbins Curtis, presiding as Circuit Justice, and sheds very important new gentle at the differing perspectives of the rule of thumb of legislation and jury nullification in nineteenth century America."
--Christian G. Fritz , Henry Weihofen Chair in legislations and Professor of legislation, college of recent Mexico

John D. Gordan, III, a graduate of Harvard university and Harvard legislation college, clerked for the Honorable Inzer B. Wyatt, U.S. District pass judgement on (S.D.N.Y.), from 1969 to 1971 and served as an Assistant U.S. lawyer (S.D.N.Y.) from 1971 to 1976. He was once in inner most perform in long island urban from 1976 to 2011.