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Considerations on the Negroe cause commonly so called / Addressed to the Right Honourable Lord Mansfield, lord chief justice of the Court of King's Bench, &c. cover

Considerations on the Negroe cause commonly so called / Addressed to the Right Honourable Lord Mansfield, lord chief justice of the Court of King's Bench, &c.

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About This Book

A lawyerly pamphlet addressed to the chief justice that examines the legal basis for holding enslaved people in England, prompted by a prominent habeas corpus decision. It reviews precedent and opinions relied on in court, critiques the sufficiency of returned causes for detention, and argues that the domestic enforcement of slavery must rest on positive law rather than natural-law inference. The text rebuts common objections and contemporary published arguments, appends notes and a copy of the disputed judgment, and combines legal analysis with moral reflection to clarify ownership claims, procedural points, and the limits of importing foreign practices into the national legal system.

About the Author

Estwick, Samuel portrait

Samuel Estwick

Samuel Estwick was an 18th-century writer and advocate for the rights of enslaved people. He is best known for his work "Considerations on the Negroe cause commonly so called," which was addressed to Lord Mansfield, a prominent figure in the legal landscape of his time. In this text, Estwick presents arguments against the injustices faced by Black individuals, contributing to the discourse on race and human rights during a period of significant social change. His writings reflect the complexities of the abolitionist movement and the evolving attitudes toward slavery in the British Empire.

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