American Slavery As It Was - The Background Of Twelve Years A Slave

With the recent success of the movie and book "Twelve Years A Slave" in mind, this title, as the name imports, gives a true picture of the state of slavery in the United States in the first half of the 19th century. It had an important bearing on the great controversy upon this subject at the time it was published. The evidence which it contains is minutely circumstantial. A considerable portion of the book consists of the narratives of persons who have resided at the south, and witnessed the treatment of the slaves on the plantation with which they were conversant. With very few exceptions the name of the witness is given, and in the cases in which circumstances make it unsafe that he should be known, his character for integrity is vouched for by some responsible person. In some instances also, but those very few, the witness relates what was told him by persons on whose veracity he could rely. But the great mass of the evidence is original and from known and named witnesses. Please be advised that this book contains very explicit and detailed narratives that tell of torture, pain and cruelty.