Fanatical schemes : proslavery rhetoric and the tragedy of consensus / Patricia Roberts-Miller.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Roberts-Miller, Patricia, 1959-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Slavery--United States--Justification--History--19th century.

Slavery.

Slavery--Political aspects--United States--History--19th century.

Consensus (Social sciences)--United States--History--19th century.

Consensus (Social sciences).

Rhetoric--Political aspects--United States--History--19th century.

Rhetoric.

Fanaticism--United States--History--19th century.

Fanaticism.

Politicians--United States--History--19th century.

Politicians.

Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century.

Antislavery movements.

Abolitionists--Political activity--United States--History--19th century.

Abolitionists.

United States--Politics and government--1829-1837.

United States.

United States--Politics and government--1837-1841.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (298 p.)

Place of Publication:

Tuscaloosa : University of Alabama Press, c2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

What was the relationship between rhetoric and slavery, and how did rhetoric fail as an alternative to violence, becoming instead its precursor? Fanatical Schemes is a study of proslavery rhetoric in the 1830's. A common understanding of the antebellum slavery debate is that the increased stridency of abolitionists in the 1830's, particularly the abolitionist pamphlet campaign of 1835, provoked proslavery politicians into greater intransigence and inflammatory rhetoric. Patricia Roberts-Miller argues that, on the contrary, inflammatory rhetoric was inhere

Contents:

Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction: "Industrious in scattering the seeds of insurrection"; 1. "Slavery shall not be discussed": The Political Power of the Irrational Rhetor; 2. "With firm, undaunted resolution": The Rhetoric of Doom; 3. "A deep conviction, settled on every bosom": Alarmism, Conspiracy, and Unification; 4. "For the sake of your wives, children and their posterity": Manly Politics; 5. "Careless of the Consequences": Extended Defenses of Slavery; 6. "Our laws to regulate slaves are entirely founded on terror": The Political Theory of Slave Codes

7. "The Sweet Waters of Concord and Union": Pro slavery Rhetoric in a Deliberative Setting Conclusion: "Any rational plan": The Responsibilities of Rhetoric; Notes; Works Cited; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [259]-274) and index.

ISBN:

0-8173-8125-2

OCLC:

650060153