Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 09 (of 20)

In the tumult of the Civil War, a determined senator uses the floor of the United States Senate to argue that liberty and the preservation of the Union are inseparable. This collection gathers his impassioned speeches and resolutions from 1862‑1863, covering topics from the confiscation of rebel property and the immediate emancipation of enslaved people to the taxation of cotton and the rights of colored soldiers. Listeners will hear the rhetorical force behind measures that aimed to turn war strategy into a moral crusade.

Beyond the battlefield, the orator emphasizes congressional authority, the limits of military governance, and the need for national unity amidst foreign threats. The volume also includes personal letters and public addresses that reveal his vision of reconstruction and the role of education for freed peoples. Through these recordings, the period’s political debate comes alive, offering insight into the legislative battles that shaped America’s path to freedom.