author
Jr. James Hamilton
1786–1857
Remembered as a fiery South Carolina politician, he also left behind pamphlets and public writings that capture the tensions of the early United States. His surviving work offers a direct window into debates over slavery, states' rights, and public life in the 1820s and 1830s.
1 Audiobook
An Account of the Late Intended Insurrection among a Portion of the Blacks of this City
by Charleston (S.C.), Jr. James Hamilton
About the author
Born on May 8, 1786, in Charleston, South Carolina, James Hamilton Jr. was a lawyer, planter, and public official who became a prominent figure in Southern politics. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1822 to 1829 and was governor of South Carolina from 1830 to 1832.
For readers today, his importance as an author lies in the printed speeches, letters, and political pamphlets connected to his public career. Works associated with him include An Account of the Late Intended Insurrection Among a Portion of the Blacks of This City and other writings on public policy and state interposition, showing how closely publishing and politics were tied in his era.
Hamilton died on November 15, 1857. His writings are best approached as historical documents: they do not simply tell his story, but also reveal the fears, arguments, and power struggles that shaped the antebellum South.