John Quincy Adams has already remarked that in this much debated clause the laws of grammar are violated in order to assert the claim of property in man; for the verb “shall be delivered up” has for nominative “no person,” and thus the grammatical interpretation actually forbids the rendition.
Sumner references John Quincy Adams' critique of the grammatical inconsistencies in the constitutional clause regarding slavery.
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Working-men of Europe, desire abolition of war, XVIII. 236.
Slavery and the: speech in New York, XI. 433.
Slave Power, necessity of political action against the, II. 207.
Disunion no remedy for grievances of, VII. 33.
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