State Constitutional Protections of Liberty and the Antebellum New Jersey Supreme Court: Chief Justice Hornblower and the Fugitive Slave Law

35 Pages Posted: 30 Jun 2009

See all articles by Paul Finkelman

Paul Finkelman

Gratz College; Albany Law School

Date Written: 1992

Abstract

In this article, Professor Finkelman examines the significance of New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Hornblower’s decision in State v. The Sheriff of Burlington. Professor Finkelman discusses how the Hornblower decision relates to how modern Judges can protect civil liberties through state constitutions as well as a providing a context to New Jersey’s present day race relations. New Jersey was the last of the northern states to abolish slavery and, as is evident by Hornblower’s failure to publish his decision, often failed to protect the rights of its African-American citizens after slavery was abolished in the antebellum period.

Keywords: Hornblower, fugitive slave law

Suggested Citation

Finkelman, Paul, State Constitutional Protections of Liberty and the Antebellum New Jersey Supreme Court: Chief Justice Hornblower and the Fugitive Slave Law (1992). Rutgers Law Journal Vol. 23, No. 4, 1992, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1426149

Paul Finkelman (Contact Author)

Gratz College ( email )

7605 Old York Road
Melrose Park, PA 19027
United States

Albany Law School

NY
United States

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