This landmark speech by one of America's greatest statesmen offers a stirring defense of human rights and dignity. Adams argued passionately on behalf of a group of African slaves who had seized control of the Amistad, and his eloquent defense of their cause helped to secure their freedom. With its powerful rhetoric and its profound moral vision, this speech remains a powerful call for justice and equality. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.