Libertarians, if they care to examine the subject, will discover that they have a rich historical tradition in the English and American antislavery movements. The libertarian tradition in antislavery thought may be concisely summed up: In Favorem Libertalis — In Favor of Liberty. No one familiar with this tradition could fail to identify Granville Sharp (1735-1813) as one of its first and greatest expositors and coadjutors. From the time in 1765 when he first encountered the slave Johnathan Strong, till his death, Sharp’s name was inextricably bound up with the freedom of slaves in England.
In Favorem Liberatis: The Life and Work of Granville Sharp
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CITE THIS ARTICLE
Watner, Carl. “In Favorem Liberatis: The Life and Work of Granville Sharp.” Journal of Libertarian Studies 4, No.2 (1980): 215-232.