American Infidelity is the name of a speech that was delivered in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

by Joshua Giddings in February 1858. This speech was one of many congressional speeches intended to arouse passion about the immorality of slavery. It also reflects the rising Republican radical movement of the time, which was at the forefront of the anti-slavery movement. In this speech, Giddings said that religion and slavery are incompatible. He likened slavery to murder, on the grounds that to deny a human freedom is to deny him his life. Giddings consequently alleged that all opponents of the Republican Party were infidels.

William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison (December , 1805 – May 24, 1879) was an Abolitionism in the United States, American abolitionist, journalist, and reformism (historical), social reformer. He is best known for his widely read anti-slavery newspaper ''The ...

was so supportive of this speech that he wrote an appreciatory letter to Congressman Giddings before reprinting the entire speech in his newspaper, the Liberator. Foner, Eric. ''Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Republican Party before the Civil War'', New York: Oxford University Press, 1970.

References

{{Reflist 1850s speeches 1858 works 1858 in American politics February 1858 Speeches by Republican Party (United States) politicians