“Slavery and Politics in the Early American Republic is based on extensive research, broad in scope, clearly organized, and well written. Mason has made a significant contribution to the history of the Early Republic and of American slavery.” — Georgia Historical Quarterly
“Elegantly written . . . benefit[s] from copious research.” — New England Quarterly
“This well-crafted monograph . . . revises our understanding of the early national debates over slavery. . . . Scholars of slavery and early national politics will want to read Mason’s work.” — Journal of Southern History
“After reading this interesting book, few historians can deny that slavery was an important, indeed integral, component of the politics of the early American republic.” — Civil War History
“[A] careful and complex depiction of the variety of ways in which slavery entered the politics of the period. . . . A major contribution to our understanding of the significant role the institution of slavery had in the politics of the early republic.” — Journal of the Early Republic
“Scholars and general readers alike will profit from this book. . . . Recommended.” — CHOICE
“Mason unapologetically restores politics to the center stage. . . . [He] has a mastery of the secondary literature. . . . This is a bird’s-eye view that leaves plenty of scope for future researchers.” — Register of the Kentucky Historical Society
“Extensive and persuasive. . . . Adds rich and valuable texture to our understanding of early national politics and the Missouri Crisis.” — William and Mary Quarterly
“Mason’s historical argument is a powerful one. . . . In a revisionist vein, it shows how the 1808-1820 years were not really the lull before the antebellum storm.” — American Historical Review
“Mason has done an excellent job of assembling and presenting a wealth of evidence in a clear, coherent fashion.” — Indiana Magazine of History
