“The Cheekiest Man on Earth”: H. C. C. Astwood and the Politics of White Moral Exclusivity

This chapter analyzes the aftermath of Astwood’s dismissal and his refusal to surrender his consular post. Once finally discharged, Astwood immediately began to lobby for reinstatement. Behind the scenes, elite American businessmen debated Astwood’s fitness for office, echoing the larger transnational debate over Black men’s capacity for citizenship and political authority. For both Astwood’s detractors and supporters, the Christian dichotomy between good and evil became a moving target as white men and prominent African Americans lobbied to see their preferred candidate selected. Moving beyond Astwood, the chapter also explores the diplomatic appointments of Frederick Douglass and John S. Durham. Letters of recommendation in each case demonstrate how power over narrative was based in moral claims. This chapter argues that such power, which white men claimed as an exclusive right, was always contested. In this way, both white and Black Americans attempted to control the past and direct the future.