Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

6

modifications of the system, and do what they can to perpetuate it. Wait a little time,' say they; never mind how mercy bleeds, or justice frowns, how the negro suffers, or the Englishman petitions,-do it gradually, yes, do it gradually. I wonder what they mean by gradually? When will gradual emancipation arrive? I remember an anecdote told of Charles James Fox, who, when in power, was very deeply in debt; he had a secretary named Hare; and like master like man,' both were up to the ears in embarrassment. Mr. Fox looking one morning out at the window saw coming up the street an old money-lending Jew, to whom both were indebted. Well, Solomon,' said he, what are you after this morning? Are you Fox-hunting or Hare-hunting? Why, for the matter of that,' said the Jew, I am both Fox-hunting and Hare-hunting; I want both; I want my money.' You must wait, Solomon,' said Mr. Fox. I cannot wait,' said the Jew; I want my money; have I not a right to my money?' ' Certainly, Solomon; you have a right to your money, Solomon-a most undoubted right, Solomon; but it is inconvenient to me to let you have it now; you can call again, Solomon, come on such a day.' The Jew went accordingly, and again the answer was,- Wait, Solomon; both Mr. Hare and myself are so deeply involved in business that we have not time to attend to the settlement of your account;-call again, Solomon.' Solomon went again, and still the answer was, 'Wait, Solomon.' 'I cannot wait,' said Solomon at last. 'I will not wait a day longer than your next appointment.'Well, then,' said Mr. Fox, 'suppose we say, Solomon-the day of judgment, Solomon.' 'Oh!' said the Jew, that will be far too busy and important a day for the settlement of your account.' 'Well, then,' said Mr. Fox, still determined to be facetious, suppose, Solomon, we say the day after!' (Laughter.) This is exactly the line of argument pursued by our friends on the opposite side-Wait till the day of judgment, wait till the day after but don't do it now!' Why not do it now?' 'Oh, there are the poor, the infirm, the old, and the young! Well, are not the poor, the infirm, the old, and the young, provided for now? And would there not still be the same fund for their support, though it should come in another shape, and through another chan

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

nel? (Hear, hear.) Were the poor of England worse provided for when there were no poor laws, than they are now? Would it be worse for the planters to maintain the old, the infirm, and the young, than it is to maintain them now? Is there not wisdom enough in the British Parliament to make some arrangement for the maintenance of these poor old men, and old women, and young children? Are the planters the only persons in the world who can give the negroes four parlors and a saloon, and carry them wine when they want it?

My friends, We are warned to do this work; every motive that can influence the human mind calls upon us to do it, to do it now, not to lose an hour in the performance of this solemn duty. If hurricanes or tornadoes could warn us, we have had them; if insurrections and bloodshed could warn us, we have had them; if the tremendous mortality amongst the negroes could warn us, that mortality is ever before our eyes; if the depreciation of West Indian property could warn us, that depreciation we have seen and daily see; and even whilst I speak a blight and mildew cover every part of the system, and nothing but retracing our steps can bring back peace, security, and prosperity, to the colonies. (Loud applause.)

Ladies and Gentlemen,-I will not longer take up your time to-night. The subject is not yet exhausted, though my strength is entirely gone. As I understand that the gentleman, who has already appeared twice before you, is again to address you, I may ask on his behalf what I asked on my own, that you will hear him patiently. If I myself offered him any interruption, when he last appeared before you, and when he alluded to the philanthrophic gentleman 'whose name is a synonyme for every thing that is noble in a British merchant and honorable in a man,' remember the impression which that statement was calculated to produce, had it gone forth from this platform uncontradicted and unexplained. It was said that I declined to lecture before that gentleman, when, if the truth had been told, it would have appeared that my sole objection to lecturing before a chairman of the West India body, an objection stated in the most handsome terms I could devise, was an apprehension of being compelled to say, in the course of my lecture, what might be thought to do violence to the

152

MR. THOMPSON'S THIRD Lecture.

feelings of the chairman. (Applause.) As I came to Liverpool uninfluenced by any particular body, I thought I had a right to consult my own feelings on the subject, and, therefore, I claimed, for the sake of my own feelings and those of the Chairman, that we might have a disinterested person in the chair. (Applause.) But when I found that persisting in such determination might, in the least degree, disturb the harmony between the two bodies, I instantly acceded to their wishes, and expressed my perfect willingness to lecture with Mr. Horsfall, or any other gentleman as Chairman on the occasion. (Cheers.) This led me to request that the letter might be read; and as the letter was alluded to on this platform in a manner calculated to prejudice me in the opinion of the meeting, I think it might have been read in order that the auditory might be in possession of the facts. (Applause.) And I cannot but accuse the Chairman, on that occasion, of something like reservation in withholding that fact from the audience, when he well knew that it was not from cowa dice that I objected to lecture before him, but a regard for his own feelings as a gentleman, whom I honor from the character I have heard of him, but I still say that to sit in that chair and not give the whole truth to the auditory, was an act of reservation which does little honor either to his head or his heart. (Cheers.)

Ladies and Gentlemen,-I have now done; I leave the cause in your hands. I believe our treaty with the West India body is nearly at an end. I have only further to say, hear patiently, judge candidly, consider deliberately, and then decide between us; and say whether the arguments adduced for the continuance of slavery, or mine for its abolition, are the strongest. If mine, speak with one heart and with one voice, and declare it for ever at an end.

Mr. Thompson concluded his address at a little after nine o'clock, amidst the loudest cheering and clapping of hands, and the audience soon afterwards quietly separated.

THE SUBSTANCE OF A LECTURE,

Delivered Thursday evening, September 20th, 1832, in the Wesleyan Chapel, Irwell Street, Salford, Manchester, (Eng.) by George Thompson, Esq. This Lecture was delivered by Mr. Thompson soon after Mr. Borthwick, the Agent of the West Indian pro-slavery party, had publicly said that he would follow Mr. Thompson from place to place, like his evil genius'-how far the intention of Mr. Borthwick was effected the result of Mr. Thompson's labors fully demonstrate.

On Thursday evening last, Mr. G. THOMPSON, who for the last three weeks has been zealously laboring in the cause of negro emancipation at Liverpool, delivered a lecture in the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Irwell-street, Salford.

The lecture was announced to commence at seven o'clock. The admission was by tickets, for which there was an unprecedented demand. As early as five o'clock the doors were surrounded by a number of most respectable persons, and by half-past six the chapel was crowded by one of the most respectable auditories ever witnessed either in Manchester or Salford. We observed a considerable number of the Society of Friends present. At twenty minutes before seven Mr. Thompson was recognised walking down the aisle, attended by several of his friends, and was greeted with enthusiastic cheers. A few minutes before seven, W. Hill, Esq., the Boroughreeve, entered, and was loudly cheered. Precisely at seven o'clock Mr. Thompson, accompanied by the Boroughreeve and Mr. Peter Clare, left the vestry and ascended the pulpit stairs. Mr. Thompson came to the front of the pulpit, bowed respectfully to the assembly, and was received with immense cheers, which lasted a considerable time. The Borough reeve briefly introduced the lecturer, and expressed a hope that during the evening there would be no de

monstration of feeling inconsistent with the sacred character of the building in which they were assembled.

MR. THOMPSON said that it was with unfeigned gratification, though with very considerable fear, that he consented to present himself before so very large and respectable an assembly. His gratification was of a very high order, because the present was a strong proof that the interest which was awakened on the subject which was that night to engross their consideration, had not become by any means diminished, but seemed rather to have increased. He wished it might continue to be so. He wished that their zeal in so good a cause might continue to increase till victory was achieved, and that, as they proceeded in their career of mercy, they might leave behind them every thing which would sully the honor and the character of the struggle in which they were engaged. He, for one, was more than ever convinced that the cause they advocated required none of the ordinary means of making it popular-none of the ordinary means of defending it-that it was quite sufficient to trust in the high and commanding principles which were involved in the discussion, and to rely on those views which truth, unmixed with any other quality, will bear to the mind, rather than connect it with personal considerations, and make this a conflict for victory in argument rather than a triumph of mercy over oppression. And he trusted that whilst on the one hand he should avoid all compromise of principle, he should on the other avoid the use of those weapons which in some cases might be legitimate and allowable, but which in this were perfectly unnecessary, because the subject, clad in its own character, would make a strong and effectual appeal to the heart. And if he did, when he last had the honor of appearing before an auditory in that place, under the influence of strong feeling, and from a conviction, which at the present time he must again express, that a most unhallowed and lawless-though he believed in the end it would prove to their own cause a most beneficial-attempt was in progress to retard the accomplishment of the object dear to all his hearers-if with the knowledge of this fact, and being personally involved in the matter, he did give expression to feelings and sentiments not perfectly necessary in the advocacy of the cause-let it be recollected that it required no ordinary

« EdellinenJatka »