South READING, Dec. 6, 1834.
MR. GARRIsoN —
The numerous panegyrical notices of Mr.
THoMPsoN, which had for the last
two months appeared in the columns of the Liberator, had put curiosity upon
tiptoe in our little village to hear this disinterested, generous and eloquent MAN of TRUTH, and ADvoCATE of LIBERTY. He favored us with
his presence yesterday, and last evening lectured for the space of two hours in
the Baptist meeting-house, with zealous fluency and triumphant argumentation.
The audience was a large one, and highly respectable, notwithstanding the
purposely slight and obscure notice of the meeting which was given by our
congregational minister, who is still on the side of gradualism and
expatriation. A considerable number of individuals, animated by various
motives, came from the surrounding towns,—even as far as Salem,—among whom were
the Rev. Mr. Grosvernor and Richard P. Waters, Esq. . The meeting was opened
with singing by the choir, and prayer by the Rev. Mr. Pickett of Reading; after
which, Rev. Mr. Grosvenor made a few pertinent remarks, introducing Mr.
Thompson to us, in which he reminded us that American liberty was won and
established partly by the valor of a foreigner – Lafayette; and that the
spiritual redemption of the world was effected through the instrumentality of
another foreigner — the Lord Jesus Christ.
Of Mr. Thompson's lecture I shall not attempt to give you
even the outlines. The topics were so various, the arguments so profound, the
illustrations so rich and appropriate, the transitions from the pathetic to the
severe, and from the beautiful to the sublime, were so incessant yet natural,
that my pen might as well attempt to give the sound of the mountain torrent, or
mark the course of the lightning, as to state them in their order, with justice
either to the subject or the orator.
Mr. Thompson in his exordium, at once secured the earnest
attention of his hearers by remarking, with measured and solemn enunciation,
that the question which he was about to discuss was one of immense magnitude
and transcendant importance, in comparison with which, all others that are now
agitating the minds of the American people, appertaining to the politics or the
prosperity of the nation, dwindled into insignificance; and he trusted that he
might be able to go into its discussion with that candor and faithfulness which
it merited, and that his auditors would listen with unbiassed, unprejudiced,
and christian minds. If he should misapprehend, or misinterpret, or misstate,
in any particular whatever; if he should swerve but a hair's breadth from the
line of eternal rectitude, or fail in sustaining every assertion and every proposition
that he might make; he called upon every one present, who should detect him in
error, to rise and expose his sophistry or his ignorance. But if he should
speak understandingly — truly — with a zeal according to knowledge; if he
should show that slavery in the abstract and in the concrete was wrong, and
that it was emphatically a national transgression—then it became each of those
before him to say with repenting Saul — “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”
With regard to this finding something to do, which
many think is so difficult a matter, Mr. Thompson asked — Do you know of any
abolitionists, who are at a loss what to do for the emancipation of the slaves?
Do they not say, that there are so many appropriate and important modes of
action, that they are often puzzled which of them to select? Do they not
exclaim — O, that our zeal, our talents, our means, our influence, were
increased a hundred fold! O, that we could be here — there — every where,
rebuking, encouraging, convincing and reforming a perverse and cruel people!
But, — but, — “We are as much opposed to slavery as we
can be.” This
hypocritical and impudent profession was most severely dealt with by Mr.
Thompson, in a strain of burning satire. He interrogated those who made it,
whether they remembered the slave in their prayers — in their intercourse with
relations and friends? whether they contributed aught of their substance to the
furtherance of the anti-slavery cause, or circulated any petitions for the
abolition of slavery in those portions of territory which are under the
jurisdiction of the national legislature? To which interrogation the reply
uniformly was — “O, no! we have done none of these ; but then-we are as much
opposed to slavery as we can be.”
The speaker then made a death grapple with those who run to
the Bible to find a precedent and a plea for southern slavery, and tore them
limb from limb. He nobly vindicated that precious volume, and its great Author,
from the impious aspersions which had been cast upon them by the apologists of
slavery, who contended that they gave full warrant for the murderous system.
All those of his audience who were jealous for the honor and glory of God, and
the holy repute of the scriptures, must have rejoiced in the masterly
exhibition of truth which was made on this interesting occasion.
We were gratified to see you in the assembly, Mr. Garrison:
and we could not but rejoice anew at the glorious fruits of your mission to
England, as seen in the speedy and utter overthrow of the agent of the American
Colonization Society in that country — in the increasing sympathy of British
christians for the slaves in our land — in the efficient aid which they are
giving to us in various channels — and particularly, and above all, in securing
to us, even “without money and
without price, the invaluable services of GEORGE THOMPSON and CHARLES STUART — philanthropists
whose hearts burn with patriotic as well as christian love for our great but
guilty republic — whose only desire is, to make us “that happy people whose God
is the Lord” — and who duly appreciate and admire all that is truly excellent
in our character as a people.
At the close of the lecture, Mr. Thompson again requested
persons present, if there were any such, who had any difficulties yet remaining
on their minds, or who were not entirely satisfied with his arguments, or who
thought he had erred either as to matter of fact or of inference, to express
their views or propound any questions without reserve. After a short pause,
Rev. Mr. Grosvenor rose and said, that, as for himself, he had no objections to
make to any thing that had been advanced by the speaker. He then alluded to the
fact that, for his advocacy of the cause of the oppressed, he (Mr. Grosvenor)
had lost his church and congregation in Salem; but expressed a holy resolve that
come what might, he would at all times and in all places be a mouth-piece for
the suffering and the dumb. His remarks, though few, were made with much
feeling and firmness; after which, he pronounced a benediction upon the assembly.
As yet, I have heard but a single individual who was not
pleased with Mr. Thompson's lecture, although there may be others — for
“Men convinced
against their will,
Are of the same
opinion still.”
He is a gradualist — a colonizationist — and, I believe, a
member of an orthodox church; and he says that Mr. T. ought to have had another
brickbat thrown at his head alluding to the affair at Lowell. What an amiable
temper what a benevolently disposed man! what a meek and forgiving Christian!
We hope Mr. T. will visit us again shortly — but our
brethren in Reading think it is their turn next.
Yours truly,
AN ABOLITIONIST.
SOURCE: Isaac Knapp, Publisher, Letters and
Addresses by G. Thompson [on American Negro Slavery] During His Mission in the
United States, From Oct. 1st, 1834, to Nov. 27, 1835, p. 34-7
