[From the Lynn
Record,]
This distinguished young friend and disciple of Wilberforce, and justly
celebrated orator, who has been repeatedly invited by the Anti-Slavery Society
of this town, arrived on Saturday afternoon last, and was received with great
satisfaction and delight. The society had a meeting on business, at the Town
Hall, at the close of which, Mr. Thompson addressed a large crowded assembly of
people, ladies and gentlemen, nearly two hours, in a strain of eloquence and
power, quite beyond any thing we ever heard, and equally beyond our power to
describe. All were held, as if by enchantment, to the close. It would be
difficult to decide in which he most excelled, matter or manner. He took a
comprehensive and varied view of the enormous injustice and evil of slavery,
and brought up and considered the most prominent and popular objections to the
plan of immediate abolition, and exposed their hypocrisy and absurdity in his
own peculiar and effectual manner of cutting sarcasm. The effect was evidently
great.
After Mr. Thompson had closed, a stern Pharisaical looking man, who had
been sitting near the speaker, announcing himself as a preacher of the Gospel,
from the South, desired the privilege of putting a few questions to Mr.
Thompson, which was readily granted, and the questions as readily answered, to
the satisfaction of the audience generally. The object of the stranger was to
cavil and carp at what had been said. But the tables were adroitly turned upon
the poor man, in a manner least expected, and most mortifying to him. One of the
questions, in substance at least, was—‘Do you consider every slaveholder a
thief?’ ‘I consider every person who holds and claims the right of holding his
fellow being, as property, A MAN STEALER.’
After several questions, captious in their nature, had been asked and
answered, Mr. Thompson turned upon his assailant, ‘If you have now done, sir,
I, in turn, should like to ask you a few questions.’
‘Do you consider slavery a sin?’
‘I consider slavery a moral evil.’
‘Do you consider slavery a sin?’
‘I do consider slavery a sin.’
‘Is the marriage of slaves legal in the Southern States?’
‘It is legalized in Maryland.’
‘Can the Slaveholder, by the laws of Maryland, separate husband and
wife?’
‘He can,’ &c. &c.
The gentleman stranger, (who is said to belong to Springfield in this
state, formerly from the South) appealed to the people, but finally
withdrew his appeal, and declared himself ‘satisfied.’ Whether satisfied or
not, we believe he had as much as he could digest, and as much as he
could swallow, including the question and answer system.
On Sunday evening, Mr. Thompson delivered a lecture on Slavery, in a
religious view, as opposed to the doctrines of the Bible. The meeting-house
(Rev. Mr. Peabody's) was much crowded, and many went away unable to gain
admittance.
On Monday evening, Mr. Thompson lectured on the sin of slavery, before
a newly formed ‘Anti-Slavery Society, of the New England Conference of
Methodist Episcopal Ministers, consisting of about 60 or 70 Ministers—(a
glorious phalanx!) at the South street Methodist meetinghouse. The house was
well filled; but owing to a misunderstanding by many, that the lecture was to
be delivered at the Woodend Meeting-house, (which was otherwise engaged) all
who went were enabled to get in. The lecture was a powerful and splendid
production both in argument and in manner of delivery.
On Tuesday evening, Mr. Thompson lectured at the Friend’s
meeting-house, which is very large, and was thoroughly filled. He was assisted
by Rev. A. A. Phelps, one of the public Agents of the Society, whose address
was able, and well received. Mr. Garrison and several other friends of the
cause, from Boston and Salem, were present. Mr. T. took occasion to glance at
the past history and conduct of the Friends in regard to slavery, the lively
interest they had taken in the cause of the oppressed, and the liberal
contributions they had made; and exhorted to a continuance in the ways of well
doing.
There may be men in our own country of more learning and more depth of
mind, and strength of reasoning, than Mr. Thompson, though, we think, rarely to
be found; but for readiness and skill in debate, and splendor of eloquence, as
an orator, we believe he stands unrivalled. His amiableness, mildness of
temper, urbanity, and blandness of manners and deportment, are adapted to win
the love and affection of all, who are honored with his acquaintance. That the
haughty, and the envious, should whisper their malignant hints that something
evil is lurking about his character, is no more than may be naturally expected;
though they are most fully and satisfactorily refuted by his numerous and
honorable testimonials of respect which we have seen, from benevolent societies
and individuals in England, where he is well known. These all breathe the warm
friendship and esteem which goodness and greatness of soul alone can inspire.
The independence of mind which Mr. Thompson possesses, is one of
the most striking and important traits in his excellent character. He shrinks
from nothing. He is ready to attack sin and wickedness in every shape—in high
or low places: and his thrusts never miss—never fail of effect.
The name of ‘Mr. George Thompson’ was often associated in the public
journals, with distinguished orators and philanthropists, at the various public
meetings of benevolent societies in England, long before he embarked for this
country. He was there ranked among the most able and popular orators. But here,
in this country, there are certain would-be great men, who dare not meet
Mr. Thompson in the open field, who vent their pitiful malice, and strive to
induce others to treat him with that neglect, to which themselves are so well
entitled; because he brings out and exposes to the light of day their works of
darkness.
‘He is a foreigner—he has no right to come here interfering with our
laws, our customs, and our private rights.’
Very fine, indeed! Capital! Who has a right to interfere, or say a
word, if a man murders his wife and children, or sells them into bondage? It
was all his own family concern. Who has a right to express an opinion of the
Turks, when oppressing, starving, and murdering the Greeks, not only men, but
helpless women and children : Who has a right to express an opinion against the
Russians for similar conduct toward the Poles, under similar circumstances, as
the latter were the vassals of the former, in both cases? Who has a right to
send Gospel missionaries abroad among the benighted heathen, groping in
darkness, in order to instruct and enlighten them in the way of truth? WE—we,
the American people, the ‘sons of liberty,’ claim the right, and exercise it
too; without once being asked, why do ye so We, the American people, claim and
exercise the right, when the laws of God— the eternal laws of truth and
justice, and humanity, are broken, to expose the sin, and to ‘reprove,
rebuke and exhort the transgressor.
‘But slavery was brought to our shores and entailed on us by England,
against our consent, when we were under her government; and now shall
England send men here to complain of the injustice and cruelty of the act, when
we should be glad to get rid of the evil, but cannot?’
Reason answers, Yes. If England did wrong, and afterward saw the evil,
repented, and brought forth fruits meet for repentance, by liberating all their
own slaves, was it not right—was it not a christian duty, to extend their acts
of kindness to us also, whom they had led into error; to tell us what they had
done, and how they did it ; and to aid and assist us to get out of the
difficulty ? The law of God is universal. The law of Christians—the law of
love, is universal; and requires the subjects of that law to oppose and expose
sin and oppression wherever they are found. We send Ministers,
political, religious, and masonic, to England and other places—to co-operate—to
ask and give assistance, and mutually to benefit each other. But what can we,
in the Northern States do? We can say, slavery is ‘a sin.’
We can enlighten public sentiment on the subject, and cause the sin of
slavery—the greatest sin in the world, to become odious: and public sentiment
in this country has the force of law, to correct any evil.
To assist us in these labors of love, Mr. Thompson has been sent among
us, by the friends of humanity in England; and a most efficient and powerful
co-worker he is, sweeping away the refuges of lies, and carrying his principles
as a mighty sweeping torrent, wherever he goes. The advocates of slavery fear
and hate him, the humane and philanthropic love him, and all respect and admire
his talents, whatever they may pretend.
Mr. Thompson possesses all the requisites of an impressive and
powerful orator—a fund of acquired knowledge, a brilliant imagination, natural
pathos, a powerful voice, an elegant form, graceful gesticulation, a
countenance capable of expressing any passion or emotion, and lastly, the most
important of all, a benevolent heart—an expansive soul.
SOURCES: 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. 88-92; “Mr. Thompson at
Lynn,” The Liberator, Boston, Massachusetts, Saturday, June 13, 1835, p.
3.
