E449 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, by ISAAC KNAPP, In the Clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts. PRINTED BY ISAAC KNAPP. MR. THOMPSON IN ENGLAND. In the spring of 1833, I was sent to England as the representative of the New England Anti-Slavery Society, to undeceive the philanthropists of that country, (who had been misled by Elliot Cresson,) in relation to the character and designs of the American Colonization Society, and to enlist their moral energies for the extinction of American slavery. Convicted of doubledealing, cowardice, and imposture, Mr. Cresson soon afterward left England in disgrace, and returned to a country, whose prejudices and oppressions enable him to pursue his mischievous work with more facility and success. Most happily for my mission, I found on my arrival in London, a large body of anti-slavery delegates, the élite of the cause, assembled from various parts of the kingdom, to watch the progress of the Emancipation Bill through Parliament. A majority of this body were highly influential members of the Society of Friends-among whom it will suffice to name Josiah Forster, William Allen, Robert Forster, James Cropper, Joseph John Gurney, William Forster, Richard Barrett, Richard Ball, Emanuel Cooper, Joseph Cooper, Joseph Sturge, Joseph Eaton, and Arthur West, as specimens of the elevated character of the whole body of delegates. Associated with these dis M92962 tinguishett philanthropists and pure minded christians, was. GEORGE. THOMPSON, esteemed and beloved by them, all; and taking a conspicuous part in their deliberations and discussions the champion of liberty, who, in this country, has been branded as ' a miserable creature,' a scoundrel,' an incendiary,' a cut-throat,' a foreign emissary,' and 'a fugitive from justice'! The acme of calumny was attained when it was said of the immaculate Redeemer, that he was a wine bibber and a glutton,' and that he had a devil:' all surprise may cease, therefore, at the defamation of others, however virtuous and upright. It was in London that MR. THOMPSON was thus honorably associated, thus highly esteemed, and thus signally popular-the very city from which, it is said, by the unutterably base journalists of this country, he fled in disgrace to these shores! Although the pro-slavery party were as hostile as selfishness, prejudice and hatred could make them to the cause and the friends of emancipation, and although they particularly dreaded the unrivalled abilities, irresistible eloquence, and unexampled success of MR. THOMPSON as a public lecturer, yet not a whisper was heard against his reputation, not the least stain was thrown upon the resplendent brightness of his career. No: calumny was dumb, effrontery stood abashed, and malice was powerless. It was left for the human hyenas and jackalls of America, who delight to listen to negro groans, to revel in negro blood, and to batten upon negro flesh, to rend a character as fair as uprightness, and as lovely as benevolence itself. They vainly supposed, that the billows of the Atlantic would hide their malice from detection, and that distance would allow them to be ferocious with impunity. The folly of their conduct was as great as its enormity. It was perpetrated, too, for a diabolical purpose-to perpetuate the worse than Egyptian thraldom of more than two millions of their own countrymen, who are by law and usuage transformed, with their offspring, from rational, accountable, immortal beings, into goods and chattels, and implements of husbandry! MR. THOMPSON had just returned from a tour through the kingdom, which was followed by the most brilliant results in favor of the immediate abolition of colonial slavery. His lectures had been every where thronged to overflowing, and the enthusiam of his audiences was boundless. The West India party had sent into the v field against MR. THOMPSON, a person by the name of PETER BORTHWICK, well skilled in artificial oratory, fluent in debate, stoically self-possessed, of considerable tact and ingenuity, with a face of bronze, and a heart of stone, and a faithful copyist of him who was a liar from the beginning.' The combatants met repeatedly, for public disputation, in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and other places. The interest that was excited in these discussions arose to a high degree of intensity, but the victory was never for a single moment dubious. BORTHWICK was met and foiled at every point, with amazing celerity and overwhelming effect and in a short time he as studiously shunned, as he had sought, a contest with his superior opponent. Yet the former was no mean antagonist, either in adroitness or ability. ; MR. BORTHWICK had confidently declared, that he would follow MR. THOMPSON from city, to city, from village to village, and from one end of the kingdom to the other; but he relied too much upon simple lying and gross fiction,* and was comparatively ignorant of *The following anecdote, related to me by a friend in London, who was an eye-witness of the scene, is given as a specimen of BORTHWICK'S effrontery. One evening, he was holding forth upon colonial slavery to a large audience in Edinburgh or Glasgow, wholly unaware of the presence of MR. THOMPSON, who sat taking notes in a remote corner of the hall. In the course of his lecture, he boldly asserted, that, by a law of Jamaica, if a slave should testify that his master had maltreated him, his naked declaration would suffice to cause the master to be heavily fined, although the accusation should be groundless! To confirm his statement, he said he held the law in his hand, which he would read to the assembly, if any one present should call for it. He then paused, as if to afford an opportunity for the request to be made, and was about to proceed, when MR. THOMPSON audibly said, 'Read the law!' Though taken by surprise, BORTHWICK immediately recognized his opponent, and coolly replied: The honorable gentleman cries-Read the law! Does he doubt my readiness to read it? I will read it, if he should again urge his request: if not, I will proceed with my lecture.' Again MR. THOMPSON responded more emphatically, 'READ THE LAW!' The audience now became considerably agitated. BORTHWICK himself was dashed, (for he had no law to read,) and turning to MR. THOMPSON imploringly said, ‘I appeal to the honorable gentleman, whether it is fair to interrupt the lecture, and to agitate this meeting, by pertinaciously insisting upon the reading of the law. Have I not declared that I hold the law in my hand? Have I not referred distinctly to its provisions? I pledge my word that it shall be given to the public. Ought not this to satisfy the gentleman? I throw myself upon his courtesy and kindness: will he allow me to procced without further interruption?' Once more, in a clear tone, MR. THOMPSON responded, 'READ THE LAW!' The pro-slavery portion of the audience, seeing the terrible dilemma into which their champion was brought, and true to their character all over the world, now raved and stormed at Mr. T., and vehemently cried out, Down, sir! down, sir! Out with him! out with him!' The chairman, too, was rampant with vexation, and ordered Mr. T. to be silent, or he would call for the police officers to take him out of the house-BORTHWICK, all the while, looking unutterable things. During this extraordinary hubbub, MR. THOMPSON stood with much calmness and dignity, and turning to those around him, said determinately, 'Turn him out! Who will turn me out? Will you, |