Letter from George Thompson, London, [England], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1852 September 24

Item Information

Title:
Letter from George Thompson, London, [England], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1852 September 24
Description:
In this letter to William Lloyd Garrison, George Thompson discusses his defeat in the election to Parliament for Tower Hamlets, London, stating "No one has been less annoyed by this event than myself." Thompson blames his defeat on "a combination of Publicans, Brewers, Distillers, Gin-shop Keepers, Magistrates, Monopolists and great Corporations" as well as his "unpopularity with the 'hunkers' of all parties". He adds that the "the general election has been favourable to the radical interest" and describes the outlook for electoral reform in the coming Parliament. Thompson then moves on to discuss literature in England, commenting on the popularity of Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and reporting that "between 400,000 and 500,000 copies ... are already in circulation". Futhermore, he says that theatres are "highly crowded to overflowing by persons anxious to witness a representation of its most striking scenes on the stage." He then mentions the popularity of Hildreth's "The White Slave" and "another volume called 'Uncle Tom in England'" before discussing William Wells Brown's "Three Years in Europe" and the English translation of Victor Hugo's "Napoleon the Little". Thompson also mentions the death of the Duke of Wellington, and comments on "The Cotton and Codfish" article he read in the Standard.
Author:
Thompson, George, 1804-1878
Addressee:
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Date:
September 24, 1852
Format:
Letters/Correspondence
Manuscripts
Location:
Boston Public Library
Rare Books Department
Collection (local):
Anti-Slavery Collection
Subjects:
Abolitionists--England--19th century--Correspondence
Abolitionists--United States--19th century--Correspondence
Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century
Social reformers--England--History--19th century
Social reformers--United States--History--19th century
Abolitionists
Abolitionists--United States--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--United States
Social reformers
Social reformers--United States
Thompson, George, 1804-1878
Hildreth, Richard, 1807-1865
Hugo, Victor, 1802-1885
Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852
Brown, William Wells, 1814?-1884
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
National anti-slavery standard
Places:
England
Extent:
1 leaf (4 p.) ; 23 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/2v23xk13n
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
London, [England]
Language:
English
Notes:
Holograph, signed.
Title devised by cataloger.
Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) manuscript composed in pencil on white paper. Above the saluation a checkmark and the number "101" are both written in pencil. There are also annotations made in brown ink, including underlining below the salutation and the word "London" and diagonal lines through the first paragraph and last lines of the letter.
Identifier:
5071868
Call #:
MS A.1.2 v.21, p.99
Barcode:
39999085440798