Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-31
From tie Chrisiian CG.en.
Sketches of British Men and Manners.
GEORGE THOMPSON, NJ. p.

risen SO rapidly from the crowd Of com
mon men into public notice, as George
reputej to be one OF the most o.
oquent men in Britain, and who is now NJ.
l.. iof Lambeth. The progress of a man Of
genius is an instructive lesson, illustrating,
as II does, the inherent strength of an indie
pendent mind, and its gradual victories over
seemingly inyincible circumstances. Tie
history Of George Thompson gives powerful
evidence of high intellectual courage and mo-
raj frmness; and it also shows TO what see
mingly fortuitous and trivial occurrences men
may the bias of their lives.
George Thompson was born in Liverpool,
and received a common education. we DO
not know that he was bred to any profession
in youth he, however, early began to edu-
cate himself as a dcbater. The active minds
that were being developed in Britain, during
the first quarter Of the nineteenth century, as
s%ociatcd themselves into clubs, for the dis
cussion of the various political questions that
agitaied society and George Thompson,
when quite a youth, was a prominent mem
Der Of one of these. Young as he was, and
strong as the passion for intellectual victory
would assuredly be in a young man conscious
Of his talents, he formed a resolution, which
was as creditable TO his heart, as his life. long
adhesion to it has been honorable 10 his con-
sistency. 1t was, never to argue in favor oil
what he did not believe TO be right.
Less than twenty years ago, a lady called
at a certain mercantile house in London, soll-
citing a situation for a young man TO whom
forty pounds a year would be an object
The application failed and, luckily for him
self and his country, George Thompson was
left awhile longer on his own resources.-
Some time subsequently, a vestry meeting
took place in ClcGkenwell, for the purpose
Of levying a rate, in order to carry out some
scheme in connection with the State Church.
PonpouS, portly men, who had hitherto set
tied all these things in their own way, as
sembled, and engaged in grave debate. The
people were not so well schooled then in op-
posing corporate mandates, as they are now,
and they looked on and listened to the seri-
Gus process of pockct-picking that was going
on before them, but had not power to oppose.
At last a yOdng man no kept a cOlire house
in the church ward, rose and raised his voice;
feebly, at first, and falteringly did that elo-
qnent tongue utter its first public protest
against corruption. Deacons and vestry-ncn
looked great and grave and profound, and
there was a sort of traditional veneration at
tached to their names and station, which the
orator felt, as he looked at their lat, specta-
cled faces. turned M N him in wonder and
amazemcnt. But he VAS moi 70 he Crowned
down, and a few encouraging demonstrations
from his astoniShcd fellow-cilizens disrelled
his ,imiditv. He warmed with his subject.
and as he warmed he rose in cour,re and Ell.
onuencr. mill he fairly overwhelmed the ven-
cradle CLINE with defision and sarcasm, and
led the neoplc to reiact the proposrl rate Inv
an Overwhelming majority.
An account of this mcciinc. and of the mar,
plaved in il Inv the coir.e.bouse kecpcr. rea-
ched Henry Brouuham, then ENGAGED in the
! strucule for nerro characterization; and the re-
| suit was that Georre THOMPSON left his bu-
siness in Clerkenwpll IN some less talented
or more congenial shirt. and mounted the
public rostrum as the advocate of the slave.
Mr. 'rbomnson ia , most a~ccomnlis shed
and splendid orator. lie possesses eyeIy
qualification of such, aud from the Inns Of
Lord Brouuham. himself AT ono time STYLED
the British Cicero. he has received the hiuh.
est lauda,ions for his eloguence. Eloauenct
is not the hiuhes, of t;eorre THOMPSON,
qualifications, however; he possesses in al
eminen, depIee The quality of moral eouraue
No matter how strong the prejudice arains
his PRINCIPLES. or how yirulent the opposi,iol
manifested 10 himself-this fearless man ne
yer faltered.
In 1884 and 1893, he ,raversed Great Brit
ain, lifting his voice against the apprentic
probation, from bondage to liberty, VIII,
was 10 continue in operation for seven year
: in the West Indies. In 1891, the negroe
| in the British colonies were free. In Is3:
/ full of Joy at the triumph of Justice and iii
: erty in his own land, he went TO America
4 order 10 speed the advent of emancipatin
there. But the spirit of Slavery was f
: more ~virulcnt in the land of franklin an
n John Quincy Adams, than ever it had bee
in Britain for in the city where stands o.
Faneuil Hall, the tar kettle was heated al
S the gibbct erected, in order to debate wi
d this foreigner, who had dared 10 come from
!. land of monarchy and aristocraey to tell
i republican America that Americans we
men.
IL the life of George Thompson could ha
a, secured freedom TO The American slave. /,
n. believe that he would have cheerfully laid
~