The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-30
In Remembrance of
SEPT STURGE,
Who Died on
The l4TH OF FIFTH Month, 1859.
Aged G5 Years.

Such is the inscription on a card Just reeI=-e-
ed from Birmingham, England. In the ress.-
val Of this eminent philanthropist to a b. sr
world, his native land has been deprived of ssie
OF its best men, and it may be said, withouL.J =
aggeration, that the world is loser by thiss.all
event Though his affections were strontl5
centered in happy home and cOngeuial cirele,
yet they embraced the kingdom, and exteeaed
to all men, He might have said, Wher5 ser
there is human want to relieve, there is, :;
country. Let us see.
Mr.. Surge was born Of Quaker parents ~
Elberton, near Bristol, August 2, 1893. 'Itii
father was a farmer, and he was the sixth men
Der of the family bearing in direct succesign
the name of Joseph Surge, which he rransr54ta
to his only son, now twelve years of age. lie
first commenced business at Bewdley, on r5ri,
wing at maturity, as a general dealer in on n
called, III England, cOrn-merchant, and afzr
wards, in 1922, settled at Birmingham. Bftf
and at Gloucester, in partnership with =
brother, under the firm of Joseph and ChalIs4
Surge he continued to carry on the husinG7
until his death. The firm was recognised >
one of the principal corn-dealiug houses in Z :
world, their sales OF foreign and domestic gr$4f
often amounting yearly TO millions of dollars
Though so largely engaged i'll business traisS
actions, he devoted much of his time, and laf<,e
portions of his wealth, to objects of private -:
general benevolence. He did this unosteeSa
tiously, but perseveringly, and his benevoiE al
efforts took a wide range. His sympathtes
were especially with the poor, the enslaved
and all who needed helper. He was distin-
guished by his great exertiOns against Slavery
on behalf of peace, in opposition to the corn
laws, in the promotion of the principles of total
abstinence, in the establishment of Reformation
sahrnlS md lar Of bo n.
franchise.
His first appearance in public life was in the
year 1893, from which time until the final aboli
ton of Slavery in the British dominions, he
worked with Wilberforce, Clarkson, Brougham
Buxton, and others, helping the cause with hi.
pen, tongue, and purse.
| In 1894, he married Eliza, daughter of james
| Chopper, Esq, of Liverpool, and thus became
/ related TO the extensive family circle of which
! that eminent man was the centre and whose
motto was, Z" to love every man, and to fear NJ
man This marriage, however. was of shor
duration. His wife and only child being re
moved by death, he devoted himself with re
newed zeal to the cause of suffering humanity
and thus found a solace for his grief in admin
| istering TO the necessities and assuaginr tn,
SORROWS OF others. His sister Sophia, to whom
he was warmly attached and who possessed ,
| kluuiCu oliitts NdS TIE counsellor, colleague
and ever ready helpmate other brother in ali hi
multifarious designs for doing good, until 1915
when she was removed by death. The Bin
mingham Pilot said of her: "Never perhaps
were the active and passive virtues of the M
man character more tremendously and beaut
| fully blended than in this exalted woman
Believing that the apprenticeship system wa
in fact a continuance of Slavery, he made
journey to the West India Islands in 1887, a
his own cost, at the head of deputation, to ex
anime the state of the negro population.
large amount of information was collected
which Mr.. Surge on his return to England lai
before the parliamentary committee. The sui
stance of it was afterwards published in a vol
ume, entitled THE West Indies in 1897, b
Joseph Surge and Thomas Harvey" Mi
Surge was mainly instrumental in procurih
the act OF Parliament by which Slavery in ever
form was declared to be abolished in tn
British dominions.
On his way home from the West Indies b
visited New York, to form an acquaintane
with the leading Abolitionists of the Unite
States, and to inquire into the state Of Amer
can Slavery.
The AntCorn League in its early DAYS wa
deeply indebted to Mr.. Surge. who was the il
innate friend of the distinguished leader +
that great enterprise, Mr. Richard Colder
Immediately on his return to England. at tn
, request of the League, Mr.. Surge took no ia
extension of the suffrage, being the Presider
of" The British Complete Suffrage Association.
and the following year contested the boroug
I Of Nottingham. He failed in the election. br
it was against powerful opposition, and til
lavish appliances of money and liquor, neitht
, of which would Mr.. Surge permit to be use
on his behalf. So consistent was he in pra
ticing his principles, that he would not go I'M
J the election until it had been first ascertaine
t by show of hands, that he was the choice
5 a majority of the people, only portion of who