The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-19
A Curious Letter from Rusikin-He Thinks
English Slavery Worse Than African:

The troubles In Jamaica and the course pun,
sued by Governor Eyre in suppress'hhss , tho
outbreak Of the negroes continue 10 oe Wy
subject OF excited discussion In EnSinnnhu a On.
In the press and in public meetings. \ ne Tho
don Daily Telegraph publishes ietlet "psnith,x
subject from Mr.. Ruskin. ~ Tha shirt of
this letter has been severely criticiseo' " -
must be admitted that il Is Thoroughly ~ ~,
ish but 1t Is original and clever nn.rihntinn
proceeds from the man. and Is eSn.II .,
- Gor.rnor Evre's strength, or ferocity-as
nsonie may regard it--which VIII tel at the
ppresent moment" The letter is as follows
a. WIN Won allow me, in this informal man
nor 10 EXPRESS what should have wished TO
EXPRESS by signature of the memorial you
publish 10 day from Huddersfield respecting
the Jamaica instruction, and TO thank you 1or
your excellent article OF the lath December on
the same subject. / am compelled to make
this request because ! see my FRIEND Mr.
Thomas Hughes has been abetting the raaical
movement against Governor Eyre; ana rs
employed what little influence have with NJ, inc
London workmen TO aid the return OF Mr.
Hughes for Lambeth, l may, perhaps, w
thought TO concur with him in every me "
action he may see fit subsequently 10 auop up,
Permit me- then, once for all, through your
widely read columns, to say that 1 oia
what / could towards the return pom y!
Mr. J. = Mill and of Mr.. Hughes, hot
because / held with them In All thelT
opinions, or even in the main principle OF
their opinions, but because l knew they
had principle of opinions; that they
were honest, thoughtful and benevolent men,
and far worthier to be in Parliament-eNen
though il might be in opposition to many
causes had at heart-than any other cahd,-
dates / know. They are my opponents In
many things. though thought better OF them
both than that they would countenance thls
fatuous outcry against Governor Eyre. But
In most directions Of thought ana action
they are for liberty, and am FOR lordshlp;
they are mob's men, and am a KING man
creatures who shrivel under your daily
scorn. ! am q Conservative and nope
forever to be n Conservative in the deep
est sense--a reformer not a deformer. Not
that like slavery, or object to the eman-
cipation of any kind or number of blacks,
in due place and time but understand
something more by slavery than either
Mr.. J. $. Mills or Mr.. Hughes, and believe
that white emancipation not only ought to
precede, but must by law of all fate precede,
black emancipation. must dislike the slavery,
10 man. of an African laborer, with spade on
his shoulder; but more dislike the slavery,
to the devil, of Balabrian robber with q gun
on his shoulder. / dislike the American serf-
economy, which separates, occasionally, man
and wife but more dislike the English serf-
economy, which prevents man from being
able to have wives at all. dislike the slavery
which oblges women, if 1t does, to carry their
children over frozen rivers; but more dis
like the slavery which makes them throw their
children into wells. / would willingly hinder
the selling of girls on the Gold Coast; but prl-
marily, If might, would hinder the selling
of them in Mayfair. And, finally, while l
regret the need that may exist among
savages in distant land for the Governor
to do his work sharply and suddenly on them,
far more regret the need among men of race
and capacity for the work of governors when
they have no governor to give ii to them. OF
all dishonorable and impious captivities OF this
age, the darkest was that of England to Russia,
by which she was compelled TO refuse TO give
Greece a king when Greece besought one from
her, and to permit that there should be set on
the Acropolis throne no Governor Eyre, nor
anything like him, but such shadow of
n curse. saying, "Woe to thee oh land, when
thy king is child - Let the men who would
deserve well of England reserve their i'm
peachments, or turn them from those among
us who have saved colonies TO those who have
destroyed nations