On the 28th of August the bill for the abolition of British slavery received the royal assent. Mr. Buxton sent a copy of it to Mr. Clarkson with the following letter: "My dear Sir, Northrepps Hall, Sept. 22. 1833. "I cannot forward to you the enclosed Act without a line to inquire how you are, and to say how sincerely I trust you are really cheered and happy in the contemplation of the Abolition of Slavery! I am sure you ought to be, for you have greatly contributed towards it. I always think your pamphlet, which first gave us the true tone, was of most essential importance to our cause. Such as it is, it is done; and I do more and more think we ought to be very grateful and satisfied. It is a mighty experiment at best; but we must trust that it will answer to the full, and be as it were the pulling away of the corner-stone of slavery, throughout the world. "I should be delighted to hear your opinion of the mea sures. "Yours very faithfully, "T. F. BUXTON." "Dear Mr. Buxton, "Playford Hall, Sept. 25. 1833. "I received your letter the day before yesterday, and I can truly say in answer to it, that I am immeasurably, more than I can express, thankful to God, for that rich display of his mercy, which at length, in his own good time, he has vouchsafed to manifest to the long lost children of the African race. That the bill is not entirely what I wished I have no objection to confess; but yet I am thankful, inexpressibly thankful for it. "I tremble to think what might have been the consequences, if you had refused the proposals of Government. What would another administration have done, had it been left to them? We may judge of this by the speeches of the Duke of Wellington last session. * "Yours most truly, "T. CLARKSON.” CHAP. XXI. 339 CHAPTER XXI. 1833, 1834. LETTERS.- GOOD ACCOUNTS FROM THE WEST INDIES. SUMMER. ROTHSCHILD. Now that slavery had fallen, Mr. Buxton looked forward with delight to the leisure which lay before him. The autumn proved, however, to be one of much sorrow. Early in September, the eldest son of Mr. Hoare, a young man of the highest promise*, began to sink under consumption; and closely as the two families were linked together, the blow which fell upon the one, was felt almost as keenly by the other. It is to this event that the following letters refer: To Samuel Hoare, Esq. "Northrepps Hall, Sept. 1. 1833. "Your letter was very painful, and made us very truly and very bitterly sympathise with you. I know by sorrowful experience, how much is to be endured, and how many tormenting changes there are in the disease. There is, however, one part of his case, which is liable neither to anxiety nor change. He has built upon a rock. A century hence it will signify nothing, whether at this time he was stronger or weaker in body; but it will then and for ever after be a matter of the greatest moment, that he held a certain and just hope of eternal life through Christ. * See Mr. Buxton's letter to him in 1827, p. 167. "I had intended to have divided a great part of this day between you and myself, that is, between a review of your circumstances and of my own mind, which particularly wants setting to rights. It is difficult to say what I mean, so as to be understood, but I find there is such a thing as bringing the mind actually to partake of the cares and sorrows of those we love, and eating the same bread which is before them. However, my intentions were frustrated. We have had a terrible storm, three at least, I fear five or six vessels have foundered at sea, and all hands lost. I started after church, and rode to Sheringham by the sands, and then to Weybourne, where I found a Weymouth vessel on shore. I saw in this excursion eleven vessels on shore, but all lives were saved. I did not get home till half past eight o'clock. The storm is much abated now, but it has had a strange effect among the trees. It is impossible to walk about the wood at the back of the house, or down to the Cottage, except in the broad daylight, so many trees are overturned. So ends this 1st of September. I have, I hope, arranged that some birds shall be slain for you to-morrow, but I must be excused at present, I am in no great mind for shooting." To Mrs. Samuel Hoare. "Northrepps Hall, Sept. 8. 1833. "This has been but a low and gloomy day here, as well as at Hampstead. I think that we have felt as sorely, and as much shared your sorrows, as if we had been on the spot. We have been in a state of much dejection since our return home, and very remarkable it has been. I had made up my mind for months that this was to be a first rate holiday, I was to throw off my arms and my armour, and forget slavery, (except now and then as a relish,) in short, it was to be my business to be merry and happy, at a great rate. The event has not been such. I have tried to shoot, but made only a poor hand of that. However, to-day I got rather near true comfort, and was able to ask, 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God!' And I do see in the event before us great stores of 1833. TO MRS. HOARE. 341 comfort. Nothing less than the greatest comfort would avail; for I do not disguise from myself, that, all things considered, (wife, father, mother, station, prospects of usefulness,) it is an affliction of no common kind. Yet dark as it is, and strongly as it proclaims that all the glory of man is as the flower of the grass, still there is that in it which tells us to gird up the loins of our mind, and rejoice and be glad. After all, in reason as well as in faith, it is no such miserable thing to be somewhat nearer than we supposed we were, to that inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and glorious, which Christ has provided for His own. But, my dearest sister, I shall consume my paper and my time, before I come to the point about which I wish to write. I hope you do not allow yourself to give way to that self-tormenting delusion of unavailing regrets and repentances, as if you had not done all that you might. I think it is a narrow view to suppose that minor matters have had any weighty influence. I believe the sickness came from the hand of God, and that he also ordained the treatment you should resort to. I believe, from first to last it was His doing, and this consideration is sufficient to stifle all complaint as to the event, and all remorse as to the means. Pray do not give way to any regrets, but accept the event as wholly coming from God, and as wholly merciful, and fraught with blessings. I cannot say how deeply and tenderly I feel for each of you." Great anxiety now began to be felt as to the manner in which the Emancipation Act might have been received in the West Indies. The accounts of this event at length arrived, and proved to be highly satisfactory. The planters had received the new law without irritation; the Negroes without excitement or insubordination; and the Colonial legislatures immediately prepared to carry it into effect, on the following 1st of August. "Northrepps Hall, Dec. 29. 1833. "In turning to my prayers for the slavery cause, on last new year's day, I cannot but acknowledge that they have been most signally and surprisingly fulfilled. Thou, O Lord, hast stood forth its advocate, thou hast controlled events, and disposed the nation to the accomplishment of liberty, and that liberty in peace; and peaceful liberty to the slave has been accompanied by increased prosperity to the master; every word of that prayer has been accomplished, and I bless thee for thy signal bounty." * To Miss Buxton at Earlham. 54, Devonshire Street, Feb. 4. 1834. "It is curious how many compliments we West Indian fanatics have had on the success of our measure. I have just been in the House; and among a great variety of congratulators, I saw, who said that nothing could be doing better; and he added, that having lately read my speeches from the first to the last, he must confess that he was surprised to find how true and sound they had been. Stanley whispered, I congratulate you.' I answered, 'I congratulate you.' "But I now come from the House of Lords, where Lord Grey, in reply to the Duke of Wellington, has been pronouncing a splendid eulogium on that beneficent measure,' as it was called in the King's Speech, which extirpated the worst of all human evils;' and taunting the Duke with having been a prophet of evil, whereas nothing but good has as yet resulted. I am quite pleased. This is the impression which the events of the day have made on me. "Love to Joseph and M, quote to them my favourite "Those are not empty hearted, whose low sound Reverbs no hollowness.'† "It applies much to my silent feelings towards them." On the 17th of March, Mr. Stanley gave a most *He overheard one member say to another, "So, after all, the fanatics were right!" † King Lear. |