Thomas Jackson Signature

Passionate Abolitionist and
Witness to the American Civil War

THE ENTIRE COLLECTION


JS_letter_1859-01-21

John Jackson is a Latin speaking teacher

 

This letter notably reinforces our opinion that John had become a school teacher and was not shy of patronizing his older brother with his educational superiority, including his fluency in Latin.

Alfreton, Jan 21st,1859

My dear brother William,

I am not aware that a “good comfortable supper” can possibly be a bad thing in but I should say that a good comfortable breakfast is a better thing, perhaps you will say that a good breakfast, dinner and supper is the best of all. 

If the cranberry jam was “jam up” I suppose it was not many minutes before it was jam down , as for the word adendon if I had to be cleaned I would clammed till I could parse it my countenance would answer to the expressive form of hatchet. I think I know what it should be. It is a Latin word addendum, plural addenda nouns (ending) in um are neuter.

You don’t say much about opinion of your towns people in relation to slavery whether there any red hot for it or red hot against it, I suppose there will be a few of the latter,   I am afraid the race of anti-diluvian’s is not yet extinct.  Americans have something to learn as well as English men. 

You remind me that it is a free country. Robert Cope thinks they won’t rest in America will till they have a king.  You can tell 

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them for me that they will be a poor degenerate and besotted race of vassels if they do. 

January 26 

I paid Alfred Booth some time ago £13 which was the whole that he demanded and have got a receipt for it, so that will not have to be thought much about.

Quad facis in pecunioso ligno? Dic me in letteris futuris vestris.  Pecuniae noultiebe habere expectabo audire. Dics me ,aco, in Latina lire guar.  

If you write less, than you did perhaps you mean to make up in eloquence. 

Mr. Vincent has been to Eastwood and some of the others have told you.  He is an ardent admirer from Cromwell, he said that it had been attempted to show that he was descended maternally from the Stewarts. I can’t exactly remember Mr. Vincent’s words but he said some thing so to this effect, that whatever faults Cromwell had, it was certain that he was not guilty of having any Stewart blood in his veins. 

At the conclusion of his lecture he spoke of Cromwell as a warning, that when God wishes to punish any family of man or nation his instruments are at hand work men have very little

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Idea whose they exist. I have go the book back now so that I am not in the best time for writing however you must just take what comes and be grateful.

We have got Dr Livingston’s book at least it is at Eastwood note so we expect a treat in reading it

We are expecting a reform bill next session. I will ultimately prove of its uselessness here. I dare almost say that the suffrage will not be universal I suppose it is in.   If there are no class distinctions by law in America the friedman  the slaves, there are many who think themselves far superior and noble than their poorer neighbours   I feel so anxious to finish my and try and cure  my letter for he that shall to spin out non by the yard.   

I suppose you don’t see see much of slavery where you are but you hear much said against it or in favor of it. I should think you occasionally men of allegations and of all shades of colour. 

Have you got crops of grass there and other things as fine as in England. I saw in the pioneer some extracts from a speech made by a gentleman who says that the me. capital are to farming and if they get a less price than used to be in England before the cornrows were expected, they make up for it in

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 half as much again off the same ground. 

Now I must fain conclude before I shall have filled my paper. I think I must not inflict any cross writing upon you this time. 

We have had ? mild weather here till today when the wind has been cold. How do you get on with the weather? Have you had any much?

 

With kind love. I remain your affectionate brother 

John Slater

 

John Slater writes from Alfreton, a small town about 20 miles north of Eastwood and Ilkeston, the family homes of the Slaters and the Jacksons.

Here he appears to be responding to an earlier letter from William Slater in which there was some reference to dropping a slice of bread and jam.  This gave John a chance to indulge in a cute banter of words.

Then he nudges William to provide information about the state of  slavery in America and goes on to show his disdain for those who still support it.  

He makes reference to a Mr Henry Vincent visiting Eastwood to speak about Cromwell. Anyone interested can find references to Henry Vincent’s speeches on Wikipedia. He seems to have been an impactful advocate as supported by his bio on Wikipedia

Finally John makes reference to local crops and questions William about similarities in America.

It may be that John also farmed in Alfreton.