Passionate Abolitionist and
Witness to the American Civil War
Passionate Abolitionist and
Witness to the American Civil War
This letter was sent to William Slater who had arrived in America in June 1857 to work with TJ (see letter June 30th in Relatives’ Letters) but had to be let go as TJ did not have enough work for his full time workers.
Obviously the letter that was opened in error by Mrs Hicks (TJ’s landlady after his wife died). It was for William but arrived after he had left Reading and returned home.
Most of page 2 deals withTJ’s dissatisfaction with how society was progressing, not least his declaration that “ I have lost all hope and confidence in a people that have openly proclaimed to all the world that their love of liberty is only skin deep & depending on texture of the hair.“
Reading Dec 11.1857
Dear Cousin,
Inclosed you will find a letter from England for you. It was received by Mrs. Hicks and she in a hurry at the time and thinking it was from her parents in England opened it without looking at the direction and immediately on finding her mistake, handed it to me to be resealed and sent to you. It is sealed up again & I send it to you with the assurance that no one has read any of the contents. I am sorry that it happened so but it was owing to Mrs. Hicks extreme anxiety to hear from her parents in England that caused the mistake. The boy handed it to her as an English letter and she of course thought it was for her and she was expecting a letter every day.
Time is a very very dull. I have nine men on half time & hardly know how to find them anything to do. But I have to provide for their families anyhow the absolute necessities of life or they would starve. We are great people here – a population of only five to the square mile. Millions upon millions of acres of good rich land that can be bought for 4 –5 shillings English money per acre laying idle and yet all kinds of provisions are dearer than in Europe & many thousands of “the most free and enlightened people in the world” are on the very verge of starvation.
(p2)
Business almost at a stand, currency gone all good for nothing, exchanges in “a confusion worse confounded and everyone afraid his neighbor may swindle him”. And all this too in a time of peace, when we have had no war of any account at all these 10 years past. Such are some (only some) of the glorious results of our most immaculate democracy. If I had a dog I should think him disgraced if I called him a “Democrat.” Democrat would be a much more suitable appellation for some of our chosen rulers of the present day. If I must be under a despotism, at least I would have thin an honest, intelligent. educated and reflecting patriotic despot and not an ignorant, bigoted conceited mass of strutting little despots whose name is legion and who’s great characteristic is selfish folly devoid of principle.
For I call every man utterly unprincipled who, for love of filthy lucre, will rob his fellow man of “liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and every right that be himself holds sacred & dear.
Cousin Will, I have lost all hope and confidence in a people that have openly proclaimed to all the world that their love of liberty is only skin deep & depending on texture of the hair.
I am poorer now than I have been in 20 years, but I enclose you $5. Write me when you want more and I will try to spare you some. I expect I can set you on again in March and shall be glad to see you when you come. Give my love to all & most especially to my dear, good old aunt &
I am your affectionate cousin
T Jackson
This letter records a deep financial and personal depression hitting Thomas Jackson and his business. He not only felt the losses personally but took on the responsibility for continuing to pay his staff when, according to him, there was almost no work to do.
He was still highly critical of the political situation of the time. He despised democrats “If I had a dog I should think him disgraced if I called him a “Democrat” (Because that party was more inclined to perpetuate slavery). He also saw the continuing immorality of how people looked down on slaves and denied them their liberties.
“For I call every man utterly unprincipled who, for love of filthy lucre, will rob his fellow man of “liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and every right that be himself holds sacred & dear.