The Rising Son; or, the Antecedents and Advancement of the Colored RaceBrown, William Wells
History
The Rising Son; or, the Antecedents and Advancement of the Colored Race
Brown, William Wells
African Americans -- Biography; African Americans -- History; Black race; Slavery -- United States
Without any solicitation, the Executive Committee of the American
Anti-slavery Society strongly recommended Mr. Brown to the friends
of freedom in Great Britain. The President of the above Society gave
him private letters to some of the leading men and women in Europe.
In addition to these, the colored citizens of Boston held a meeting
the evening previous to his departure, and gave Mr. Brown a public
farewell, and passed resolutions commending him to the confidence and
hospitality of all lovers of liberty in the mother-land.
Such was the auspices under which this self-educated man sailed for
England on the 18th of July, 1849.
Mr. Brown arrived in Liverpool, and proceeded at once to Dublin, where
warm friends of the cause of freedom greeted him. The land of Burke,
Sheridan, and O’Connell would not permit the American to leave without
giving him a public welcome. A large and enthusiastic meeting held in
the Rotunda, and presided over by JAMES HAUGHTON, Esq., gave Mr. Brown
the first reception which he had in the Old World.
After a sojourn of twenty days in the Emerald Isle, the fugitive
started for the Peace Congress which was to assemble at Paris. The
Peace Congress, and especially the French who were in attendance at
the great meeting, most of whom had never seen a colored person,
were somewhat taken by surprise on the last day, when Mr. Brown made
a speech. “His reception,” said La Presse, “was most flattering. He
admirably sustained his reputation as a public speaker. His address
produced a profound sensation. At its conclusion, the speaker was
warmly greeted by Victor Hugo, President of the Congress, Richard
Cobden, Esq., and other distinguished men on the platform. At the
_soirée_ given by M. de Tocqueville, the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
the American slave was received with marked attention.”
Having spent a fortnight in Paris and vicinity, viewing the sights,
he returned to London. GEORGE THOMPSON, Esq., was among the first to
meet the fugitive on his arrival at the English metropolis. A few days
after, a very large meeting, held in the spacious Music Hall, Bedford
Square, and presided over by Sir Francis Knowles, Bart., welcomed Mr.
Brown to England. Many of Britain’s distinguished public speakers
spoke on the occasion. George Thompson made one of his most brilliant
efforts. This flattering reception gained for the fugitive pressing
invitations from nearly all parts of the United Kingdom.
He narrates in his “Three Years in Europe,” many humorous incidents
that occurred in his travels, and of which is the following:
“On a cold winter’s evening, I found myself seated before the fire,
and alone, in the principal hotel in the ancient and beautiful town
of Ludlow, and within a few minutes’ walk of the famous old castle
from which the place derives its name. A long ride by coach had so
completely chilled me, that I remained by the fire to a later hour than
I otherwise would have.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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