ROBERT TRIMBLE OF INGLEWOOD AND HIS CIRCLE

Turnbull Library Record, Volume IV, 1 July 1941, Page 13

ROBERT TRIMBLE OF INGLEWOOD AND HIS CIRCLE

C.R.H.T.

The career of Robert Trimble (1824-99) was a notable one in New Zealand, but it is his part in a great cause in the New World that is the subject of this note. Recently the library received as a gift—and a very splendid one, as will be recorded in another place—his well-developed library, through the goodwill of his daughter, Miss Nora Trimble of Inglewood. While not specialising in the question of American slavery, the collection has a small group of books and pamphlets, which are of more than passing interest.

In the forties young Robert Trimble spent some years in the United States, whence came his later interest in that country. Returning to Manchester he represented the New York firm of William Watson and Co., later becoming a partner.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, he placed himself strongly and actively on the northern side by becoming the vigorous honorary secretary of the Emancipation Society which raised considerable sums, and undertook a great deal of other

work for the cause. Trimble himself wrote a number of pamphlets on aspects of the struggle, which of course was waged with almost equal assuiduity on paper and in the held. Others of the movement wrote similarly, and the selected list which follows gives some indication of some of these. It is noticed that a number of these items do not appear in Sabin’s Dictionary of Books relating to America. The group is of interest, too, for the presence of notices of meetings, handbills, open letters, etc. What is presumably a contemporary printing of the song “Dixie” is noticed among these latter.

Among his papers is a manuscript account of the origin and growth of the movement in Manchester, the personalities who supported it, and the books they wrote. The MS is not long, but it gives a good clear picture, here and there especially so. For example, he describes an incident at the inaugural meeting: A debate of an interesting character sprang up. Mr James Spence (the N.S. of the Times and author of The American Union), was present and in eloquent terms denounced the hypocrisy of the North, and praised the “chivalry” of the South. Slavery was pronounced “scriptural” and “patriarchal” and poor Onesimus was trotted out once more to prove that injustice is the very highest form of justice. He sat down with an air of triumph, which I can never forget. Applause was loud and continuous. Before it was over a man that I then only knew by name, but knew intimately ever after, was upon his feet, waiting for attention. Mr Spence was a dainty looking little man, with a pleasant voice and graceful presence. The man about to reply, John Patterson by name, was a hurley Ulster man with loud voice and energetic action. As soon as Mr Patterson got a hearing, he took a little Bible out of his pocket and first addressed himself to the task of answering the Scriptural arguments of Mr Spence. He made the house ring with denunciations of Man-stealers, and of oppressors of the poor. The year of Jubilee was not forgotten, in fact the little pocket Bible had the effect of a gigantic bombshell. Neither before nor since have I heard so able an extempore rejoinder. There was no occasion for further discussion. The resolution was put and carried almost unanimously.”

It is probable that further research in this new acquisition would reveal other aspects of interest, when, a later notice in these pages will appear.

TRIMBLE, Robert. Slavery in the United States of North America. A lecture delivered in Liverpool, December 1861. 31 p., Young, Liverpool (etc.), 1863. The Negro, North and South: The Status of the colonial population in the Northern and Southern States of America compared. 34p., Young, Liverpool (etc.), 1863. Popular Fallacies, relating to the American Question. A lecture, delivered in November, 1863. 36p. Young, Liverpool, 1863. A Review of the American struggle, in its military and political aspects from the inauguration of President Lincoln . . . till his re-election . . . 48p. Young, Liverpool (etc.), 1864. The Present Crisis in America. lOp. Young, Liverpool (etc.), 1865. HARCOURT, W. Vernon. Belligerent rights of maritime capture by Historicus (pseud.). 22p. Webb & Hunt, Liverpool, 1863. NARRATIVE of privations and sufferings of United States Officers and Soldiers while prisoners in the hands of the rebel authorities . . . 283 p. Printed for the U.S. Sanitary Commission, Philadelphia, 1864. The MARTYRDOM of John Brown. The Proceedings of a public meeting held in London . . . to commemorate the fourth anniversary of John Brown’s death. 22 (plus 1) p. Emancipation Society, London, 1864. CORDNER, John. Canada and the United States: an address on the American Conflict delivered at Montreal . . . December 22, 1864. ix, 30p. Ireland & Co., Manchester, 1865.

ELDER, William. Debt and resources of the United States and the effect of Secession upon the trade and industry of the Loyal States. 32p. (Philadelphia, 1863.) OUR BURDEN and our strength, or a comprehensive and popular examination of the debt and resources of our country . . . 39p. Loyal Publication Society (New York, 1864.) LOWE, Charles. The condition and Prospects of the South: a discourse delivered in Somerville, Mass., June 4, 1865. Bp. Walker, Fuller, Boston, 1865. SUMNER, Charles. Our foreign relations . . . speech before the citizens of New York . . . Sept. 10, 1863. 80p. Young Men’s Republican Union, New York, 1863. CAIRNES, J. E. England’s neutrality in the American contest. 23p. Emancipation Society, London. 1864. BARRINGTON, Wm. L. The True Origin of the American Rebellion ... a lecture . . . 33p. Webb, Dublin, 1865. SMITH, Goldwin. England and America: A lecture . . . before the Boston Fraternity . . .x, 36p. Ireland and Co., Manchester, 1865. STURTEVANT, J. M. English Institutions and the American Rebellion. Extracts from a lecture ... at Chicago, April 28, 1864 .. . 32p. Ireland and Co., Manchester, 1864. SINCLAIR, Peter. Freedom or slavery in the United States. 160 p. Union & Emancipation Society, Manchester, 1863. The LIFE of Abraham Lincoln, late President of the American Republic. (Reprinted from the “Morning Star’’) .. . 16p. Heywood, Manchester, 1863. AMERICAN Thanksgiving Dinner, at St. James’ Hall, London November 26th, 1863. 94p. Ridgway, London, 1863. OUR RESOURCES. A series of articles on the financial and political condition of the United States. 32p. Trubner, London. 1864.

FORSTER, W. E. Speech . . . on the slaveholder’s Rebellion; and Professor Goldwin Smith’s Letter on the Morality of the emancipation proclamation. 15p. Union & Emancipation Society, Manchester, 1863. WADDINGTON, John. The American crisis in relation to slavery. 32p. Stock, London. 1862. POTTER, Thomas Bayley. Report of the proceedings at a Conversazione ... The report of Dr. Massie respecting his anti-slavery mission to the American clergy and churches. 33p. Union and Emancipation Society, Manchester, 1863. NEWMAN, F. W. Character of the Southern States of America . . . 14p. Union & Emancipation Society, Manchester, 1863. SECOND ANNUAL REPORT of the Freedmen and Soldiers’ Relief Association. Bp. Chronicle Print, Washington, D.C., 1864. NARRATIVE of the cruise of the Alabama and list of her officers and men. By one of the crew. 16p. London, 1864.