1829 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE. Letter Regarding Potential Bribery to Long-Time Friend, Francis Freeling.

A very attractive letter and, unusually, entirely in the hand of Wilberforce. By 1829, his eyesight was so poor, he rarely penned letters, but dictated them and then would sign in his own hand.

The present appears to be perhaps a case of attempted bribery, in which an expensive packet was sent to Wilberforce, but Freeling, by now the head of the Royal Post for England, had sent him a letter warning him of its arrival and that he should not open it. 

Freeling and Wilberforce were both abolitionists and, given the timing of the letter, we should not be surprised if the pamphlets were perhaps anti-abolitionists, or calls for charting a more modest course, and the gift meant to sweeten their reception. 

Other correspondence between Freeling and Wilberforce, dating to as as early as 1818 and on through the 1820's, is held by the Boston Public Library 

Lord Calthorpe's. Grosvenor Square.
Monday ye 22d June, 1829. 

My Dear Sir Fras.

Unfortunately, opening your obliging letter in a hurry, & seeing the contents of yr packet returned, I opened your letter before I had penned yours. But I assure you on the honour of a Gentleman, and what I deem a higher sanction, the faith of a Christian, I have not read one word of the letter had I discovered that I ought not to have opened it & scarcely a word of the pamphlet. I therefore cannot think them worth my accepting, as I think it right to act on a general principle in such cases, I [do] not take in expensive letters when sent by those who have not title to address them to me. 

Thanking you for your obliging attention,
I remain Dear Sir Fras,
Your faithful servant,

W. Wilberforce.

Sir Fras. Freeling, Bart [Baronet].

In very good condition.