At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Englishman Martin T. Tupper wrote to president Lincoln, commenting on the role of slavery in shaping the attitudes of the English public towards the conflict. He was, however, careful to distinguish his opinions from those of the British government, which was maintaining a neutral stance at the time. He acknowledged that his nation was sharply concerned about the disruption of its cotton industries, but predicted accurately that England's flexible capitalist system would have secured other sources of cotton from Asia, Africa, and Australia within a couple of years. Consider the role of a broader Atlantic world in the process of emancipation.

Investigate the source using the zoom and navigational tools in the Flash player and then answer the questions below.

1			Why does Tupper feel obligated to write this letter to Lincoln?
2			Do you believe Lincoln would see this letter as a positive or negative voice on the eve of war with the South?
3			What is Tupper's voice in the letter? How does he address Lincoln? How does he address the main topics in the letter?
4			What is Tupper's argument in support of the war? What is his complicated view of the South?
5			How does Tupper end the letter? Is he deferential or paternal in his voice? Why does this matter to appropriately interpreting this letter?