Elihu Burritt

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Elihu Burritt (1810–1879) was an American philanthropist, linguist, and social activist born in the town of New Britain, Connecticut in 1810. He was active in many causes, namely opposing slavery, working for temperance, and trying to achieve world peace. These accomplishments caused President Lincoln to appoint him as a United States consul in Birmingham, England. He published over 37 books and articles, including Sparks from the Anvil and Ten Minute Talks. In 1847, his pamphlet Four Months in Skibbereen made residents of the United States more aware of the Potato Famine in Ireland. Elihu Burritt died in 1879 in New Britain.

Wikisource has an original article from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica about:

Burritt, Elihu

He possessed an extraordinary aptitude for languages which allowed him to attain his marvelously rapid mastery of them. Having first followed the occupation of blacksmith, his remarkable mental traits earned for him the title "Learned Blacksmith."

During his time in Birmingham he lived in a modest house in the then still rural viallge of Harborne to the west of the town. The house which he named New Britain Villas still stands. He was actively involved the local community, taking part in the committee for the rebuilding of the nearby St. Peter's Church. He recorded his thoughts on the industrialization of communities in the nearby Black Country in his book, Walks in the Black Country.

During a trip abroad in 1846–47, he was deeply touched by the suffering of the Irish peasantry. In 1848, he organized a precursive entity to the League of Nations and the United Nations called the first international congress of the Friends of Peace, which convened in Brussels in September, 1848. A second "Peace Congress" met in Paris in 1849 presided over by Victor Hugo. Burritt attended the "Peace Congresses" at Frankfort on the-Main in 1850, London in 1851, Manchester in 1852, and Edinburgh in 1853.

The outbreak of the Crimean War in Europe and the War of the Rebellion in the United States jolted his senses. He realized that his conceptions of universal brotherhood and international arbitration were not making an impression on the leaders of nations. Burritt advocated that Britain, (mother of Uniform Penny Post in 1840), should introduce an Ocean Penny Post. He urged the use of illustrated propaganda envelopes. Their objective was to reduce international mail rates from origin to destination to 3d instead of one shilling. Namely to 1/4 of what the maritime postal rates were, with the sea element reduced to 1d. He argued this would increase international correspondence, trade, and hence universal brotherhood. Postal rates were gradually reduced, but his objective was not entirely achieved in his lifetime.