The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-17 00:00:00

NEGRO EMANCIPATION.

A very crowded meeting was held yesterday, at
the London Tavern, to hear an address from Mr. M. D.
Conway, of Eastern Virginia, in furtherance of the above
object, and with special reference to Mr. Roebuck's late
speech at Sheffield.
Mr. BRIGHT, M.P., presided. The hon. gentleman, whose
appearance was balled with rounds of applause, proceeded
to argue that with slavery. the supply of cotton must
always be insufficient and insecure. Imagine (he said)
what of course some will say we have no right
to imagine—imagine the war over and the union
restored—(hear, hear)—and slavery abolished—does any
man suppose that there would be in the South one
single negro fewer than there is now! On the contrary, I
believe there would be none. (Hear, hear.) I believe there
are many Degrees in the Northern States, and even in
Canada, who, if the lash and the chain and the branding
iron, and the despotism of which they were not allowed even
to complain, were abolished for ever, would turn to the
sunny land of the South. and find themselves happier and
more woeful than they ever an be in a more Northern
climate. More than that, there would be a constant emi-
gration or migration from the North to the South. Ones
abolish slavery in the South, and the whole
of that beautiful and fruitful country weld
be open to the enterprise and industry of all.
And turther, when you find that not fewer than 4,000 emi-
grant. from Europe, almost all ofithem, landed at New York
in one day, do you suppose that these people would ill go
north and west at once ? Would not some of them turn
their faces southward, to a climate more genial, a void men
fruitful, and with finer rivers, but from all which advantages
they are now abut out by the accursed power which slavery
exercises? With freedom you would have a gradual filling
up of the wildernesses of the Southern States ; you would
have brought them not only population but capital and in-
dustry ; you would have roads, and schools, god everything
that tends to produce growth end prosperity. (Cheers.) I
maintain, and I believe that my opium will be supported
by all those men who are most conversant with
American affairs, that with slavery abolished and freedom
firmly established in the South, you would find in ten
years a rapid increase in the growth of cotton, and not only
would this growth be rapid, but the permanent increase
would be secure. (Cheers.)
Mr. CONWAY then proceeded with his address. As show•
big the injurious influences of slavery, he pointed oat that
in Virginia alone there were 100,000 grown-up whites who
could neither reed nor write, while in the Northern States
there were free schools everywhere, and the State provided
the means of education for every one. In the South there
was no freedom of speech, he himself having been driven
from his home and his family, his all hope, simply because
he ventured to express his opinion against slavery ; whereas
in the North there was freedom of speech foe ell The OW
of Mr. Vallaucligham was no exception. For two y7ears
Mr. Val andigham was allowed to denounce the President
and the government as be pleased in parliament,and was ooly
interfered with when he west to a place where disaffection
existed, and made speeches calculated to seduce the soldiery
from their allegiance, where in fact freedom of speech be-
came treason. He held that the great object of
the Southern States was to establish a republic
founded upon slavery, and extending throughout
' the entire Union, and in proof quoted the declaration of
South Carolina, the speeches of Mr. Jefferson Davis and
others, and extracts from recent numbers of the Richmond
newspapers. He then proceeded to defend President Lincoln
from the attacks of Mr. Roebuck, contending that the former
was justified in his policy throughout, both with regard to
,[ the war and the emancipation of the slaves, limiting that
emancipation to the revolted dates.
Mr. BRIGHT, in tire course of Mr. Conway's address,
stated that in consequence of the impossibility ot accom-
modating in that hall (the large banquet-room of the tavern)
the many hundreds who had crowded upon the stairs, in the
perigee, and in the street in front, Sua4ex.hall had been
taken, sad a supplementary meeting was being held there.
Mr. MULLISON submitted a reeolotion of thanks to Mr.
Conway for his address, and expressing hearty sympathy
with the cause with which his name was identified.
The resolution was seconded.

By half-past seven o'clock the crowd outside the
London Tavern had become so dense as completely to block
up the thoroughfare, sod Mr. Baxter Langley, a member
of the council of the Emancipation Society, proceeded to
Smear-hall, and engaged that place for a second meeting.
On this being announced the greater portion of the
amembled crowd proceeded to that place, which in its turn
became exoeseirely fu!l, and • third meeting would have
been held had • place been obtainable.
Mr. J. ftwaasneox, common councilman for Biaboregate,
was voted to the chair. . . .

Mr. G. THOSIP*ON hoped those who had been disap-
pointed in obtaining admission to the intellectual feast
at the London Tavern would feel satisfied with the bumble
fare prepared for Clem. He then entered into a history
of the causes that hid led to the present conflict in America,
and moved the following resolution i—" That this meeting
views with the deepest aversion sod horror the proposal of
the member for Shellield, Mr. Roebuck, that free and phi-
lanthropic England el.oukl recognise the Southern slave-
holding oligarchy, and thus admit tutu the fraternity of
nations a body of men wbo deny the rights of labour, ignore
' the aerial ties and social virtues in the labourer, and wbo
' propose blasphemously to make the cornerstone of their
government the accursed institution of slavery."
The Rev. Mr. Bertrand eecouded the resolution • which
was supported by Mr. Robinson, and by Mr. Partridge, of
Birmingham, and carried by acclamation, without one
dissentient.

If rThtasoir, the escaped slave, friaries sddremed the
meeting, a vote of thmaka to the chainnau terminated the
proceedings.

THE ACCIDENT OR THE LONDON AND
BRIGHTON RAILWAY.

At the inquest at Streatham, yesterday, after
our report left,
Thomas Hank, foremen at Cares India rubber works, said
be was by the Streatham-common station when the accident
occurred, and saw the engine coming towards him. He stated
that he saw what is believed to be the dome of the engine
fly off about thirty yards before the engine left the rails, and
after that the engine gave a jump eel turned over on ite
side ; then he heard a dull report which he thought was
nude by the fall. The driver and firemen were on the en-
gine when he saw the pieces of the boiler fiy off.
Thomas Bailey. • signal-man, stationed at Streatham-
COM MOO station, gave reasons why he did not consider the
train could have been going at excessive speed. He did not
register the train, as the train did not reach his box.
Charles Hewett, hoed porter at the East Croydon station,
stated that the train was despatched four minutes late, the
engines having been coupled sefely by his orders, with the
funnel towards the train.

--ointiel---Yollarxl--I;avieg then intimated that he was
obliged to leave, the inquiry wee adjourned, the jury
readily assentirig, as it would atom the opportueity of ob-
taining the evidema of the fireman Tribe.

RAILWAY AND PUBLIC COMPANIES tht PARLIA3IIM7.
Yesterday the committee of tLe Houle of Lords Invites
settled the clauses of the Great Western and West Midland
Amalgamation Bill, pitied tho companino bill of the same
companies foe the amalgamation of the Great Western, West
sad South Wales 'Railways. The bills for the
Newport Pagnell Railway, names Embankment (new
street from Blackfriile to the Mansion-boom). and Birken-
head lomroventeut were also passed ; North Eastern (New-
castle and Starbeck branches) ; Cockertuouth, Keiwick and
Penrith Railway ; Ely Valley Railways ; Seaton cod Beer
end L. orlon and £s.,uth Western and Andover arid Red-
bridge and Llauelly ttailweys. The atm of the South York-
shire Railway was caooluded, but the committee postponed
their deados to this day.