The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-01 00:00:00

Anti-Slavery Demonstration at Manchester.

MANCHESTER, Wednesday Night.

A crowded meeting was held in the Free-trade
Hall this evening, to express sympt►thy with the
Federal emancipation policy and detestation of
slavery. Mr. Alderman Heywood, the mayor, pre-
sided.

Mr. J. C. EDWARDS moved the following resolu-
tion :—"'that this meeting, recognising the common
brotherhood of mankind and the sacred and inalien-
human being to personal free-
able right of every
dom and equal protection, records its detestation of
negro slavery in America, and in the attempt of the
rebellious Southern slaveholders to organise on the
great American continent a nation having slavery
as its basis."
Mr. EVANS, an operative, seconded the resolution,
which was carried by acclamation.
Mr. E. HOOSEN moved the second. resolution, as
follows That this meeting, composed of the in-
dustrial classes of Manchester, desires to record its
profound sympathy with the efforts of President
Lincoln and his colleagues to maintain the Ameri-
can Union, and also its high sense of the justice of '
his proclamation of emancipation, and other mea-
sures tending to give freedom to the slave, and re-
store peace to the American nation." In the course
of his observations Mr. Hoosen praised Mr. Lincoln
as a constitutional ruler. He (Mr. Hoosen) had no
fear of a war between England and America, if
civility and friendliness were observed in the ex-
change of diplomatic relations. Far better would
it be that this country should spend 20 millions in
feeding the operatives of Lancashire than that a
peace should be concluded in America which should
make slavery a permanent institution. (Cheers.)
The resolution was seconded and carried unani-
mously.
The third resolution, which was read and
carried amidst great enthusiasm, embodied the fol-
lowing address to President Lincoln :--
"As citizens of Manchester, assembled at the
Free-trade Hall, we beg to express our fraternal
sentiments towards you and your country. We re-
joice in your greatness, as an outgrowth of England,
whose blood and language you share, whose orderly
and legal freedom you have applied to new circum-
stance, over a region immeasurably greater than our
owl. We honour your free States, as a singularly
happy abode for the working millions, where in-
dustry is honoured. One thing alone has, in the
past, lessened our sympathy with your country
and our confidence in it—we mean the ascend-
ancy of politicians who not merely maintained
negro slavery, but desired to extend and root it
more firmly. Since we have discerned, however,
that the victory of the free North in the war which
has so sorely distressed us as well as afflicted you
will strike off the fetters of the slave, you have at-
tracted our warm and earnest sympathy. We joy-
fully honour you, as the President, and the Congress
with you, for many decisive steps towards practi-
cally exemplifying your belief in the words of our
great founders,' All men are created free and equal.'
You have procured the liberation of the slaves in
the district around Washington, and thereby
made the centre of your Federation visibly free.
You have enforced the laws against the slave trade,
and kept up your fleet against it, even while every
ship was wanted for service in our terrible war.
You have nobly decided to receive ambassadors
front the negro republics of Hayti and Liberia,
thus for ever renouncing that unworthy prejudice
which refuses the rights of humanity to men and
women on account of their colour. In order more
effectually to stop the slave trade you have made
with our Queen a treaty, which your Senate has
ratified, for the right of mutual search. Your Con-
gress has decreed freedom as the law ever in the
vast unoccupied or half-settled territories which
are directly subject to its legislative power. It has
offered pecuniary aid to all States which will enact
emancipation locally, and has forbidden your
generals to restore fugitive slaves who seek
their protection. You have entreated the slave.
masters to accept these moderate offers ; and after
long and patient waiting you, as commander-
in-chief of the army, have appointed to-morrow,
the Ist of Janunry, 1863, as the day of uncondi-
tional freedom for the slaves df the rebel States.
Heartily do we congratulate you and your coun-
try on this humane arid righteous course. We
assume that you cannot now stop short of a com-
plete uprooting of slavery. It would not become
us to dictate any details, but there are broad prin-
ciple of humanity which must guide you. If com-
plete emancipation in some States be deferred,
though only by a predetermined day, still, in the
interval, human beings should not be counted chat-
tels. Women must have rights of chastity and of
maternity, men the rights of husbands, masters the
liberty of manumission. Justice demands for the
black, no less than for the white, the protection of
law—that his voice be heard in your courts.
Nor must any such abomination be tole-
rated as slave-breeding states and a slave
market—if you are to earn the high reward
of all your sacrifices, in the approval of the
universal brotherhood and of the Divine Father.
It is for your free country to decide whether any-
thing but immediate and total emancipation can
secure the most indispensable rights of humanity
against the inveterate wickedness of local laws and
local executives. We implore you, for your own
honour and welfare, not to faint in your Providen-
tial mission. While your enthusiasm is aflame, and
the tide of events run high, let the work be finished
effectually. Leave no root of bitterness to spring
up and work fresh misery to your children. It is,
a mighty task, indeed, to reorganise the industry
not only of 4,000,090 of the coloured roe, but of
5,000,000 of whites. Nevertheless, the vast pro•
gress you have made in the shcrt space of twenty
months fills us with hope that every stain on your
freedom will shortly be removed, and that the
erasure of that foul blot upon civilisation and
Christianity—chattel-slavery—during your presi-
dency will cause the name of Abraham Lincoln to
be honoured and revered by posterity. We are
certain that such a glorious consummation will
cement great Britain to the United States in close
and enduring regards. Our interests, moreover,
are identified with yours. We are truly one people,
though locally separate. And if you have any ill
wishers here, be assured they are chiefly those who
oppose liberty at home, and that they will be power-
less to stir up quarrels between us, from the very
day in which your country becomes, undeniably
and without exception, the home of the free. Ac-
cept our high admiration of your firmness in up-
holding the proclamation of freedom."
Mr. BAZLEY, M.P., and Mr. S. POPE supported
the adoption of the address, and expressed strong
opinions against this country being longer depen-
dent for the supply of the raw material for her
greatest branch of industry on slave-grown cotton.
The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the
Mayor for presiding.