The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-24 00:00:00

The Rev, W. IL Beecher.

Yesterday morning a numerous company, con-
sisting principally of ministers of different Dissent-
ing bodies, assembled at breakfast at Radley's
Hotel, upon the invitation of the " Committee of
Correspondence on American Affairs,' to meet the
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher previous to his deptirture
for America. The Hon. and Rev. B. W. Noel oc-
cupied the chair. The Rev. H. Ward Beecher, who
was received with much cheering, after some pre-
liminary remarks, said he felt ho could speak with
perfect freedom in that assembly as to what he be-
lieved to be the interposition of Providence on his
behalf since he had been in this country. When he
came from the continent he had been for more than
20 weeks without speaking, and was quite out of
training; and after speaking in Manchester, Edin-
burgh, Glasgow, and Liverpool, his voice completely
failed him. He was afraid he would not be able to
speaK in Exeter Hall. When, however, on Tuesday
morning he spoke to himself, he found his voice as
clear as a whistle. Some might say that his re-
covery was owing to the remedies he adopted, but
he was disposed to think that in their use he had the
the direct interposition of the Almighty. Only last
night he received by the mail some very important
documents from America which threw considerable

light on the state of public feeling in New York in
regard to the negro. The late riots were really the
work of the Irish population. Mr. Beecher then
read numerous extracts froth the report of the com-
mittee appointed to relieve the coloured people,
showing the sufferings which the negroes had en-
dured at the hands of the mob, and the energy with
which the merchants and religious congregations
were setting themselves to work to compensate
them, as far as possible, for their sufferings. The
reply to this report, a document admirable for ex-
cellent composition and noble sentiments, was
signed by 12 or 15 coloured men, who were gentle-
men, scholars, and Christians, It was said that
the coloured man was worse off in New
York than in South Carolina; bat, having been in
the latter State, he could bear testimony to the con-
trary being the fact. Hundreds and thousands of
emancipated negroes were being educated by white
people, who asked for no other return but board
and lodging. The Christian Church of the North was
fully conscious of his duty in regard to the black
man. He read other extracts from reports and
other documents to show that in 1861 and subse-
quently nearly all the Christian churches in Ante.
rica had declared against slavery. In the North and
West all the meat intelligent laymen and ministers
of religion had, as a body, settled down in the im-
movable conviction that the war must go on until
the rebellion was crushed and slavery destroyed.
Let Eng and give them credit for having sufficient
reason for that,determination, and for differing from
those who urged peace. So far as the influence of
England was felt on the other side of the Atlantic,
it had been all against liberty and for slavery,
though he did not mean to say that was what she
meant. He hoped, therefore, they would not con-
sider it an unreasonable request if he asked them
to revise their opinions on the subject, and in doing
so not to allJw themselves to be influenced by com-
mercial interests nor by unprincipled newspapers.
Mr. George Thompson moved a resolution testify-
ing the respect and admiration of the meeting for
Mr. Beecher, thanking him for his able service in

the cause, and wishing him God speed on his return
to America. It wss seconded by the Rev. John
Graham, and carried unanimously. Mr. Beecher

expressed a hope that the resolution might be trans-
mitted to his congregation in New York, who had
generously maintained him while abroad. This re-
quest was acceded to, and after a vote of thanks to
tne chairman the proceedings terminated.