The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-18 00:00:00

MRS. BEECHER STOWE IN GLASQO W.

The authoress of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" arrived in
theni Rght,ev. accompanied
Charles B
Beecher
hheerr h(
hues;
brother), and Miss Beecher (her sister). Being rather in
a delicate state of health, Mrs. Stowe kept herself pretty
much within doors for two days after her arrival ; but on
bGalansew on
Professor WedSntoeWse, day
Friday night a grand soirée was held in the City gall, in
her honour. The company which assembled on the oc-
casion was highly respectable, and as numerous as the
hall would contain ; but although Bailie Macdowall, the
senior magistrate occupied the chair, the municipal dig-
nitaries generally did not venture to grace the affair by
their presence. There were likewise scarcely any of
those present who look upon themselvAs as people of
note. The old anti-slavery leaders were likewise absent ;
and this, we are informed, arose from their having been
a split in the camp three or four years ago, when the
present leaders raised .a new standard, on which an
evangelical motto was inscribed, which the &male the
Murrays, and others regarded as intended to exclude
association with some of the real abolitionists in America,
and in which consequently, they could not concur. But
notwithstanding all these drawbacks, the meeting was
conducted with great spirit, and seemed abundantly
gratifying to all concerned.
The time for commencing the proceedings was half-
past six o'clock, but it was ten minutes to seven before
the chairman made his appearance upon the platform,
with Mrs. Stowe leaning upon his arm. The company
immediately got upon their feet and gave the lady a very
hearty welcome. Mrs. Stowe and her husband being
seated on the right hand of the chairman, and the Rev.
Mr. Beecher on the left, and the other parties on the
platform arranged in due order.
The Rev. Dr. PATTERSON, at the request of the chair-
man, asked a blessing upon the proceedings.
This was followed by a service of tea and the usual
accompaniments.

Bailie MACDOWALL then, in a short speech, explained
that in the month of November last the ladies com-
posing the committee of the "Female New Abolition
Society," in this city, agreed to send an invitation to
Mrs. Stowe to visit this city, which they did through
Dr. Wardlaw, thinking that a visit from that much re-
spected lady would eminently tend to awaken and ex-
tend stronger sympathies in behalf of the oppressed, and
to promote the cause of abolition. To that invitation
Mrs. Stowe frankly and kindly responded, and it was
now their privilege to have along with her her husband
and her brother as their guests this evening. (Loud
cheers.) The chairman concluded by welcoming Mrs.
Stowe to Glasgow in the name of the company.
Professor STOWE, in rising to address the company,
was enthusiastically cheered. Ladies and gentlemen,
.ie said, to the free city of Glasg )w, in the name of Mrs.
Stowe, and in my own name, I wish to thank you for
the cordiality of your reception, but I cannot find
words to do it. Is it true that all this affectionate in-
terest is merited ? (Cheers and cries of "Yes.") I can-
not help feeling, in regard to " Uncle Tom's Cabin,"
very much in the same manner as one of the characters
in it felt with regard to herself—" I don't 'specks no-
body ever made that book, I 'specks it growed."
(Laughter.) Under the pressure of a horrid slave law
the book sprung up as it were out of the soil ready
made. (Applause.) I regret exceedingly that in con-
sequence of the very feeble state of Mrs. Stowe's health,
and in consequence of the great pressure of engage-
ments upon myself of a public nature—engagements
in the cause of humanity, which cannot be pretermit-
ted for any private feelings on our part—we are
only able to respond to much of your kindness
with kind wishes in return, as we will not be able
to give you a great deal of our time. Had we con-
sulted our own feelings we would have been very happy
to have spent entire summer amongst you ; but
the state of Mrs. Stowe's health is such that she cannot
bear so much kindness, and the state of my engagements
is such that, besides 'visiting different places in this coun-
try, by the Ist of June next I must be again in America
to attend to the duties of my situation. Will you, the
people of Glasgow, therefore, excuse us for not being in
a condition to meet all your kindness as we could desire,
and accept this public expression of our thanks for all
the kindness intended to us, as well as for all we have
experienced and can find it in our power to accept. When
I was about to start from Andover a friend said to me,
" Why do you go to Scotland, the people will kill you
with kindness ?" I said, "I fear it will be so," but I
have found that while you are kind, you are at the same
time considerate. It was in this city the idea of inviting
Mrs. Stowe to this country originated, and well might
it have originated here, for when was the city of Glas-
gow not in earnest in the cause of freedom ? You had a
hard struggle yourselves on this subject, and I suppose,
therefore, you can feel for those who are now struggling
in the same cause, and surrounded by far greater diffi-
culties than ever accompanied the anti-slavery move-
ment in Great Britain. I love to think this invitation
came from Glasgow and from Scotland, for Scotland has
ever been distinguished by its love of freedom. Almost
all the religious denominations in the United States have
been silenced on the subject of slavery, but there are two
denominations which have never been silenced. Those
two denominations have always stood firm, the old
Scotch Covenanters and the old Scotch seceders. (Ap-
plause.) Although lam sorry to say it, this has not
been altogether the case with the United Presbyterians,
but if they remain slaveholders they must go to another
body. (Applause.) The Congregationalists, lam happy
to say, are generally free from the taint, Although they
are not so open and bold in their opposition to slavery
as they ought, but are a good deal more polite and easy
of the subject than the opponents of the system would
desire. But there is one denomination entirely free
from all participation in the evil, and that is the disciples
of old Wm. Penn. (Loud applause.) There is not one
Quaker in the United States who owns a slave, and not
one of them can hold a slave without being excluded
from the body. (Cheers.) At one period, however,
many of the Quakers were involved in slaveholding as
well as others ; but they set earnestly to work to get rid
of the evil, and they soon succeeded in doing so. They
did not hold public meetings, pass resolutions, and de-
nounce the syStem ; but they appointed committees of
their number to remonstrate with the individuals who
held slaves, and to persevere in their labours until their
object waii attained, And they succeeded in less than