The New York herald., 1862-12-06

ths price Of their papers. and hops thereby to
wiz not save them 1t may prolong their ex-
istenoe for short time; but sooner or later they
must yield to the just and righteous punish
ment that awaits them for their incendiary
course, and disappear from our midst, to be
remembered only by those who hare been led
astray by their pernicious doctrines.
The Munificence and Magma nimisy OF
the American People.
The meeting of New York merchants, at
the hall of the Chamber of Commerce, on Thurs
day. was more than ordinarily important
The object Of the meeting was to devise means
aad raise supplies for the relief Of the suffering
operatives Of Lancashire, England The sad
story of these English workingmen has often
been related in our columns and by the Eng
lish press, and is already familiar to our
readers. The Southern rebels, by assailing
this government, have brought on civil war
oneof the results Of which has been o stringent
blockade of the cotton ports and consequent
stoppage of the cotton manufactures in Eng
land. The operatives in these factories, thus
deprived Of employment, are now in the most
wretched and even starving condition. With
their families and dependents they number be-
tween two and three millions of people. or
these persons, according to the reports by the
last steamers, three hundred and thirty thou
sand are receiving relief from the guardians
of the Poor and the local committees. The
others are aided as much as possible by
charitable folk. in England, who subscribe mo-
neys and contribute boxes, bales and bundles
of clothing and provisions, which are collected
at certain designated depots and distributed by
suitable agents. No country, however, can
manage such an immense mass Of pauperisn
single handed and the victims Of the cotton
famine appeal to the whole world for sympathy
and assistance. In answering this appeal we
present an example Of munifcence and magma
nimity which history will be proud to record
Involved in tremendous war, we have yet the
spirit TO be generous and, while with one hand
we battle with rebellion, with the other hand
we alleviate the sufferings which the rebellion
has brought upon Englishmen.
The merchants who called and attended the
meeting on Thursday were true to the tradi-
tions Of their country. During the Greek rovo-
luton, which began in 1924, the Polish
revolution in 1880, and the Hungarian
revolution in 1s4s, the American people
gave every possible encouragement, and
liberal supplies of money and material, to
the suffering people, To the starving Por-
tuguese of the Cape de Verde Islands we sent
shipload after shipload of provisions and thou
sands upon thousands of dollars. When famine
devastated Ireland, in 1S47, nothing could ex-
ceed the energy with which our government
and our people labored to remove the distresses
which the failure of crops and the cupidity Of
English landlords had brought upon the inha-
bitants of the Green Isle. Ships were loaded
with breadstuffs and sent ont to Ireland from
New York and Boston. The government de-
spatched the sloop-of-war Macedonian with
cargo of provisions for the same purpose.
Meetings were held and funds raised in all our
principal cities, and the contributions were so
general that after the wants of Ireland had
been supplied there was fund of thirty
thousand dollars left in the hands of
trustees in this city. This sum, with its inte-
rest, will probably be devoted to the bene-
ft of the Lancashire sufferers, and we
call upon the trustees to produce it imme-
diately. Still more recently, when the yel-
low fever ragged at Norfolk and other Southern
cities in 1856, the Northern States sent them
not only money, provisions, clothing and all
sorts of necessaries, but even physicians and
nurses, who braved the dreadful pestilence for
sweet charity's sake. Nor must we forget the
magnificent donations which the citizens of Cali
present conflict, have bestowed upon our Sani-
tary Commission. In word, the people of the
United States never stop to discuss naiionali-
ties in matters of benevolence, but instantly
and generously respond to the appeals OF the
distressed, not only of our own country, but of
the world.
In the present case the Lancashire opera
tivcs have special claims upon us. We know
how inimical TO the North and how friendly to
the rebellion has been the course Of the English
government the English press and the English
aristocracy, since the outbreak of our unhappy
war. If by relieving these starving operatives
we also benefit their English rulers, our charity
will be all the more conspicuous; for we shall be
performing the highest Christian duty of
doing good to our enemies who hate and
despitefully use us, and shall thus heap Goals of
fire on their heads. The Lancashire opera
tives, however, have meyer endorsed the anti
American sentiments and proceedings of the
English aristocracy. Undeceived by the sophis-
tries with which the dominant classes have
sought to deude them, they have rightly un-
derstood the origin and the issues Of this war,
and have recognized in the democracy Of the
North their best and most faithful allies. When
tho rebel emssary Mason sent a letter 10 n