The Portland daily press., 1863-03-04
Wednesday Morning, March 4, 1863.

Wednesday Morning, March 4, 1868.
The Emancipation Meatings in England.
On Thursday, the 29th OF January, the Pres
ident's Emancipation proclamation was we'll
coined in London by a popular demonstration
such as even Exeter Hall never witnessed be-
fore three monster meetings in the upper
and lower halls and in the street. This is the
practical answer to the prediction, that cman-
mand English sympathy. The Morning Star,
OF the 30th, thus describes the throng:
The meeting was advertised to commence at
seven o'clock, but long before that hour the
large hall was filed to snfiocation. From the
platforms on either side of the great organ to
the back OF the western gallery was one dense
every variety Of attitude, as they strove to
adapt themselves to the exigencies arising out
OF the terrible crush to which all were alike
subjected. As the large hall was thus filed,
and thousands still crowded the corridors,
the word wss passed to open the lower hail.
In a few moments the indefatigable doorkeep-
er and his assistants had the room In readi-
ness, q few gentlemen rendered their services
as speakers, and second meeting was assem-
bled Meanwhile, the pressure from without
continued. Exeter street was filed, and the
traffic Ia the Strand seriously impeded by
thousands of persons who pressed against the
closed doors. At this time Mr.. Ncholay, of
Oxford street, arrived, and assumed the chair
manshp Of an out-ol-door meeting in Exeter
street.
During the evening kilograms reporting
demonstrations at Bradford and Strout were
received with immense cheering. An .eman-
cipation meeting was held at Glasgow, the
next Wednesday evening, February 4th. at
which the following address was adopted. TO be
forwarded after receiving the Chairman's sig
nature,
To his Excellency abraham Lincoln, Pres
ident Of the United States Of America:
Sir,-We who offer to you this address are
citizens of Glasgow, In public meeting assem-
bled and through our Chairman now approach
you, with all the respect due to your position
as constitutional chief of great nation linked
to ourselves by innumerable ties of lineage, of
language, Of social and material interests, and
of religious faith.
We have been long accustomed to regard
with veneration and gratitude the founders of
that great Republic of which you are now the
legitimate head. Throughout the past career
of the United States we have followed with
feelings of genuine friendship every step by
which the liberties Of our race have been wild
ened, education has been advanced, and the
various elements Of a noble public prosperity
have been developed by the free action of q
selEgoverning people. 4.s.r
One thing alone has restricted our sympath-
les, namely, the continued enslavement, and
consequent degradation, of certain children of
God who "hath made of one blood all nations
of men for t0dwel on all the face of the EARTH
Since, however, through the disruption in-
tiated by the slave power itself, way is being
opened up 10 the entire enfranchisement ol
every slave Of America, and decisive steps are
being taken towards extending TO all the rights
of citizenship, independently of any distinc-
tion Of color, our heartiest sympathes have
been with you, your Government, and your
people.
By the distinct adoption OF an anti-slavery
policy, your Administration will seal the doom
of the "sum of all vllainies,, and command
the respect Of all who desire that the bonds oil
wickedness should be unloosed, and the op-
pressed set free.
We regard the proposition and attempt, now
made for the first time in the history of the
world, to establish nation upon the basis Of
slavery, as infamous in ITSELF and an unpar.
alleled outrage upon humanity at large. DO
not, we entreat you, give heed to those who
covertly seeking their own ends regardless o.
consequences or principles, would SOW the
seeds of discord between our country aud yonl
own. The great heart of the British people
beats, we assure you, true to freedom. Free
men ourselves, our hearts go forth to freemen
We recognize as the plain issue of the con.
test now tasking the heroism and selfsacrifce
of America, the question whether the slave
power shall master a continent for itself, or be
overthrown as a curse unto the earth. A.
men, owning one brotherhood with the great
human family, and worshping one God, even
the Father Of all, we can do no other than holt
slavery accursed, and rejoice at every blow
that deprives 1t Of authority and strength. W.
feel assured that those who would divide our
nations sympathies from you, in this terrible
struggle, are chiefly those who oppose liberty
Mt home, and who are ever ready to distract
our people by foreign excitements They are
becoming more and more powerless as YOU,
Government develops more and more an anti
slavery policy, and they will entirely lose ali
power to foment quarrels between America
and Britain from the very day in which youl
country is established, without any sectiona
exception, as the "home of the free" and wher
America practically exemplihes its entire be-
hei In the words of its great founder-"Al
men are created free and equaln
Witnin the brief period of your Exellency'
presidency, more has been done for the eioriou,
work Of emancipation than during the who'll
preceding period of the existence ofthe IInitef
States. We honor you, and we conpratula,,
you. The world has learned, during Won,
presidency, that America cannot stop short q
the complete, absolute, and final uprootinc y
the iniquity Of slavery; and as free men we re