Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-02-14
1mPEovsa FeelIng IN nngland.

Improved Feeling ln England.
Tue tone of English feeling towards this
country has been gr AdualIy improving
since the Presidents proclamation. 1t is
simply impossible that true Euglishmen
should SO far forget their hereditary love
of liberty as to sympathise with cause
which gets its only inspiration from slave
ry. There are many indications of her pub
lie men that her heart is still sound and
that we shall soon have her good wishes
for the maintenance of our national cause.
The Right Hon. VIM. Miner Gibson, mem
Der of Parliament, and President of the
London Board of Trade, addressed his con-
stituents in the town hall, Ashton, on the
evening of the 29th ult., on political affairs.
He spoke of the yearly increasing importa-
tons OF bresdstuffs and provisions from
America, and of the suffering which must
have resulted from the loss of these sup
plies By war with the United States
He justified the British Government in
taking neutral position, and then went
on to state, as follows, what he believed to
be the issue involved in the war aud what
should be an Engltshman's feeling about
it:
"Without undertaking to predict what
will be the termination of the war, will
state what believe to have been the cause
aud origin, and what is necessary to be set
tied in order to secure permanent and last
ing peace. (Hear, hear.) have often
been astonished to hear it asserted that
slavery had nothing to do with this war,
for somehow slavery must have to do with
it, because it constitutes such great dis
tinction in itself between the two commU-
mites. have examined documents of un.
doubted authority to ascertain what were
the causes which the secessionist states
themselves alleged as the ground for taking
up arms, in order to separate themselves
| from the rest of the Union. The first State
that separated was South Carolina When
| they first seeded, they published to the
world formal declaration of the ground of
their secession, and the other States which
followed seeded exactly upon the same
grounds. Now, what were these grounds :?
The first part of the South Carolina decIa-
ton consists OF an argument showing the
| legality of secession;that if they choose they
| have right TO secede; and the latter part
goes on to 8 tate she grounds on which they
think proper TO coerce that secession. These
we're that geographical line had been
drawn across the Union, and all the States
| north of that line have united in the cleo
ton of q mau to the high office of Presi-
dent OF the United States whose opinions
and purpose are hostile to slavery. ZAP.
| plause. It was not that President Lin.
coin had been elected contrary to forms of
law, that there had been any violation OF
the Constitution, but 1t was that he held
opinions hostile to slavery In another
! part fthts declaration they complain that
the Northern States ha6s assumed right
to decide upon the prCSGiety of their do.
| nestle institution, and have denied the
right of property established in fifteen
states and recognized by the Constitution;
they have denounced as sinful the institu.
ton of slavery, and have further aggrava.
ted the curse by investing great political
question with the sanction of AN erroneous
religious belie!; therefore there is an end ia
the question that the Southern States did
not secede on the question of slavery
They have stated that it was on account OF
slavery, and nothing else. In fact, cut oil
the four gentlemen who were nominated to
the Office of President, three held opinions
favorable to slavery extension, aud to the
policy of the fugitive slave law; But Mr.
Lincoln was distinguished from the rest
by holding that Congress had right to
prohibit the extension of slavery into
new States, aud was opposed to the policy
Of the fugitive slave law. These were
the opinions on which he was elected, and
| must confess they appear to me to be We.
~ reasonable opinions. Loud cheers. The
south seeded in consequence of believing
that slavery would not be safe under Mr.
Lincoln's executive, and that the carrying
out of the fugitive slave law was not likely
to be permitted. If Mr.. Breckenridge had
been elected, there would have been no Sc.
cessiou, as he was the candidate of the
south, in favor of the fugitive slave law,
and of opinion that Congress had no right
to prohibit the extension of slavery. Sc.
Cessiou had taken place, aud the couse.
quent war for the purpose of perpetuating,
cherishing aud extending slavery. don't
believe that an empire having slavery a.
its basis can be prosperous, happy aud
enduring empire, and therefore cannot de-
sire to see one established in any part OF
the world. The bishops of the Episcopal
church Of the confederate States have said
that the abolition of slavery is hateful, in
fdel and pestilent. A yoice-"Thats like
parsons" (Laughter) l, on the contrary,
believe that slavery is hateful, inidel aud
Ipestilent will not predict the course
which the events of this war may take {;
but looking at the map, which l did
to-day, itaPpears to me that the geograph.
ical position of the North, so far as terri
tory is concerned, is stronger than it was
twelve months ago. They have suf.
fered great defeats, and they have had
some successes; but End thai the North
are now possessed of larger territory than
they were twelve months ago. Missouri,
which was then debateable ground they
now possess; also Kentucky and West
Virginia, and portion of Louisiana. 1t
therefore appears that the territory which
the North possessed at the beginning of
last year has not been lesseued but in-
creased in extent These are facts which
all may ascertain for themselves.
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