M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1863-09-24

|
Hon. Charles Sumner of Massa
chusetts, delivered a speech at Coope
Institute last evening on "Our For
eign Relstiens""by invitation Of til,
Young nen's Republican Association
Of New York! The hall was fllet
with an auditory Of both sexes, anC
the speaker was received with mucl
applause as be came forward on TIL
platform. Among the special CUES,
ofthe occasion who were seated ol
the stand were noticeable Rev. DR.
Tying, Hon. Joseph Hoxie, Genera
z. M. Wetnlore, s. d. Orittsnden ,anC
other men Of prominence in the Re
publican party. Atsquartsr to eigh
o'clock the meeting was called h
order by David Dudley Field, Chair
man Of the Committee, who made {
few predatory remarks. as,up ~ "d
pERILs FROM ENGLAND. 4 W
l. There is one act Of the British
Cabinet whicE stands foremost as al
omen Of peril foremost in time, fore
most also in the magnitude Of it's con.
sequences. Though plausible in form
it is none the less injurious or upiusti.
liable. OF course / refer to that
inconsidera:e proclamation in the
name oi the Queen, as early as May,
1861, which, after raising rebel slave.
,nongers to an equality with the
National Government in belligerent
rights, solernnly declares Neutrality
between ESo equal parties, as if the
declaration Of equality was not an
Insult to the National Government,
and the declaration Of neutrality was
not moral absbrdity, offensive TO
reason and all those ptecedents which
make the glory Of the British name.
Even il the proclamation could be
otherwise than improper at any stage
Of such q rebellion, it was worse than
a bluuder at that early date. The
apparent relations between the two
powers we're more than friendly. Only
a few months before, the youthful
heir to tho British throne had been
welcomed everywhere throughout
the United States = except in Rich.
mond-as in the land OF kinemen.
And yet, Immediately after the It'd.
ings Of the assault on For Sumter--
before the National Government had
begun to put forth it's strergth-and
even without waiting for the arrival
Of our newly appointed Minister, who
was at Liverpool, on his way to Lon
don, the Proclamation was suddenly
launched. | doubt if any well in!or.
med person, who has read Mr.. Dallas
dispatches Of May I'd, 1881, recount.
ing a conversation with the British
Minister, will vlndicate it in point of
time. Clearly the alacrity of this
concession was unhappy, for it bore
an air Of defiance, or at least ofheart
lessness toward an ally OF kindred
blood engaged in the maintenance of
its traditional power against an lnfa-
nous preteDsion. But it was more
unhappy still that the good genius Of
England did not save this historic
nation, linked with 80 many triumphs
Of freedom, from fatal step, which,
under the guise of neutrality" was a
betrayal of civilization itself.
But beyond acts and words, this
name British rabbia shows itself in
the official tone, which has been adop.
ted toward the National cause in it's
unparalleled struggle - especially
throughout the correspondence of the
British Foreign Office. o. course,
there is no friendship in any of these
letters, Nor is there any sympathy
with tho National companionship p
against rebel slavemongers, nor one
word Of mildest dissent even from the
miscreant apostolate which was prea.
ched in their behalf. Naturally tho
tone is in harmony with the sentiment.
Hard, curt, captious, cynical, il evin.
ces an Indifference to those kindly re-.
lations which nations ought TO cult.