The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-02-27

act, in calling out $4,000 men, which was tn,
first call made for the purpose of maintain
ing the integrity of that Union which wa
the main object he had taken an oath to effec
at his election. (Cheers.)
But | will not enter into long argumen
on this question, and for this reason, that
believe it is not in the hands of my honorabl,
friend, nor of Lord Palmerston, nor Presiden
Lincoln, but in the hands of that Suprem,
Ruler who is bringing about one of thos,
great events in history which men will no
often regard when passing before them, bu
which they look on with astonishment aftel
they have taken place. (Hear, hear.) Nei
ther will discuss the question whether thi.
war Is prosecuted in the defense of the con
stitution or for the abolition of slavery; if
however, we came to the point of sympathy
with the south, or recognition of her, or me
diation, or Intervention, we should conside,
what is her ain. The United States Gov
ernment is on terms of amity with our own
1t is represented in London by Minister
man whose name, as you know, is highly
honored in America, his father and grand
father having held the office o. President OF
the Republic.
=. Our Minister has only just returned to
Washington, and that being so, are you, let
me ask, because you may cayil at certain
things at home being done in the United
States, to throw the influence of your opinion
into the scale in favor of movement the OBJ
ect of which is to dismember that great Re-
public beyond the Atlantic? Is there man
here who doubts for moment that the aim
OF the south in this contest is to maintain
and perpetuate the bondage of four millions
of human beings? (Cheers) Yes, her OBJ
ject is to secure that handful of white men
on that continent shall lord it over millions
Of men made black by the very hand that
made US white. (Cheers)
Her object is to retain the power to breed
negroes, to lash negroes, to chain them, to
buy ana sell negroes, to deny them the ell
Joyment of the commonest family ties, to
break their hearts by rending them at their
pleasure, to close their mental eye against a
glimpse of that knowledge which separates
us from the brute creation, for in accordance
with their laws it is penal act to learn a
negro to read. (liear. hear) | wish to know,
then, whether this is to be made the founda-
ton as is promised, of new slave empire :
whether it is intended that OF this audacious
Internal basis new alliance for England is
to be built up? (Cheers.)
1t has been said that Greece was recog-
nized by this country, but not until she had
fought Turkey for SIX years, nor did France
recognize the United States of America un-
til five or SIX Years after the war of indie
rendenca and want ~ know who they are
who speak in favor of England becoming so
eagerly the ally of this great conspiracy
against human nature. (Hear.) | should
have no objection to recognize a country
simply because it was one that held slaves. 1t
would be absurd to refuse to hold political
relations with a state, because within it such
an institution slavery happens to exist,
but in the case of the south we have a new
state which purposes to set itself upon the
basis of slavery, and of which slavery is said
so be the chief corner stone.
have heard. indeed, that there are Min
listers of State who are in favor of the south
that there are members of the aristocracv
who are terrified at the shadow of the great
Republic at the other side of the Atlantic
that there are rich men whose views of this
question are based altogether upon their sell
fish interest and that there are conductors
of the public press who would barter the
rights of millions of their fellow creatures
that they might bask in the smiles of the
great. But know that there are Ministers
of State who do not wish that this insurrec-
ton should break up the American Union
. that there are members of our aristocracy
who are not afraid of the shadow of repub-
lic that there are maly rich men who are
not depraved by the ir riches, and that there
are public writer's of emnence and honor
who will not barter human rights for the
patronage of the great; but most of all, and
before all, | am sure that in Lancashire
where the working-men have seen themselves
going down from prosperity to ruin, from
independence to subsistence upon charity
the unenfranchised but not hopeless millions
of this country will never sympathize with a
revolt which is intended to destroy the libert,
of continent and to build on its ruins q
mighty fabric of human bondage.
hear it said the republic is too powerful
and that it is better for US, Or rather for the
governing class and the governing policy O
England, that it should be broken up. Bu
suppose We were in New York Or Washing
ton, discussing the case Of England instead
of that of America, and some one were tt
say that eur empire is growing too big
surely an American might say that he ha.
not covered the ocean with his fleets, or lef
the bones of his citizens to bleach upon abun
dant European battle-tields. He could say ;
thousand things more truly than We can say
of his country, that England is large ant
powerful, and it is thought perilous for tb