The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-07-02

One OF the most signiIcdIlt Signs VI lic
times is found in the voices coming from be-
yond the sea, sympathizing with the struggles
of our loyal people to maintain liberty against
the crusade of slavery on this continent.
And this calls to mind a remark recently
made to us by the editor of the Toronto Globe
the leading paper in Canada West - touch
ing the same subject. In brief conversation
with that gentleman recently, in his office,
the Emancipation Proclamation of the Presi-
dent was referred to, when we asked him how,
as a candid, impartial outsider, with no pecu-
MARY. or personal interest in the result of our
struggle. that proclamation struck his mind,
and what effect it was having abroad. His re-
ply was unhesitating. Said he, ''that procla-
"mation has placed you right before the world,
"defned your position, and closed the door
"and bolted it against foreign Intervention,
provided your people wisely and prudently
avail themselves of its advantages. Before
'that proclamation was issued" continued
the gentleman in question, ''the friends of lib
"erty abroad lookedon with Indifference. They
said, it is mere contest for sectional suprem-
"acy. No great principle is involved in the
Struggle. Both sides are in favor of slavery,
"and we care but little which comes Off victo-
"rious. But when the proclamation was is
'sued the whole tone of foreign sentiment
changed, and the friends of liberty through
"out the civilized world saw that, by the sue
'cess OF the North the best interests of hui
'manity would be promoted, while in the sue
ecess of the Rebel cause noone could be graf
''ified except the friends of the most AFFECT
''despotism." When it is considered that the
gentleman whose remarks we have recalled is
an intelligent Scotchman, well acquainted
with the sentiment of his countrymen at home,
and that his associate and brother is a member
of the Colonial Parliament and has just returned
from Europe, we may well suppose that he did
not speak at random, or without knowing that
he properly represented the masses of the in
telligent people of the British Islands. But
we come to the matter more directly before
us.
A gentleman of this city has placed in our
hands copy OF the Manchester Examiner
and Times of June 4th, in which, is inserted as
an odrertsement-the paper perhaps not SYM
pathizing with the Unconstitutional account
of the English Anti-Sayery Conference. 1t
opens with an adj Sess ito the Ministers and
pastors of all evangelical denominations in
"Great Britain" from the Ministers and Pas
tors in France, as follows:
TO the Ministers and Pastors of all evangeli-
cal denominations in Great Britain.
Paris, Feb. IL, 1868.
Honored and beloved brethren i'm the Lord,
1T is the glory Of England to have given to
the world the example Of abolishing first the
slave trade and then Slavery. 1t is her glory
to have continued for the last sixty years the
work Of suppressing universally the slave
trade and slavery, at cost, il is asserted, of
fifty millions of pounds sterling. And ii is,
under God, chiefly to her religious men, to her
Clarksons, her Wilberforces, her Buxtons, to
her missionary societies, that England owes
this glory. Will not the sons and successors
of these great Christians complete their work
by urging the country to declare itself openly
for the holy cause of the liberation of the
slave in the terrible struggle which is at pres
ent CONFUSING the United States OF America?
No more revolving spectacle has ever been
set before the civilised world than a Conied-
eracy, consisting mainly of Protestants, form
ing itself and demanding independence in the
nineteenth century of the Christian era, with
protested design of maintaining and propa-
eating slavery; Confederacy which lays
down, as the cornerstone of its constitution,
the system OF slavery as it exists at present in
the Southern States-a system which may be
defined briefly as the right to treat men like
cattle, and to commit adultery and murder
with impunity. Setting aside all political con-
siderations, can any Christian heart fail to be
stirred to indignation at hearing the chief of
that Confederacy answering decree of eman-
cipation by an implied threat of extermina-
ton?
The triumph of such a cause would put
back the progress of Christian civilization and
humanity whole century. 1t would make
angels weep in heaven and demons rejoice in
hell. 1t would enable the friends of the slave
trade sand of slavery In all lands to hold up
their heads, ever ready as they are to reap
pear at the first signal, in Asia, in Africa, and
even in the great cities of Europe. 1t would
give a fatal blow to the work of evangelical
missions. And what frightul responsibility
would rest on the church which should remain
silent spectator OF such triumph.
If there is peaceable means of Fastening
the end of the war and of rendering its issue
such as is desired by all the friends of hui
manity, is 1t not that the sincere Christians of
Europe should give to the cause of emancipa-
ton powerful testimony, which would leave
to those who fight for the right of depressing
the slaves no hope of ever seeing those Chris
tians give them the hand of fellowship.
Ministers and pastors of all evangelical
denominations of England, Scotland, and Ire
land, it is here we need your assistance.
Take the lead, and let us call forth a great
and peaceful manifestation of sympathy for
the colored race, so long oppressed and de-
based by Christian nations. Let us thus dis
courage the partizans of slavery. Let us
strengthen and encourage those who wish to
abolish it, at the same time disposing them to
listen to our suggestions. 1t is in free Eng
land that such manifestations can be power
full. What may we not hope for if, through
out Great Britain, the vote OF all the minis
ers of the crucifed Savior - and in France,
our voices echoing theirs pray and plead
that soon there may be no longer in the Uni
ted States colored man that is not free and
equal with the whtesi
May God grant it, and may his blessing
rest alike on Great Britain and the United
States, in Christ the true liberator.
This noble appeal from the Christian heart
of France to the representatives Of Christian
ity in Great Britain in behalf of the best inter-
ests of our beloved country, was signed by
screen hundred and .fftg (750) French pastors,
andits genuineness attested, March ID, 1868, by
the leading clergymen of the French capital.
AT conference of ministers held in London
| presided over by the Hon. ana Rev. Baptist
w. Noel, the foregoing address was consider
! ed, and to it the Conference adopted the fol-
lowing reply: