The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-29
THE AMERICAN QUESTION.
Speech by MIR. Adams to the Trades
UniOniSts.


Speech by MIR. Adams to the Trades
Unionists.
On the I'd inst, a deputation of Trades
Unionists, of London, waited upon Mr..
ADAMS, the American Minister, to present
the address recently adopted at public
meeting of that body, sympathizing with
the North, and applauding President lin
coin for his emancipation policy. Mr..
Bright introduced the deputation and
made few pertinent remarks. Speeches
were also made by several members of the
deputation.
Mr.. ADAMS having expressed the pleas
ure he felt at seeing so numerous depu-
tation of working men before him said
GENrLEMEN-I accept with pleasure the duty
you have imposed upon me in receiving your
address to Mr.. Lincoln. Representing as l do,
my country in England, you must be aware
that l stand outside of all local questions
therefore it is not my province to express dis
satisfaction or satisfaction with those persons
in England who express their opinions upon
America. If there are any in this country who
put a harsh construction upon the conduct of
the American Government, it is not my place
to find fault or my right to criticise. 1t is my
duty, however, to accept from the representa-
tives of any body of Englishmen, their tavora-
bic sentiments towards the government rep
resent, and to reciprOcate the frank, manly and
independent spirit in which they have been
rendered. understand, gentlemen, that you
attend here as representing large bodies of
workingmen, who advocate and uphold the
rights of labor, and it is therefore but natural
that you should look with dislike upon any
parties in whatever country they may
exist, who infringe on any of those rights.
You perceive that in the struggle now going
on an attempt is made to establish govern
ment on the destruction of the rights of labor
"a government of physical power to take
away the rights of labor. 1t is question
above all local right; it is general principle,
and therefore, though taking place in foreign
country. you have right to express your
opinion thereon. l accept the duty you i'm,
pose upon me with great pleasure, the more so
as you have taken advantage of the occasion to
speak on the question of war; 1 agree with
your views. With two nations of the same
race, of the same high spirit, both feeling
proud of their superiority on the ocean, under
present circumstances it would be indeed sur
prising if something should not spring up on
that ocean which might occasion collision. I
concur with you, gentleman, as to the great
forbearance which ought to be exhibited by
both countries in constituting the actions of each
other / trust that in spite of all that has oc-
Cured, there is in the government Of each cOun-
try a sufficient sense of responsibility which
will induce them to maintain friendly relations
with each other. There must naturally be a
feeling of pride, of fear lest the nation should
appear to refrain from properly resenting what
it might deem to be an offence, and in this
lies the great danger. I feel confident, how
ever, that is the two peoples, if the two gov
arrfn Anfc II thar in, bn
sense in the same frank and unreserved terms
as you have spoken to me this evening, all fear
of any collision would be at an end. (Hear,
hear.) can assure you that, Notwithstanding
the speeches of some of my cOuntrymen; not
withstanding the writings in some American
journals, there is no nation under the sun for
which America entertainS greater regard than
England, and ifthe real sentiment of the peo-
pie Of each country can be clearly established
to each other, l shall have no fear OF their CON-
ing in collision. (Cheers.) 1 belive, gentlemen,
you have taken the right course to prejudice
this desirable understanding, and l shall under
take with great pleasure the duty of at once
transmitting your desires to President Lincoln.
(Cheers.)
The London Times looks upon Mr.. Adj
ANS speech as most reasonable and timely
"a good many words may pass says the
Times, without leading to blows, and as
we are confident that neither Englishmen
nor Americans have the least wish to go
to war with each other, we look forward
without mistrust to that mutual fOrbear-
ance on the part of their government
which Mr.. Adams SO wisely invokes. We
must submit to certain Interruptions in
our trade in Difference to the rights of a
belligerent. The Americans must tolerate
some shortcomings on our part in consid-
Grafton Of the difficulties of a neutral.
We can assure them, if they need the as
surance, that not Il single violation Of our
neutrality would ever occur without the
regret of the government and the depre-
cation OF the public; but such offences
cannot be easily prevented"
In another editorial the Times shows
reasons why England must put the most
favorable construction possible on the pro-
ceedings of the Federal cruisers.
The john Brown Raid---An Inl-
pnrtamt Disclosure.
Mr. Sumner was reelected to the Uni
ted States Senate, the other day, by the
Legislature OF Massachusetts. Mr.. Swan,
a member Ut the Senate of that State,
although Republican,, would not, it
seems, vote for Mr.. Sumner, and gave the
following reason tor SO refusing:
come now, Mr.. President, to what is known
in history as the John Brown Raid. This eX-
petition was planned and fitted out in Boston,
and its expenses betrayed by subscription
The day he started for Harper's Ferry on his
deed of murder, he dined in room No. 4, Par
ker House, with some of the most ardent and
jealous supporters of Mr.. Sumner, and for this
reason allude to it. The Republican party
now disown the act; they call him monoma-
niac an insane man but when the Geographic
wires, with lightning speed, brought the news
of his death to New England, so depraved at
that time was the public sentiment here. that
the village church bells tolled out his funeral
knell and the ministers of God, with few
honorable exceptions, prayed in their pulpits
that the spirit of the "departed saint might
rest in peace. This act, Mr.. President, was
the death-blow to the peace of the Union
Without it, Virginia would not have seeded,
and God grant that we may yet recover from
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