Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-09-15


last night, called to receive the address Ol
the British ministers on the subject Of
emancipation, was well attended by the best
class Of our citizens. After the opening sx-
ercises, the Rev. DR.. Massie, Senior member
of the delegation from England, was intro
dueed and presented the document, after q
most interesting address, in which he sllud-
ed to the many ties, not only of history, an
esstry, blood, language, law and literature
but of theology, Christian denominations and
Christian benevolence, which bind us tOgoth-
er. He remarked on the fact that there
we're those in England who had looked on
America as a model to the mother country
and had urged the statesmen Of England TO
follow her example, who had looked upon
the Union Of Church and State in England
as almost as great an evil as slavery in
America, and who had feared the sympa-
thies of the sristOcracy of England with
those of America. Such men had formed
the Emancipation Societyof London and the
Union Emancipation Society of Manchester.
They had issued tracts and lectures by such
men as Carnes, Hughes, Novel;, GOldWin,
Smith and Newman Hall. They had pub
lished digests of our Constitution and laws,
to do away with the great ignorance of our
cOuhtry prevalent in England. They had
sent these to the editors of $50 newspapers
and had held meetings attended
by audiences of from ten thousand down. At
one of these John Bright, te whom the speak
er paid tribute Of deserved praise, presided. |
The speaker alluded to the peculiar circum-
stances under which Manchestsr,-a cotton |
town, with its operatives starving from the
results of the war.-stoOd by the North and |
the anti-slavery cause. He gave the history
Of the present address, which was signed by |
over 4, 900 Of the ministers of England, and |
in a great meeting held in Man
chester on the Sd of last June. After reading
the address, a copy of which we failed to Sc
cure, but which was urgent and yet friendly,
the speaker spoke of the feeling between the
two countries, denying that the Times, which
he denounced, represented the true policy of
England, and most eloquently and earnestly
the evils which would result from
war. He spoke of his interview with Presi-
Dent Lincoln, declaring his belief that Lin,
,Oln was at heart true anti-sIavery man, an
honest patriot and reaI christian.
The Reverend DR.. WOIcott read the reply,
it by a few eloquent words of re-
Iponse to the thoughtful and most instructive
address of DR.. Massie.
REPLY.
10 THE CHRISTIAN MINISTERS AND
PASTORS IN GEEAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE, I
GREETING:
ReUerend and BeJoUed:-Ths ministers of
he Gospel of the City of Cleveland and the
owns of Northern Ohio, of various denomi-
latiOns, assembled and represented in a pub
ic mesting called for the purpose, have list II,
ned to your addresses, communicated by the
eniOr member of your dsputation, the Rev.
)r. Massie.
Permit us to say, in reply, that we accept, i,
nth lively ssnsibility, the grateful assurance /
f sympathy from our brethren abroad in the t
reat struggle which now conVulses our land, 9
nd which is the fruit Of q conspiracy and 4,
evOlt, instigatsd by leading slaveholders in d
he Southern States, for the purpose of saw J
ng the Institution of slavery from certain
estrUction, through the Legitimate ana j
esceful action of moral and political causes, a
nd perPetuating its evil sway on this Cont
snt by the power of the sword. No other
retext for the rebellion has ever been hon
stly assigned. t
We fully and unanimously endorse your
vowed detestatiOn of human bondage, re-
,arding it as a sin against God and a crime I
lgainst man ; and we join in your earnest +
oppression of sympathy with our eolored
,rethren, and recognition Of their claims IS
members of the same great family with our
elves, invested with the sacred rights Of hu- |
nanity, and having common Father in
Heaven.
We rejoice with you and render thanks to {
Sod, that through His Ovsrruling PrOvi- ,
ience, this wicked rebellion is resulting in
he liberation of the slaves and the elevation {
If the eclored free man and it is our fervent
prayer that universal emancipation may be
lsheTed in with the return of peace. We are
pledged not to rest from our labors, until our
Whole country has been redeemed from the
Ipirit oil barbarism, treason, and oppression;
md We jOyfully anticipate the day, when the
Republic, founded on the principles of jus
ice, liberty and humanity, shall be relieved |
IF the stain which has tarnished her glory,
and her flag be recognized on all shores as
The symbol of free and powerful Christian
harbOring no tyrant and no
Believing that the efectual sup
preston Of this Shareholders rebellion by the
strong arm Of the Federal Government, will
,ondues to this end, we shrink not from the
burdens and sacrifices which the patriotic
cause imposes, comforted by the reflection
that treasure and precious life, freely laid up
On the altar of our country, in defense Of our
common laws and liberties, are not unsvail-
ingly offered.
We would respectfully remind you, dear
brethren that the enfranehisement of those in
bonds, dear as that object justly is to you and
as, and the only one presented in your ad-
dresses, is not the only, nor even the prims-
~ issue involved in cur present contest. The
sentiment directly assailed and wounded
in this rebellion, is the sentiment of loyalty,
Of nationality, Of allegiance to lawful au-
thority ordained by God. The leading ques-
ton to be decided is whether We have q
or not. Itis question Of govern
ment, or of no government; nay, it may be
Tuthfully stated in a stronger form than
this. Il is q question of the best kind Of
the most benign just and liberal,
in soma respsctS the most favorable of Bny to
human develOpmentand progress, on the one
hand and on the other hand of q state of
anarchy or Of dsspotism, bearing q closer re-
ssmblance than any other form of society to
q hell on earth. This is our situation, and
il leaves US but one alternative. The men who
are lifting a parricidsl hand against tho
country to which their flisl reverence and
love are due, pTofaning a divine ordinance
must be crushed in their criminal attempt to
strike down, without prOvOcatiOn, and in the
interest Of slavery, an established and equit-
able government We are fighting the bat