The Portland daily press., 1864-01-11
COMMUNICATIONS.


The following important and emphatic tes-
timony to the real cause of the Southern Re-
bellion is taken from a recent address of Rich
ard Golden, M. p, to his constituents at
Manchester
There has been q most Iamentable display
of ignorence amongst those classes to which
refer, il we may judge by the conduct OF the
organs of the press which may be considered
exponents OF their views. There have been err
rors in geography: mighty rivers, TO which
those in England can bear no comparison.
with hundreds of miles of steam navigation,
having been described in those leading organs
as running into one river and into another, in
utter disregard of the rules of geography.
There are a number of great cities in Ameri-
ca--cities of one hundred thousand and one
hundred sand fifty thousand inhabitants
which are among the largest shipping ports
for raw produce in the world, in the interior
of that country. In one of them | have seen
mile of steamboats, moored side By side, and
yet of those great cities, and that great COM
merce, forming part OF the strength and re-
sources OF North America, the ruling classes
know nothing. 1t is ia utter ignorance of
those resources that the opinion OF the ruling
classes ia England has been come to. But j,
whom accident, perhaps, more than anything
else, has made as well acquainted with the
pUiitiCS anu ktobfapAg vi tudt tUNutit u Win
my own, L have never belieyed--and believe
now less than eyer-that | shall ever live, or
that any one here viii ever live, to see two
separate nations within the confines of the
present nited States o { America. / will tell
you candidIy that ifit was not for one cause,
should consider as hopeless aud as useles the
attempt to subjugate the southern States OF
America as the parties do upon whose views |
have been commenting. It's the subject with
- 49, a.
in my opinion, renders the success OF secession
lists absolutely impossible and If the moral
and intelligent population Of this country had
not been systematically misled on that ques-
tionthey would have been unanimously of
that conviction. We were told in the House
OF Commons by one from whom II was almost
incredible that IL could have come-once the
great champion OF democracy, once the great
advocate of all the rights and principles of the
unsophisticated miilioas--that this civil war
originated because the South wished to estab-
lish free trade principles and the North would
not allow it.
] travelled In the United States IN 1859, the
year before that fatal shot was fired at Fort
Sumpter, which has had such terrible reyer-
bration ever since. | visited Washington dur
ing the session of Congress. Now carry
flag OF truce wherever | go when travel
abroad, whether in France, America, or Rus
Il
who have strong convictions and purposes
with reference to iree-trade principles. While
was at Washington | was disappointed 10
find so little interest felt in the Iree-trade
question. There was no party formed, no
public agitation no discussion whatever on
the subject. The ground, the political field,
was occupied by one question, and that ques-
tion was slavery. i will mention an illustra-
tive fact which have not seen referred to,
q. Ind In a.
iect. In December 1860, when Congress was
sitting, and when the country was in an ago
ny OF suspense, fearing this impending rup-
ture, Congress appointed committee, consist
ing OF thirty-three members, being represen-
tatiye from every State then in the Union,
and that committee sat from December
1lth, 1860, to January l4th, 1861. 1t
was called the Committee of Thirty-three,
and was instructed to inquire Into the peril
Gus state of the Union, and to try aud devise
some means by which the catastrophe Of Sc
cession could be averted. | have a report OF
the proceedings of that committee. There
are forty pages. have read every line. The
representatives of the slave States were inyi-
ted by the representatives of the free States
10 state candidiy and frankly what were the
terms which they required, in order that they
might continue peaceably In the Union, and
In every page you see their propositions
brought forward.
From beginning to end of these forty pages
there is not one syllable said about tariff OF
taxation. From beginning to end there is moi
grievance alleged but that which is connec.
ted with the maintenance of slavery. There
are propositions calling upon tie North L
give increased security to the maintenance o
that institution. They are invited to extend
the area Of slavery, to make laws by whicI
fugitive slaves shall be given up. The,
are pressed TO make treaties with foreign
powers by which those powers should be re-
quired to give up slaves. But from beginpin,
to end no grievance was alleged but what is
connected with slavery. 1t is slavery, slavery
slavery, from beginning to end.
is il not astonishing, Ia the face Of fact
like these, that any one could have the temer
ity, with any regard to deeency or any sens
of self-respect to get up in the House OF Com
mons and say, that the secession Of the south
ern States has been on a question of free trad
aud protection? This is war to extend ant
perpetuate human slavery. 1t Is a war not Il
defend slavery as it was left by their ancestor
"a thing to be retained, and apologized fol
II Is war to establish slave empire, wher
slavery shall be made the cornerstone of th
social system, where it shall be defended an,
justified on scripturaI and ethnologiea
grounds. / say God pardon the men who, /
this year OF grace, 1868. should think tha
such project as that could be crowned wit
success. Now you know why / have ffou
the first never believed it possible that tli
south could succeed.