The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-12

/ AuebS men argued tnat because the O0lteO
States seeded from Great Britain, the Southern
i States had right to Becede from the Union.
| lnese men did not approve OF Southern slavery;
that question, in their mind, had nothing to
/ do with the right of the people of the South to
| be governed as they desired, and the Oft
| repeated argument went round, why has not
the South the same right to secede from the
United States as the United States had to secede
from Great Britan9 These and others fur her
| eontended that your own Constitution gave to
the Southern States the inherent right TO secede
| whenever they should please to do So This
| was The ground of their sympathy; the States
| having voluntarily united, they thought they
| might voluntarily secede. This feeling largely
| prevailed. Aud, Therefore, another feeling was
prevalent, that in view OF this supposed inherent
| right OF the Southern States to secede, the
| No1th was acting tyraniCally In compelling the
| South to stay in the Union against their
| VIII; Many men who did not eympathize
| In lhe institution Of slavery sympathized with
| them as men In asserting and, If possible,
| achieving their national independence. They
/ dld not examine the question; if they
| had they would have seeu that the South had
| no grievance TO complain Of and that, in fact,
| lhe constitution gave them no inherent right to
seCede. There were some among us who thought
| that the maintenance of the Union would be the
worst tnlDg that could happen to the slave.
| There was an argument used which was very
| difficult TO answer. ] could answer; but just as
lawyer knows the strong points ard the weak
| points OF his case 80 ] knew this was q weak
| point. 1t was represented to us that your Gov
| ernment were willing to retain ali the old slave
| laws OF the South il they would only come back
and be united, We were even told that at n
great national convention IL was recommended
that laws should be passed not OF ly to perpetu-
ate slavery but to extend it. So is was thought
u the Union was maintained, slave, TO gain his
freedom, would have to cross the whole United
States to Canada, but If the separation took
place there would only be line on a small river
70 cross and they would be free; and TINS would
be the death.blow of slavery. So honestly and
truly many people in Great Britain, who really
desired the freedom of the slave desired the
separation OF the North from the South, so long
as tae North seemed to desire the continuance
OF the Fugitive Slave law. II used TO be said
and have said it myself that better for the
Union TO be broken into ten thousand fragments
than retain the Fugitive Slave law. But said
this will not be. This Rebellion will be nut
down, and slavery will be put down too. Yet
think you can understand how these misunder-
standings occurred; for, with regard TO this
that when Mr., Lincoln could lberate the slaves
that is, in the loyal States-he did not, and
where he could not liberate the slaves, there he
proclaimed their Independence? You must
admit his was difficult dilemma. There were
also many persons who we're opposed to the war
on other grounds. The Anli-Slavery Society
Is composed largely OF Quakers, who, of course,
are opposed to all wars. There were others
who said, for the sake of the North it is better
the South should succeed at once. In all his
tory there is no case OF country so extensive
as the South rebelling, with the whole
people earnest in the cause, and of
that rebellion being put down. The North
cannot de'eat them, or if it does.
1t cannot subjugate them. 1t is a cruel war,
involving an immense sacrifice OF human lite
and money. For the sake Of the North itself,
therefore, before the North is thoroughly ex-
haustcd, II is better TO recognize the South at
once. When you consider ali these things you
can well see how well.meaning individuals may
nave been influenced by some of these conside-
rations, without being actuated by i'll feeling
towards America, to regard mistakes as crimes.
A great many persons in his country were gov
no fas fp coll
England republic, but he might call it re.
publican monarchy. There were people in every
country governed by fashion. In place of ask
ing what was true and convenient, they were
asking what was in fashion. And how did the
aristOcracy stand on this question? It was SAID
that Britons should never be slaves, but there
were many persons who were utterly the slaves
OF fashion. II lady wanted bonnet she
would not ask what was useful but chow can
you dress meW That custom prevailed in Eug-
land; perhaps it did not prevail here Two
hundred women during the last four years lost
their lives from the foolish custom of wearing
crnollnes, which were hdeous machines He
had TO wear hat; sometimes they called hats
ventilators; when he put on one of those hats it
plnched his head, and when the wind blew off
went the hat and off went little boys after it, In
this country he wore a Wide-aWake, but if he
went TO church in England on Sunday morning
with anything on his mead but his hat he might
be thought dangerous in his religious views
(Laughter.) When the question was not one of
pTlnclplc, he thought they should do as their
neghbors did; but he was sorry to say that a
great class OF people prevailed in England who
took up their political as well as their religious
opinions because they were fashionable. In
some OF the papers opinions were expressed In
favor OF the South and the cause in which the
South was engaged. In fashionable papers.
when IT became fashionable to speak of the |
South, opinions on that side were taken up
And If 1t had been fashionable when the strug- !
gle between the North and South was going on |
to express in England oUinlons in favor of the |
North, many persons would have taken up the |
opinion that was fashionable He (the lecturer) |
sald that in order to abate mIsapprehension |
ana IN mitigation of punishment. He respected |
on Ihe occasion OF his lamented death 1t was |
SAID that MIR. Lincoln had stated that he was i'm |
IaNor OF the restoration of the Union with or |
without slavery. These opinions had been ex.
pressed IN English newspapers. He was present |
at meeting in New York the other night, and |
ne there heard expressed sentiments of hatred |
towards England, and a determination TO keen |
the negro race down. He had never heard sncb |
sentiments expressed in his own country apainst
England as he had beard at the meeting in /
question: Let them remember that these ev
pressions were made use OF in their own citv
Not one IN hundred In England knew the dIG |
ference between Copperhead and a Republi- |
can Americans would not like to express op. |
Posltloh 10 thelr own country, and when it is \
remembered that opinion had been exnreeseS In /
England hostile to America, it sbouId also he l
itcoHected that was only the opinion of n GER |
taln party, and not of a whole people inimicoi /
10 tne lepuohc. He received letter the other /
gay irCm q gentleman, who stated i'm his com,
munlcatlon that he had disapproved of the war
Wheh IL was gong on, and that he stin disan.
proved OF 1t. He (the lecturer) asked them not
TO be angry at these opinions. lhey had mean
SO SO expressed in England. He was opposed 10 |
those opinions, but in honesty 10 bis fnCliticoi