Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1862-01-22 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

BERESFORD HOPE ON THE AMERICAN QUESTION. On Tuesday evening Mr. Beresford Hope delivered a lecture on the American question to a crowded audience in the schoolhouse at Hawkhuret. Mr. Hope warned his hearers at the outset that be was not going into the history of the war between North and South. He took it for granted that the most ignorant and most careless among them had smiled at the bloodless capture of Fort Sumter, laughed outright at the great scamper of Bull's Run, been scandalized at the reckless manner in which the North was adding to the nation's debt, and horrified at the atrocious barbarity, almost unparalleled in the history of the world, which had destroyed the harbour of Charleston by the sinking of the stone fleet. They must also have burned with honest indignation at the gross insult which had been offered to our flag in the affair of the ' Trent, and he presumed they were all satisfied that they owed the restitution of the abstracted passengers rather to the vigorous action of our Government, and the appearance of the guards in Canada, than to the generosity of Mr. Seward, or the statesmanship of Mr. Lincoln. (Hear, hear.) They must excuse him, however, if he passed over the more picturesque features of the question, and asked their attention to the deeper and perhaps drier facts which lay below the surface. As an Englishman anxious above all things to comprehend the duty and interest of his country in the ;matter, he addressed himself to the question. For one of the two leading points upon which he was going to insist they would be prepared, and that was that the Confederates were not strictly rebels. The other point might perhaps startle them, and expose him to the charge of being crotchetty ; it was that, having slavery from the ;very bottom of his soul, he believed that the emancipation of the negraes in America would be more effectually promoted by backing up !the South in preference to the North. These two propositions Mr. Hope supported at some length, and with great skill. He concluded, with these words. He wished to some good to England in the success of either party. If the South won he fancied be could descry glimmering in the distance gradual freedom for the slave, something like a Liberal Conservative constitution growing up out of unbridled democracy, free trade with a boundless expanse of the richest soil, from which English mills and vessels might reap a golden harvest, and the high civilization of Europe pervading a people prepared for its influence, and a true ally tied to us by the konde of common interest. (Hear.) If the North won, he would like to see the manufacturers of Pensylvania competing with those of Wolverhampton, Massachusetts with Manches • ter, and the Federal Government willing to respect the integrity and security of Canada as a dependency of England. Sanguine, however, as he was, when he looked in that direction he discerned a bank of clouds and fogs through which loomed visions of Federal bankruptcy, a prolongation of internecine strife, the shackles of the slave fitted more firmly than ever, or else slavery swept away in one universal tempest of bloodshed and arson, lust and carnage, famine and desolation, the worst passions of an unchained democracy let loose to work out ite dream of universal insult and promiscuous conquest, or else a military despotism setting its iron yoke upon an enslaved people and employing their energies in outrage and aggression. (Cheers.) A hearty vote ef thanks to the speaker, on the motion of Sir J. Herschel, closed the prov.elings.  Trig ROAD Mysmtv.--We are informed that a new investigation is at present being made into the mysteri- I aus murder at Road. This investigation is being conducted by two London detective officers, who have been in the neighbourhood of Road for some time. A few evenings since they were met by three of the local superintendents, and a consultation took place. The employers of these officers are as yet unknown, great secresy being maintained on that head. We believe we are correct in stating that no fresh clue has been obtained, and that the strange officers are rely re-examining the ground which has been befoic often and diligently, yet fruitleasly, searohed.