Year: 1864

her Majesty's Government might in its
wisdom and humanity be pleased to make
tending to the establishment of peace
between the belligerents in North Ameri-
i ca. -ssf s-3u ssEEl


Mr. Seenecy one of the Vice Presi-
dents of.shesSociety, said the deputation
was devoid of any character, and would
chiefly urge the plea of humanity. At
the present moment, if to the battle-f -fie Ids
in Virginia and Georgia were added all
other points at which blood was being
shed throughout that vast area, we should
probably find that the total destruction of
human life was at the rats Of 10000 a
week, or half million year. And if to
this were added the amount woe-befalling
orphans, parents and wives, the sum total
of human destruction and misery was
such as impelled an effort to bring it to
an end.


There were also great evils that would
result from a protraction of the war.
| The shock TO the cotton trade had been
endured and surmounted, but that trade
was left, and now stood, in most dan
gerous position. We had present pros
perity, but it was based on an artificial
and inflated price, and the longer the war
lasted, and the wider the ramifcatioOs of
our trade on this treacherous basis, the
more disastrous and dangerous would be
the reaction when the day for it arrived.
And assuming a separation to be inevita-
BILE, it was essentially in the interest OF
all parties that each Power should COM
mand the respect of the others, and be
able to take its proper part in the affairs
of the world


Future peace would greatly depend on
some degree Of equality in power. This
could not be if the war must needs 90 on
till it ended through the exhaustion of
one of the belligerents. IF that exhaus-
ton befel the South, all the old evils of
the Union would return, but aggravated
hundred fold by the military power and
spirit now developed. If that exhaustion
befei the North, it was probable that
disruption would occur among the North
ern States, source of future discord, as
destroying those relative proportions,
which were essential to future peace.
The present period was em1nent1y favora-
ole to such an effort as was suggested.


In the present posture of affairs, the
voice of Europe, calmly expressed, could
not fail to have its influence. We we're
urged to inaction by assurance that little
time would be needed. Over and over
again the period of 80 days was to be Fl
nal. No less than four years had now
been given for this terrible experiment,
and it had been tried in vain. The
question now before the North was whe-
ther or not to continue the disastrous eff
fort. There was peace-party, and it
was growing, but it had no rallying point.
The action now urged would give them
pivot on which to form; not, indeed, the
action of England alone, which was to be
deprecated altogether, but that to be ia
ken conformity by several leading Powers.


With such assistance the peace party
would rapidly gather strength and num-
bers, and thus we might reach the issue
all desired. And there was contingen-
cy that could not be overlooked with safe
ty.. Whether right or wrong, there did
exist in the South a feeling of exaspera-
ton on the subject Of the policy adopted
in this country, and if it should happen
that terms of peace should be offered and
accepted by the South while under this
feeling, it might readily be imagined that
such terms might be directly aimed, not
only at our interests, but our peace, and
safety. After alluding to the nature of
the struggle, and the heroic defense of
L.
Spence satd that the deputation felt it .
Christian duty to urge that some effort
should be made, whatever might be its
form, to influence tbs termination of this
deplorable strife.


Mr.. Marsh, NJ. P, wished to call his
Lordship's attention to the fact that the
opinion that an attempt at mediation
would be attended with good results waa
| L.
by the whole of the South, the peace par.
ty of the North, and by the nations of
the European Continent.


Mr.. Dandy Seymour, NJ. p, said he
joined the deputation entirely on the
principles of humanity. ard without the
slightest bias toward either of the belli-
gerents; he was unwilling to see slavery
flourish, but he was equally unwilling to
see nation forced to submit to Govern
ment which they detested.


The Rev. W. w. Malet, said that his
experience, gained from visit beth in
the Federal and Confederate States du-
ring the war, and from intercourse with
all classes of persons, both in the /, orth
and the South, was that there was a gene
raj weariness Of the war and desire for
peace.


Lord Palmerston, in reply, said that
two facts we're abundantly clear-viz,
that the war was cruelty destructive to
tie Americans themselves, and the incon-
yenience caused by it to other nations was
excessive. The question remained, whe-
ther the Government had any rational
ground. for sapposing that. the Federal
Government would listen to any proposals
of mediation at the present moment.
There was an old couplet-


4 "They wto in querrels interpose.


Will eften wipe bloody nose"


[Laughter.1 He was not afraid of a
bloody nose, but he feared that prema-
ture efforts would have the effect of exas-
perating the North, and making it more
difficult, when the passions were little
Gained, to effect the object all must have
in view. The Government was led to