Year: 1863

suit wouid be as certain by that process, though


perhaps much slower, that drove them into th,


desperate measure Of stopping It at the threshold


by violence The conseq was that the
government was attacked at its very found Il


tons The struggle to preserve It has been


going On from thst time to this. Il there has


baen what Otherwise might be thought extra


ordinary haste and pgeeipitate energy in any Of


the measures which have been taken b. the
government, 1t has not been owing so much to


any viii Of their own as TO the fact that the


violence Of the resistance has caused the neces-


sitY faT them I think the idea which it is de-


sirabis to present distinctly is this-thet the


struggle has been one of selfdefense against the


aggressive system thar was threatening destruc-


ton to the whole edifice of government Is it


stood, for the reason that Il was too favorable to


freedom And With regard TO this proclamation,


tie desire On the part Of the President OF the


United States has been, as I conscienhOusy


bsieve, not 70 hasten the measure Of emancipa-


ton any faster than popular sentiment in the


slave States would demand, nor any faster than


the emergency sh0nld dictate or, in other


words, simply 50 to aotas to prevent those very


commissions which war is too apt to precipltate.


Therefore, IN sIl mattsrs incidental 10 the main


,enanee of his policy, regard has been steadily


had 10 the possible avoidance of those dangers
OF serviie war which necessarily must have been


foroseen by ell thoughtful persons during the


contest Therefore, while always keeping IN


view the ultimate consequences Of this most re-


narlable and may say, unprecedented strug


gle, trust that the great resultY which We all
hepe to arrive at viii be eventually reached, not,


perhaps, Immediately, not perhaps, tomorrow,
or the next day, but ultimately, by steady per
severance in one course, which may force the
consent Of all parties aud yet avert the fearful
consequences which we might nstuTsily appre-
bend. I am extremely gratifed in the assurances
wbick have been given By several gentlemen
with respect TO the state Of popular feeling IN
Eacland en- this subject [ have myself had
oceasion to notice tho fact that, although some
OF the exponents of the public sentiments have
appeared to be at times exceedingly harsh upon
the United States yet that when opportunity
offered for sn appeal to the people themselves |
the sentiment has uniformly responded to the |
policy which the United States government have I
enuneiated am, therefore, encouraged to hope /
that the clouds which have hitherto gathered and /
at times somewhat p0rtenti0uslY, over the ami /
cable relations of tas two countries have now I
more and more the appearance Of vanishing |
from the sky. / feel sanguine that the eKpres
sion Of sympathy from here, which have been /
lately the medium Of repeatedly communicating
to my eouutgymen, viii have thu effect of clear
ng sway many Impressions that msy have
been received by reading the attacks of hostile
journals, and tAsing them too much as the tue
expression Of the sentiment of The people
hink, by understanding distincsly-which they
vii now have tho opportunity of doing-that
he policy Of Great Britain IS not rehrograde on
he subject Of slavery, whore it may yet exist,
.nd thatit Is true to the former pledges it SO no
by gave to the world of its devotion to the
principle Of humsn fTeedom-the growing con
iction Of that fact will have the effect in Amer
-F
-iviDg those warm sentiments which ought to be
Entertained between the TIVE kindred people at
% times Gentlemen I shall no longer detain
rou. I will just say that 1 shall have the pleas
re in communicating to my government a
knowledge of the sentiments which have been
expressed here by you to-day


The deputation then thanked his excellency
or the courtesy with which he had received
hem, and withdrew.