WAR SHIPS FOR THE REBEL SLAVE POWER. On Monday evening, April 6th, 1863, a large and enthusiastic public meeting of the members and friends of the Union and Emancipation Society was held in the Free-trade Hall, Manchester, "to protest against the building and fitting-out of piratical ships in support of the Southern Slaveholders' Confederacy." The large hall was well filled. The body of the hall and the galleries were free; to the reserved seats, all of which were occupied, a charge of a shilling was made. Much gratification was given by a voluntary performance of a number of fine pieces on the organ, by Mr. Henry Walker, whilst the audience were waiting the arrival of the speakers. The proceedings commenced at seven o'clock, when the chair was taken by Mr. Alderman Harvey J. P. (Salford), in the absence of Mr. George Wilson. Among the gentlemen present were Professor Goldwin Smith, of Oxford; Professor F. W. Newman, of London University; G. L. Ashworth, mayor of Rochdale; Samuel Pope, barrister-at-law; George Thompson, London; John Roberts, Councillor George Booth, S. Watts, jun., C. E. Rawlins, jun., Liverpool; Councillor Rumney, J. Noble, jun., J. C. Dyer, S. P. Robinson, Alderman Livsey, Francis Taylor, Rev. Dr. Parker, Rev. Mr. Bertram, T. R. Wilkinson, R. Cooper, E. O. Greening, J. C. Edwards, Robert Goulding, J. H. Eastcourt, Edward Hooson, Councillor Clegg, Councillor J. Warburton, Peter Sinclair, Councillor Murry, T. H. Barker, Max Kyllman, J. W. Morton, Thomas Elson, Edward Kyllman, James Crossley, J. R. Cooper, Rev. W. Withington, Rawtenstall; Rev. Mr. Dawson, Salford; Eccles Shorrock, Over Darwen; James Galloway, Councillor Williams, Robert Trimble, Liverpool; Ernest Jones, barrister-at-law; Councillor Hampson, Dr. Watts, Dr. P. P. Carpenter, A. E. Eccles, Joseph Spencer, Frederick Pennington, Rev. Mr. Caine, M. A.; Frederick Harrison, J. Woodin, London; Councillor Thompson, Henry Lightboun, Henry Rawson, Samuel Lucas, London; Richard Johnson, Wm. Morris, John Shuttleworth, jun., William Johnson, Hugh Warburton, J. B. Forster, and Rev. J. H. Smithson. B The following letter from Mr. T. B. Potter, the president of the association, was read : Paris, April 3rd, 1863. My dear Sir, I regret that I cannot be present at the meeting in the Freetrade Hall, to be held on Monday evening, my arrangements having been made long ago for my annual visit to Paris, with my family, during the Easter holidays. I feel sure you will have a good meeting, and that the efforts of the working-men, whose interests are so deeply involved in this American question, will succeed in forcing on the government the necessity of preventing the sailing of similar vessels to the Alabama, thereby endangering peace between England and the United States. Had there been a just representation of labour in Parliament, the question would in my opinion never have assumed its present character; but as it is, false impressions have been spread abroad in connection with it, which it is the object of a meeting such as the present to remove. I wish it were in the power of the working men of France to give expression to their opinions in public meetings as they do in England. I cannot doubt, if such were the case, but that their voices would be raised in favour of freedom, and in opposition to slavery, for the interests of labour are the same all the world over. From what I learn here from those well informed on the subject, it seems to me that the complete success of the North and the restoration of the Union are only questions of time. The hopes of the South were founded on the disunion of parties in the North, which is fast subsiding, and on the chance of foreign intervention, which your meeting will have great influence to avert. Of one thing I am assured, that with the end of this war comes the end of slavery. I am, yours most truly, THOMAS B. POTTER. To the Chairman of the Free-trade Hall Meeting of the Letters had also been received from the following gentlemen, regretting their inability to attend the meeting, but thoroughly sympathising with its object :-Robertson Gladstone, Liverpool; Henry Fawcett, Cambridge; Thomas Hughes (author of "Tom Brown's School Days "), London; Duncan M'Laren, Edinburgh; Professor Nichol, Glasgow; Canon Robinson, York; W. Coningham, M.P.; J. Stansfeld, M.P.; P. A. Taylor, M.P.; John Bright, M.P.; Richard Cobden, M.P. (there were bursts of cheering at the mention of the names of Mr. Bright and Mr. Cobden); E. A. Leatham, M.P.; W. E. Forster, M.P.; Professor Cairnes, Queen's College, Galway; Rev. Francis Bishop, Chesterfield; etc. From these letters we quote the following Manchester, April 3, 1863. My dear Sirs,-Will you have the goodness to explain to the meeting at the Free-trade Hall that, when you invited me to preside, I expressed my fears that some other engagements into which I had entered would in all probability prevent me being present. I am quite aware that my place will be much better filled by any gentleman you may select, but I should not like the meeting to believe that my absence arose from any indifference on my part to the important subject which you propose to bring under its consideration.—I remain, my dear sirs, yours very sincerely, GEORGE WILSON. Messrs. J. C. Edwards and E. O. Greening, Hon. Secs. Queen's College, Galway, 5th April, 1863. Dear Sir, I feel greatly obliged by the ticket (which has just reached me) for the meeting at the Free-trade Hall on Monday evening, which you have been kind enough to send me, and regret very much that I am unavoidably prevented from attending. Assuring you of my deep sympathy in the objects of the meeting, I am, faithfully yours, J. E. CAIRNES. Mr. Leatham wrote: "I heartily hope that your meeting will be a complete success, and that the most dangerons and disloyal practice of building ships of war for the Confederates will be put an end to by Government interference." The Rev. Canon Robinson says: "I sincerely trust that the meeting may be successful, and may produce an effect on the Government of the country and the violators of our national neutrality." Mr. Cobden remarked : "I am sorry to say that I see no prospect of being able to be present at your forthcoming meeting, to protest against any breach of neutrality in respect of the civil war in America, in the object of which I entirely concur." The CHAIRMAN said: Ladies and gentlemen, I am exceedingly sorry that you have got such an indifferent substitute for Mr. Wilson to preside over this meeting. I am glad to meet you on this occasion. The object for which we have met is a glorious one, and deserving of the support of every man who has a spark of humanity in his bosom. (Applause.) It is not my intention to trouble you with many observations, because there is here such an array of talent; but I come to express my deep sympathy with this movement. I trust we shall be able to bring it to a satisfactory issue, and rid the world of slavery; and humanity, religion, and science will go hand in hand. (Applause.) Dr. JOHN WATTS, on being called upon to move the first resolution, was loudly cheered. He said: Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the resolution confided to me is simply a preliminary but not an unimportant one, because the matter to which it refers has been fully dealt with at a previous meeting; it will not be necessary, therefore, for me to detain you long. My resolution is : That this meeting hereby expresses its cordial goodwill towards, and its fraternal sympathy with, the people of the Free States of America, in their patriotic efforts to preserve national unity, and to extend to all the rights of citizenship and the blessings of freedom. He apprehended that very little exception would be taken to that resolution. Wedded as he was to the doctrine of non-interventionopposed as he was, with all his heart, to war-if he had been asked before the war commenced to take the resolution in hand, he would have had some doubts about it, and would have felt inclined to introduce a saving clause in the shape of words "short of war;" but the war was a fact, the sword was drawn, the scabbard was gone, and there was no possible reason why the men of England should not express their sympathy with the side they wished in that struggle to win. His resolution expressed goodwill towards the people of the Free States; he felt inclined to express goodwill towards the people of all |