Part 2

Once more ministers have spoken in each house. Earl Russell in reply to Lord Stratheden, has declared that he would not like to see England interfere on the side which is not that of freedom; yet adds, that circumstances at any moment may arise which would justify Her Majesty’s Government in departing from their neutral position. Are we to rejoice that the Earl has at length discovered that the South is _not_ fighting for freedom? or to feel disgust, that no one understands “departure from neutrality” to mean (by any possibility) aid to the cause of Right and Freedom? While many were meditating how much comfort could be extracted from Earl Russell’s words, the debate in the Commons on Mr. Forster’s motion against pirate-ships, has elicited from the Solicitor-General and from the Prime Minister speeches which glorify their own good conduct, attack Mr. Lincoln’s Government for alleged misconduct of the Slave-Power in past Presidencies, and indicate a resolution to persist in giving to the pirate-ships all legal advantage.

Palmerston and Russell may be in their graves before retribution comes on us. Do Englishmen mean tamely to accept from them a legacy of curses? America is scourged for the sin of allowing the slaveowners to work their wicked will in the last 50 years. If the blood of Canada, and Afghanistan, and China, and Scinde, and Burma, and Oude, and Persia, guiltily shed by Britain, has not yet come down upon us in curse; all their blood may be exacted in one payment of that generation which connives at burning American ships for the benefit of the Slave Power. How much longer shall we be able without shame to call ourselves Englishmen?

MANCHESTER:

PRINTED BY JAMES F. WILKINSON, ESDAILE’S BUILDINGS, OXFORD STREET.