America: the Origin of Her Present Conflict

ΤΟ

THOMAS BAYLEY POTTER, ESQ.,

SIR,

BUILE HILL, MANCHESTER.

My Mission to the United States of America was prompted and sustained by your liberal philanthropy; and, in this memorial of my service, I gratefully acknowledge your constancy in supporting the cause of the Union, and the emancipation of the enslaved and oppressed. To be able to identify your name and generous sympathy for the working-classes as of a follower in the footsteps of your much-honoured and venerated father, adds intensity to my gratification in adopting this mode of rendering a tribute of sincere personal esteem to yourself,

I am, Sir,

Your faithful and obliged,

LONSDALE SQUARE, LONDON.
January 23, 1864.

JAMES WILLIAM MASSIE.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY EXPLANATIONS: Origin of the Mission-Letter

from Dr. J. P. Thompson-Proposed Reply-Organiza-

tions to diffuse information-French Protestant clergy-Reply

from English ministers-Anti-slavery conference-Address

to ministers and pastors throughout the States of America

-Public meeting in the Free Trade Hall-Letter of in-

structions to the deputation-Resolutions of the Emanci-

pation societies" Welcome to sympathy".

CHAPTER I.

Facts to be known and considered-Parties-The Constitution

amended-Testimony of a Southern as to the causeless

Rebellion-Committee of thirty-three-Warning by Jeffer-

son Davis-Compromise by Crittenden-South Carolina's

object-Rejoinder by the Congress-Parties to be consulted

-What is due to the negro-What voice has the army-

What consideration must be given to the anti-slavery senti-

ment-Difficulties in the way of conciliation-War alone

can determine the issue-Political elements in the Presi-

dential election-Abolitionists-The glories of the slave

system-Power of the President-Commander-in-chief-

The arbitrament-Political justice

CHAPTER II.

The population who have an interest and voice in the question-

The census of classes of immigrants-Lineage South and

North-Western cities-New Englanders-The older states

-Philadelphia, Massachusetts, Maine-English ancestry,

lineage, and literature-England and America united-Irish

emigration-Slaves and coloured freedmen-Slave and free

States-Climate and soil-Testimony of statesmen-Reac-

tion of slavery-Religious and female influences...........

PAGB

PAGE

Aspects of the question, and elements of popular influence-

The baptism of blood-Sufferers for the slave's sake-The

Missouri Compromise-Kansas preserved free-Ladies who

made efforts for educating coloured people-Lane and

Oberlin seminaries-Amos Dresser, Crandall, and Lovejoy—

The abolition family suffering martyrdom-Captain John ·

Brown and Harper's Ferry-Brooks and Sumner-Female

authors-Uncle Tom's cabin-Coloured men patriots-The

churches-The fugitive slave law-Colonel Fremont-Chi-

cago platform........

CHAPTER IV.

79-121

A visit to New York, Washington, the White House, and Phi-

ladelphia. My voyage across the Atlantic and cabin asso-

ciations-Approach to New York-Inner harbour-First

intercourse with Americans-Fourth of July-Governor

Seymour-Localities and expansion-First Sunday in New

York-Broadway Tabernacle-Conference at the Bible

House-New York response and signatures-Dr. Cheever—

Route via Philadelphia and Baltimore-Interviews at

Washington-Mr. Seward-Lord Lyons-The President—

Letter to Mr. Lincoln and presentation-Reply from Go-

vernment-Great meeting in First Presbyterian Church

and response" Camp Misery"-Review of coloured

troops-Monumental city-Philadelphia Union League Club

-How to content the Southerns-Visit to a hospital 122-169

CHAPTER V.

New England-Eastern states and the anti-slavery cause-New
Haven, Conference of Christian ministers-Yale College-
Hartford-Colt's colony-Response-Springfield-Arsenal
-Judge Chapman-Worcester-Commemoration of West
India emancipation-Pic-nic party in Abington Grove-
Speakers-Boston Roxbury-Park-street church-An-
dover seminary-Graduates-The town in the woods on
the Merrimac-Rapid progress-Providence, R. I.-My
brother-Meeting in Roger Williams' church-Brown
University-Massachusetts Bay-Voyage along the coast
to New Brunswick-St. John-Bay of Fundy-Scenery on
the river-Eastport boundary- Portland-Preble House-

Meeting at Dr. Dwight's church, and response-Return to
Boston-Response-Historical associations-The route to
Saratoga Company at the springs-Lecture and response

CHAPTER VI.

PAGE

170-229

The Western States-The opinions on Anti-slavery and the War

-Towns with antique names from all lands-Rochester,

rapid growth-Great meeting-Niagara Falls, above and

below-Buffalo in fifty years-The lakes-Boats and pas-

sage-Detroit, its French origin and characteristics-Dr.

Duffield in the name of his colleagues-The Michigan Ser-

geant-Chicago, its vast population and prosperity in com-

merce-Illinois prairies, its war contingent and hostility to

coloured population-The Mississippi and Missouri rivers—