trongest appeal they could make to the slaveholder.
There were three ways of abolishing slavery. First, by a bloody
revolution, which few would approve. [Hear, hear!] Secondly, by
persuading slaveholders of the wrong they commit; but this would have
little effect so long as they bought their cotton. [Hear, hear!] And the
third and most feasible way was, by making slave labor unprofitable, as
compared with free labor. [Hear!] When the Chinese first began to
emigrate to California, it was predicted that slavery would be 'run out'
that way. He hoped it might be so. [Cheers.] The reverend gentleman then
reverted to his previous visit to this country, seventeen years ago, and
described the rapid strides which had been made in the work of
education--especially the education of the poor--in the interval. It was
most gratifying to him, and more easily seen by him than it would be by
us, with whom the change had been gradual. He had been told in America
that the English abolitionists were prompted by jealousy of America, but
he had found that to be false. The Christian feeling which had dictated
efforts on behalf of ragged schools and factory children, and the
welfare of the poor and distressed of every kind, had caused the same
Christian hearts to throb for the American slave. It was that Christian
philanthropy which received all men as brethren--children of the same
father, and therefore he had great hopes of success. [Cheers.]"
* * * * *
My remarks on the cotton business of Britain were made with entire
sincerity, and a single-hearted desire to promote the antislavery cause.
They are sentiments which I had long entertained, and which I had taken
every opportunity to express with the utmost freedom from the time of my
first landing in Liverpool, the great cotton mart of England, and where,
if any where, they might be supposed capable of giving offence; yet no
exception was taken to them, so far as I know, till delivered in Exeter
Hall. There they were heard by some with surprise, and by others with
extreme displeasure. I was even called _proslavery_, and ranked with
Mrs. Julia Tyler, for frankly speaking the truth, under circumstances of
great temptation to ignore it.
Still I have the satisfaction of knowing that both my views and my
motives were rightly understood and properly appreciated by
large-hearted and clear-headed philanthropists, like the Earl of
Shaftesbury and Joseph Sturge, and
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