an
association which should become the main-spring of further activities.
Spence, Beresford Hope, and Lord Eustace Cecil were made a committee to
draft a plan and preliminary address. Funds were now forthcoming from
the big blockade-running firms

"Some time ago I saw friend Collie, who had made a terrific
sum of money, and told him he must come out for the cause in
proportion thereto. To this he responded like a brick, I was
near saying, but I mean Briton--by offering at once to devote
a percentage of cotton out of each steamer that runs the
blockade, to the good of the cause. He has given me at once
L500 on account of this--which I got to-day in a cheque and
have sent on to Lord Eustace Cecil, our treasurer. Thus, you
see, we are fairly afloat there[1134]."

Yet Spence was fighting against fear that all this agitation was too
late:

"Nevertheless it is not to be disguised that the evil tidings
make uphill work of it--very. Public opinion has quite veered
round to the belief that the South will be exhausted. The
_Times_ correspondent's letters do great harm--more
especially Gallenga's--who replaced Chas. Mackay at New York.
I have, however, taken a berth for Mackay by Saturday's boat,
so he will soon be out again and he is dead for our
side[1135]."

Again Spence asserted the one great hope to be in European intervention:

"I am now clear in my own mind that unless we get Europe to
move--or some improbable convulsion occur in the North--the
end will be a sad one. It seems to me therefore, impossible
that too strenuous an effort can be made to move our
Government and I cannot understand the Southerners who say:
'Oh, what can you make of it?' I have known a man brought
back to life two hours after he seemed stone-dead--the
efforts at first seemed hopeless, but in case of life or
death what effort should be spared[1136]?"

The Manchester Southern Club was the most active of those organized by
Spence and was the centre for operations in the manufacturing districts.
On December 15, a great gathering (as described by _The Index_) took
place there with delegates from many of the near-by towns[1137]. Forster
referred to this and other meetings as "spasmodic and convulsive efforts
being made by Southern Clubs to cause England to interfere in American
affairs[1138]," but the enthusiasm at Manc