hester was unquestioned and
plans were on foot to bombard with petitions the Queen, Palmerston,
Russell and others in authority, but more especially the members of
Parliament as a body. These petitions were "in process of being signed
in every town and almost in every cotton-mill throughout the
district[1139]." It was high time for London, if it was desired that she
should lead and _control_ these activities, to perfect her own Club.
"Next week," wrote Lindsay, on January 8, 1864, it would be
formally launched under the name of "The Southern Independence
Association[1140]," and would be in working order before the
reassembling of Parliament.

The organization of meetings by Spence and the formation of the Southern
Independence Association were attempts to do for the South what Bright
and others had done earlier and so successfully for the North. Tardily
the realization had come that public opinion, even though but slightly
represented in Parliament, was yet a powerful weapon with which to
influence the Government. Unenfranchised England now received from
Southern friends a degree of attention hitherto withheld from it by
those gentry who had been confident that the goodwill of the bulk of
their own class was sufficient support to the Southern cause. Early in
the war one little Southern society had indeed been organized, but on so
diffident a basis as almost to escape notice. This was the _London
Confederate States Aid Association_ which came to the attention of Adams
and his friends in December, 1862, through the attendance at an early
meeting of one, W.A. Jackson ("Jefferson Davis' ex-coachman"), who
reported the proceedings to George Thompson. The meeting was held at 3
Devonshire Street, Portland Place, was attended by some fifty persons
and was addressed by Dr. Lempriere. A Mr. Beals, evidently an unwelcome
guest, interrupted the speaker, was forcibly ejected by a policeman and
got revenge by arranging a demonstration against Mason (who was
present), confronting him, on leaving the house, with a placard showing
a negro in chains[1141]. There was no "public effort" contemplated in
such a meeting, although funds were to be solicited to aid the South.
Adams reported the Association as a sort of Club planning to hold
regular Wednesday evening meetings of its members, the dues being a
shilling a week and the rules providing for loss of membership for
non-attendance[1142].

Nothing more is heard of this Association after