th in battle after battle and finally the settling down by Grant
to besiege the Southern lines at Petersburg, in late June, 1864, seemed
to indicate that once again an offensive in Virginia to "end the war"
was doomed to that failure which had marked the similar efforts of each
of the three preceding years.

Southern efforts in England to alter British neutrality practically
ended with Lindsay's proposed but undebated motion of June, 1864, but
British confidence in Southern ability to defend herself indefinitely, a
confidence somewhat shattered at the beginning of 1864--had renewed its
strength by July. For the next six months this was to be the note harped
upon in society, by organizations, and in the friendly press.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1129: Mason Papers.]

[Footnote 1130: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 1131: _Ibid._, Spence to Mason, Dec. 7, 1863.]

[Footnote 1132: _The Index_, Dec. 10, 1863, p. 518.]

[Footnote 1133: The success of pro-Northern meetings in London was
ignored. Lord Bryce once wrote to C.F. Adams, "My recollection is that
while many public meetings were held all over Great Britain by those who
favoured the cause which promised the extinction of Slavery, no open
(i.e., non-ticket) meeting ever expressed itself on behalf of the South,
much as its splendid courage was admired." (Letter, Dec. 1, 1913, in
Mass. Hist. Soc. _Proceedings_, Vol. XLVII, p. 55.) No doubt many of
these pro-Southern meetings were by ticket, but that many were not is
clear from the reports in _The Index_.]

[Footnote 1134: Mason Papers. Spence to Mason, Dec. 17, 1863.]

[Footnote 1135: _Ibid._, The _weight_ of the _Times_ is here evident
even though Goldwin Smith's statement, made in a speech at Providence,
R.I., in 1864, be true that the London _Daily Telegraph_, a paper not
committed to either side in America, had three times the circulation of
the _Times_. (_The Liberator_, Sept. 30, 1864.) Smith's speech was made
on the occasion of receiving the degree of LL.D. from Brown University.]

[Footnote 1136: _Ibid._, That Mason did contribute Confederate funds to
Spence's meetings comes out in later correspondence, but the amount is
uncertain.]

[Footnote 1137: _The Index_, Dec. 17, 1863, p. 532. "The attendance of
representatives was numerous, and the greatest interest was manifested
throughout the proceedings. Manchester was represented by Mr. W. R.
Callender (Vice-Chairman of the Central Committee), and by Messrs.
Pooley, J.