1 From the New York Times, of May 28. "MRS. H. B. STOWE AT STAFFORD HOUSE. "On Saturday,' says the London Times, of the 9th inst., 'a number of ladies and gentlemen assembled at Stafford House, to welcome Mrs. H. B. Stowe to this country, and to give expression personally to the respect and admiration which are felt for that lady. "The Duke of Sutherland having introduced Mrs. Stowe to the assembly, the following short address was read and presented to her by the Earl of Shaftesbury - “MADAM:--I am deputed by the Duchess of Sutherland, and the ladies of the two Committees appointed to conduct 'The Address from the Women of England to the Women of America, on the subject of Slavery,' to express the high gratification they feel in your presence among them this day. The address, which has received considerably more than half a million of the signatures of the women of Great Britain and Ireland, they have already transmitted to the United States, consigning it to the care of those whom you have nominated as fit and zealous persons to undertake the charge in your absence. The earnest desire of these committees, and, indeed, we may say of the whole kingdom, is to cultivate the most friendly and affectionate relations between the two countries, and we cannot but believe that we are fostering such a feeling when we avow our deep admiration of an American lady who, blessed by the possession of vast genius and intellectual power, enjoys the still higher blessing that she devotes them to the glory of God, and the temporal and eternal interests of the human race.' "Rev. Mr. Beecher (Mrs. Stowe's brother,) after a few prefatory remarks of acknowledgment and thanks, read the following letter from Hon. Cassius M. Clay, describing the progress of emancipation in Kentucky, and the service Uncle Tom had rendered the cause. "After partaking of refreshments, the ladies who were present, congregated in one of the splendid saloons apart, and Mrs. Stowe, seated between the Duchesses of Sutherland and Argyll, entered freely into conversation with her numerous visitors. "In the course of her observations, she stated that the ladies of England were not at all aware of the real state of feeling of the ladies of America on the subject of slavery; it must not be judged of by the answer sent to the address, nor by the statements in the American newspapers. The ladies of England seem not to be at all aware of the deep feeling of sympathy with which Uncle Tom's Cabin was received in America. long before it was known in England. The press in America had invariably spoken highly of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The first word that ever appeared in print against Uncle Tom's Cabin was the article in the Times, which was reprinted and re-echoed in the American papers, and widely circulated in the form of a tract. The bitterness and anger manifested against the ladies' address showed how much its force had enraged the advocates of slavery. Ladies in England were happily ignorant of slavery; yet that address had shown sympathy, and sympathy was very sweet. There was no bitter feeling between the ladies of the two countries, but the ladies of America cannot, because of their husband's personal and political feelings, stand forth and say what they feel on the subject. Some had said that Uncle Tom's Cabin was now forgotten; but it should be mentioned that 60,000 copies of the Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin were sold in three days. The practical question was what can be done to forward this great work? She looked first to God, but man also could do something. Sympathy must continue to be expressed. British subjects in Canada must be educated. The use of free grown cotton must be encouraged, and there were other ways in which this great work may be aided by the people of England, remembering, that after all, the issue is in the hands of Him that ordereth all things. "The company began to disperse soon after 5 o'clock, every one appearing to be thoroughly gratified with the interesting proceedings of the day. "Mrs. Stowe and her friends were among the last to leave, and were accompanied to the entrance hall by the Duchess of Sutherland, who there took leave of her guests." From the (Boston) Puritan Recorder, of June 9, 1853. "LETTER FROM LONDON. "We have been obligingly permitted to give our readers the following letter from an American clergyman, travelling abroad, to a relative in this city: 'LONDON, May 16, 1853. 'Dear H.—I have spent three Sabbaths in this city, and have heard some of the great preachers of London; but I cannot say that I have heard any great preaching. * * * * 'Rev. James Sherman, is the successor of Rowland Hill, at Surrey Chapel, and preaches to a congregation of 2500. There was nothing very striking about his discourse, excepting his allusion to slavery. Speaking of the importance of family religion,-" And here," he said, "lies one of the greatest evils of slavery. It denies to the children all instruction in the word of God. There, in that country over the waters, there are three millions of slaves; one million of whom are children-prohibited by law from reading the Bible and receiving religious instruction. God have mercy upon those Christian churches, and those Christian pastors, who uphold and advocate a system so prolific in curses to themselves." This he said with the greatest possible emphasis, and in a tone by no means the mildest. Upon further acquaintance, I found that Mr. Sherman represents the radical party here, the "Exeter Hall Abolitionists," as they are called. He is entertaining the Rev. Charles Beecher at his house. The moment we entered his study, before asking us to be seated, he opened upon us a heavy broadside, with a sweeping denunciation of the American ministry at large. The one great impression of Mrs. Stowe's book seems to be, that were it not for the support of the clergy of America, slavery would long since have disappeared. The great demonstration has at length come off,-at the Anniversary of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, on Monday evening. The clerk at the Secretary's office, who furnished us with tickets to the platform, told us, that never, since the days of Clarkson and Wilberforce, had there been such a rush for tickets. Even on Sunday, when the office was closed, the doors were besieged with applicants. Thousands had been sent empty away. On arriving at the appointed hour, I found the passage ways blocked up with outsiders, and the great Hall packed to the ceiling. The Earl of Shaftesbury took the chair, and made a flaming speech. When Mrs. Stowe entered the private gallery, the whole audience rose to their feet and received her with shouts of applause, and a general waving of hats and handkerchiefs, and when Mrs. Stowe rose in acknowledgment, supported by the Duchess of Sutherland, they gave three immense hurras. The same scene was repeated when she took leave, before the close of the meeting. Of course, it was to be expected, that many harsh things, many false things, many absurd things, would be said on such an occasion; but I confess, I was taken by surprise. The most extreme cases of cruelty were cited as the general rule, and the grossest misrepresentations were made of the free colored race at the North. When it was stated that President Pierce had announced his intention of enforcing the Fugitive Slave Law, hisses and cries of shame! shame!' rose from every part of the house. 'The indignation of these people seems to be directed more against America, than against slavery. The Times of the next morning, commented very severely on the frantic impotence' of Exeter Hall. Professor Stowe made the only sensible speech on this occasion, and one which seemed to confound the Stoweites themselves. He commenced by saying that there were only three ways to get rid of slavery. First, by an appeal to arms, a bloody revolution. This none of the true friends of the Prince of Peace would desire to see. Secondly,— by an appeal to the conscience, convincing the slaveholder that he was wrong. This could not be done by denunciation and assault. It must be moderate and gradual. Thirdly, by an appeal to the pocket, making the cotton business unprofitable. This the English had in their own hands. Americans never could support slavery;— the English supported four-fifths of the whole business. Cotton growers never could flourish without cotton consumers. It was very easy to talk about the right and the wrong, and to charge the slaveholder with the sin; but are you willing to sacrifice one penny of your own profits for the sake of doing away with this cursed business? It is a common maxim, that 'the receiver is as bad as the thief.'" From the London Morning Chronicle. "We can by no means commend the precedent which Professor Stowe has set to English husbands by bringing his wife to be exhibited on platforms as an object of public flattery. Long may it be before an English authoress is induced to prefer so dangerous and equivocal a gratification to the approbation of her readers, the love of her friends, and the applause of her own heart. Long, very long, may it 2 A* 39 be before an Englishwoman is persuaded to parade in foreign lands the spectacle of her own merits, and her country's shame. We are aware that the customs and opinions of American society on these points are very different from ours, and that an ovation of this kind would not be a novelty in that country. But it is a novelty in ours, and we must say, most emphatically, that we wish it may remain so. APPENDIX, M. STATISTICS OF SLAVERY. From Chambers' Journal, as copied into Littell's Living Age, No. 470, page 490. "The report of the Prison Discipline Association for 1845 throws some light on the morals, as well as the longevity, of negroes in the north. After giving the bills of mortality for the black and white population in the city and penitentiary of Philadelphia, the report says: 'Out of 1000 of each colour residing in the city, 196 blacks die for every 100 whites; and for every 1000 of each colour in the penitentiary, the astonishing number of 316 blacks to every 100 whites. Returns from the Philadelphia County Prison, for the last ten years, show that out of 101 deaths in that establishment, 54 died of consumption. Of these, 40 were coloured, and 14 white.' "In 1845, Mathew L. Bevan, president of the Eastern Penitentiary of Pennsylvania, says: "The increase of deaths comes from blacks. This increase of mortality is found in the fact, that those coloured inmates from the county of Philadelphia are so constitutionally diseased, as under any and all circumstances to be short-lived, from their character and habits. They die of constitutional and chronic disorders, which are general among their order, owing to the privations they undergo, and the want of proper attention in infancy, and their peculiar mode of living.' Mr. Bevan concludes: Indulging in the use of ardent spirits, subjected to a prejudice, which bids defiance to any successful attempt to improve their physical or moral condition, from youth to manhood, sowing the seeds of disease in their constitutions, and at last becoming inmates of prisons.' "The southern planters, of course, point to these facts with exultation, and contrast their own treatment of the blacks with great advantage. It would indeed appear from several papers in these volumes (De Bow), and it is not an unlikely thing to occur as an epochal phenomenon, that a scientific spirit is gaining ground among the slaveowners, which extends not merely to improved cotton culture, but also to improved negro management. Some of the contributions of this character are both interesting and amusing. The suggestions about 'improved dwellings,' 'sanitary regulations,' and 'water supply,' not to mention provisions of a more spiritual character, would do credit to Lord Shaftesbury, or Prince Albert himself. Evidently, these planters consider themselves no mean philanthropists. "One 'very sensible and practical writer' gives a description of his plantation, which would tempt any man to become a slave for the pleasure of living on it. His quarter,' has been selected on scientific principles, well protected by the shade of forest trees, sufficiently thinned out to admit a free circulation of air, so situated as to be free from the impurities of stagnant water;' and on this he has erected 'comfortable houses, made of hewn post oak, covered with cypress, 16 by 18, with close plank floors and good chimneys, and elevated two feet from the ground. The ground under and around the houses is swept every month, and the houses, both inside and out, whitewashed twice a year.' Then there are 'good cisterns, providing an ample supply of pure water,' and 'ample clothing' for their beds, with a henhouse for each, so that he may have 'his chickens and eggs for his evening and morning meals to suit himself,' besides gardens for every family, in which they raise such vegetables and fruits as they take a fancy to.' The beauty of this description would be lost, were it regarded as drawn for European readers. It was written for a local magazine as a bona fide essay on the scientific management of negroes. This gentleman's treatment of his negroes is as precise as if he were conducting an hospital or superintending a nursery. 'Their dinners are cooked for them, and carried to the field, always with vegetables, according to the season. There are two hours set apart at mid-day for resting, eating, and sleeping, if they desire it [always consulting their wishes], and they retire to one of the weather-sheds or the grove to pass this time, not being permitted to remain in the hot sun while at rest.' A species of Harmony Hall has been erected for the children, where all are taken at daylight, and placed under the charge of a careful and experienced woman. Moreover, continues our philanthropic planter, I have a large and comfortable hospital provided for my negroes when they are sick; to this is attached a nurse's room; and when a negro complains of being too unwell to work, he is at once sent to the hospital.' "Nor are either lighter or weightier matters overlooked. Besides passing a 'liquor law' for his plantation, which secures sobriety, 'I must not omit to mention,' he says, 'that I have a good fiddler and keep him well supplied with catgut; and I make it his duty to play for the negroes every Saturday night until twelve o'clock. They are exceedingly punctual in their attendance at the ball, while Charley's fiddle is always accompanied with Herod on the triangle, and Sam to pat!"' "Better still: I also employ a good preacher, who regularly preaches to them on the Sabbath-day, and it is made the duty of every one to come up clean and decent to the place of worship. As Father Garritt regularly calls on Brother Abram to close the exercises, he gives out and sings his hymn with much unction, and always cocks his eye at Charley the fiddler, as much as to say 'Old fellow, you had your time last night; now it is mine.' "Neither the preaching nor the prayers have much effect on their morality, for the writer admits that they are very licentious. He attempted to improve them for many years by preaching virtue and decency, encouraging marriages, and by punishing with some severity, departures from marital obligations; but it was all in vain.'"' * * * |