Page:The Civil War in America - an address read at the last meeting of the Manchester Union and Emancipation Society.djvu/81

Rh probably say with me that they looked upon its approach with horror. There are not a few perhaps in this room whom it threatened with ruin. But when it had commenced, we took part with what we believed to be the right, and strove to prevent England from taking part with what we believed to be the wrong. There is no blood on our heads: there might have been blood on the heads of our opponents if they had succeeded in involving England and America in war. Charges were brought against us of folly, blindness, fanaticism, which the event has answered, and with which we need concern ourselves no more. It has been shown that it is not unwise sometimes to back the moral forces even against the military probabilities; and on the other hand, that the shallow canning which can purvey for the prejudices of a club is apt to be at fault when the moral forces are on the scene. We may not be versed in the mysteries of diplomacy, but we were not bad diplomatists when we did our utmost to counteract the efforts of the powerful party here, which would have estranged from us for ever the heart of the American people. The main end we had in view was not commercial; but I do not think we counselled English commerce ill, or that English commerce now believes that we counselled it ill, in dissuading it from sending out Alabamas. We had no doubt a primary regard, as surely every Christian and every rational and large-minded patriot must have a primary regard, for the general interests of humanity, in which those of each individual nation are bound up. But I hope and believe that we at the same time did, and I am sure that we wished and endeavoured to do, that which was best for the interest and for the honour of our country.

If the object of the Association has been in any measure