London; 10.1850 (Meeting)

London; 10.1850 (Meeting)

(From the Christian Citizen.)


LONDON, Oct. 1850.

I am just returned from a fortnight's tour into the West, and have held large meetings in Bristol, Newport, Plymouth, Davenport, and Modbury. I never found friends more hearty or enthusiastic, or the League cause more promising in its aspect. Two or three of these meetings were in aid of the Free Labor movement, and I had the company of Dr. Pennington of N.Y. I wish some of your "Fugitive Slave" law makers could have been present at Bristol, (once the strong-hold of the pro-slavery party in England,) and could have seen the reception given by 2000 of its citizens to the fugitive slave, the negro D.D. They stood up and gave him three tremendous hurrahs; and they manifested the deepest sympathy, as he detailed the provisions of the last act of American slave legislation. Surely, this iniquitous law must ensure its own overthrow, and must hasten the final destruction of the accursed system altogether. I think that if the American people really knew what an intense feeling of disgust and contempt this measure has created in England - what a weapon it has placed in the hands of the despots here, who taunt the men of progress, and say - "Look at your Republic; do you want to pull down our glorious constitution, and give us such liberty as this?" What can we say? Why, I tell our friends manfully to take their own share of the odium - to say to themselves, "Yes, it was England that first introduced slavery in the American colonies; it is English gold that now mainly buys American cotton, rice and tobacco; but now, in answer to the American fugitive slave bill, let England run up the Free Labor flag, and starve the system to death."

I have been attending a large meeting of ladies and gentlemen at the Anti-Slavery office this morning, and we have formed a Central Free Labor Produce Association. It was resolved to open a warehouse in London for the wholesale supply of all kinds of free labor cotton goods. The demand is rapidly springing up, and it will soon be found that capital cannot be more profitably employed than in the cultivation of free labor cotton. A colored gentleman from Jamaica, studying for the church in this country, was present, and informed us that much interest is beginning to be felt in Jamaica in the growth of cotton, and that the planters in that island are looking forward to a good division of the British market with the Southern States. Garnett's lectures in the North have been much crowded, and thousands are coming into the movement.

I cannot say what progress is making in the mediation between Denmark and Holstein; but it seems certain that the meddling protocol of England, France and Russia, is the great obstacle to the progress of that mediation. Denmark is so completely in the hands of the great powers, that she cannot freely act as she would. Still we hope for ultimate success.

Friends are beginning to look forward to prepare for our next year's Bazaar with great enthusiasm. There is no doubt that the attendance will be immense. The Bristol friends say they will charter a special league train, and will bring up probably 500 visitors. - Hurrah for the Rail bringing 500 people 120 miles merely to visit a Bazaar and an Exhibition!

EDMUND FRY.

Edmund Fry

12.5.1850