Charles Francis Adams to William H. Seward, April 2, 1863

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

Sir: * * * * * * * * * * * *

I transmit herewith resolutions which have come to hand since last week, passed at meetings held in Woolwich, in Kent, and in Bingley, in Yorkshire.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Resolutions at Bingley, England.

To Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America :

Mr. President: It gives us great pleasure to inform you that at a public meeting held in the town of Bingley, in the county of York, in the north of England, on the seventeenth of March, in the year 1863, about six hundred persons attended the meeting, when the following resolutions were carried unanimously:

1. That it is the opinion of this meeting that President Lincoln and the northern States are entitled to the generous sympathy and moral support of England for their emancipation policy. Also, that the present American rebellion originated in slavery, is continued for its defence, and for its perpetuation; that slavery is in antagonism to Christianity, to free institutions, a scourge, a blight, a curse on the human race, and a stain on the civilization of the nineteenth century.

2. That as the United States government has avowed an emancipation policy, and this meeting abhors and detests slavery, deprecates the efforts which have been made to induce her Majesty’s ministers to transgress the policy of non-intervention on behalf of the slaveholders, who, by rebellion and fighting for slavery, have brought incalculable misery upon their own and this country.

3. That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be forwarded to his excellency the Hon. C. F. Adams, with a request that he will remit them to President Lincoln.

Signed on behalf of the meeting by the—

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To the honorable Charles Francis Adams, United States minister to England:

Honored Sir: You will greatly oblige the Union and Anti-Slavery committee of Bingley by forwarding this document to your respected President, A. Lincoln. Also, if you should think it necessary to write to the committee, you can do so by the following address: “Mr. John Bailey, clock and watch maker, Chapel Lane, Bingley, York.”

We are yours, faithfully, for the committee,