1861, and in another in the same place on July 15, 1862. On both occasions speeches were made and resolutions adopted pledging the fullest support to the government in men and money, and urging the prosecution of the war relentlessly till victory was won. In the period of despondency which followed the elections in the fall of 1862 the Chamber adhered undismayed and unqualifiedly to its position of absolute loyalty. Early in 1863, at its monthly meeting on February 5, a long series of resolutions was adopted on the state of the country which left no doubt in any one's mind as to the position of the Chamber. In a preamble the events which had led to the war were reviewed, the results of the first two years of conflict were enumerated, and recognition was made of the fact that "there is manifest at the present time in certain quarters, a feeling of impatience and despondency that is unworthy of a brave people and wholly unwarranted by the existing condition of public affairs." Among the resolutions were the following: Resolved, That at this interesting juncture, it behooves loyal citizens of New York to contemplate anew the work which, in the providence of God, it is given them to do; that it becomes wise men to look calmly and brave men to look hopefully toward the issue of the existing struggle. Resolved, That as it is a Christian duty to respect and obey, so it is the patriot's duty to honor and uphold "the powers that be"-to lighten the burdens that devolve on the Executive and Heads of Departments, disproportioned as they are to human strength, and it is not a loyal part to aggravate these burdens by the voice of unnecessary and injurious complaint. Resolved, further, That the spirit of party which stifles love of country, is too manifest at the present time, and through the divisions it creates, and the animosities it awakens, is to be feared and deprecated as the ally of rebellion, and it should be rebuked, discouraged and banished from our midst. A proceeding of historical interest took place at the regular meeting of the Chamber on March 6, 1862. Mention was made of the services of John Bright in championing the Union cause in England and the following resolutions were unanimously and enthusiastically adopted: Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York does hereby record its grateful sense of the intelligent, eloquent, just and fearless manner in which Mr. John Bright of Birmingham, has advocated, before the people of England and in the British parliament, the principles of Constitutional liberty and international justice for which the American people are contending. Resolved, That these proceedings be communicated to Mr. Bright and published. The action of the Chamber was communicated to Mr. Bright and in due course the subjoined interesting and valuable letter was received from him in April, 1862: LONDON, April 4. DEAR SIR,-I have received, through the hands of the Hon. Mr. Adams, the minister of the United States, your letter of the 8th of March, and the resolution unanimously adopted by the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York on the 6th of March. I wish you to convey to the eminent body of gentlemen over whom you preside, the expression of my sense of the honor they have conferred upon me, and of the pleasure which it gives me to know that the course I have taken in reference to the events which are now passing in your country has met with the warm approval of those whom they represent. I accept their most kind resolution, not only as honorable to myself, but as a manifestation of friendly feeling to the great majority of my countrymen, whose true sentiments I believe I have not mistaken or misrepresented, when I have spoken on the side of your government and people. I believe there is no other country in which the men have been so free and so prosperous as in yours, and that there is no other political constitution now in existence in the preservation of which the human race is so deeply interested as in that under which you live. This is true, beyond all doubt, when applied to the free States of your Union. I trust the time is not distant when it will be true over all your vast territory, from the St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico. Notwithstanding much misapprehension, and some recent excitement, I am sure that an overwhelming majority of the people of the United Kingdom will rejoice at the success of your government and at the complete restoration of your Union. While asking you to convey the expression of my grateful feelings to the members of your Chamber, I desire to tender to you my thanks for the very kind letter from yourself which accompanied the resolution. I am, with very great respect, very truly yours, JOHN BRIGHT. To P. PERIT, Esq., President of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York. When in March, 1863, the news of Farragut's famous victory on the Mississippi reached the Chamber a series of resolutions was passed amid great enthusiasm, extolling the admiral's skill, gallantry, and perseverance; declaring that he had "achieved one of the most celebrated victories of any time; had added a new and lustrous page to the naval history of the United States, and proved himself the worthy peer of those earlier heroes of the republic who shrank from no obstacle"; that "in the progress of the war for the unity and life of this great nation no services have been more eminent" than his, and that "this Chamber watches with profound interest the course of the admiral and will hail with joy and hope the day when, at the head of some noble squadron, he may again lead the victorious navy to the restoration of other cities to the national rule." An engrossed copy of the resolutions was sent to the admiral, who in reply transmitted the following letter which is one of the most highly prized historical documents in the archives of the Chamber: ASTOR HOUSE, NEW YORK, December 16, 1863. JOHN AUSTIN STEVENS, ESQ., Secretary of Chamber of Commerce: Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the resolutions of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York, in relation to myself, handsomely engrossed on parchment, accom panied by your kind letter, fulfilling the requirements of said resolutions in presenting the copy. In reply, I beg you, sir, to express to that honorable body my sincere thanks for this, and other distinguished marks of their high appreciation of the services I have rendered our common country, and particularly its commerce, both internal and external, by what they are pleased to consider "one of the most celebrated achievements of any time-the capture of New Orleans." That we did our duty to the best of our ability I believe; that a kind Providence smiled upon us, and enabled us to overcome obstacles before which, I fear, the stoutest of our hearts would have otherwise quailed, I am certain; and I trust that the recipient of these honors will ever remember the injunction of the poet: If thou hast strength, From Heaven that strength's bestowed; For know, vain man, that valor belongs to God: But God's to give success. Being on the eve of departing for my station, I fully feel, and shall gratefully cherish, their kind sentiments of interest and hope for the success of the fleet which I have the honor to command; and that those hopes may be realized is the prayer of your obedient servant, D. G. FARRAGUT, Rear Admiral U. S. Navy. CHAPTER XVII "ALABAMA" ACTS CONDEMNED A CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION IN THE CASE-REWARDS FOR THE VESSEL'S CAPTORS 1863-1864 A PUBLIC service, peculiarly within its functions as a commercial body, was performed by the Chamber in 1862 and 1863. Repeatedly during those years it made vigorous protests against the action of Great Britain in allowing the Alabama and other Confederate piratical craft to be fitted out in British ports in order to prey upon Northern vessels. In October, 1862, a series of resolutions was adopted, denouncing the conduct of Captain Semmes of the Alabama in burning Northern ships at sea, warning the merchants of Great Britain that the "repetition of such acts could not fail to produce wide-spread exasperation in this country," and declaring it to be the "desire of this Chamber, as it is the interest of all its members, to cherish sentiments of amity with the people of Great Britain, to maintain those cordial relations which have led to profitable intercourse, and to strengthen the ties that knit them together in mutual courtesy and respect." In January, 1863, a special committee which had been appointed to consider the subject, made a report in which the action of the previous year was recalled, the various acts of piracy by the Alabama and the Florida were described, and the following recommendation was made: "In conclusion, your committee believe it is best at the present time, that the action of this Chamber should be limited to a statement of facts, as they bear upon a gigantic wrong to our country and its commerce, so that public opinion throughout the world |