and others in authority, but more especially the members of Parliament as a body.  These petitions were “in process of being signed in every town and almost in every cotton-mill throughout the district[1139].”  It was high time for London, if it was desired that she should lead and control these activities, to perfect her own Club.  “Next week,” wrote Lindsay, on January 8, 1864, it would be formally launched under the name of “The Southern Independence Association[1140],” and would be in working order before the reassembling of Parliament.

The organization of meetings by Spence and the formation of the Southern Independence Association were attempts to do for the South what Bright and others had done earlier and so successfully for the North.  Tardily the realization had come that public opinion, even though but slightly represented in Parliament, was yet a powerful weapon with which to influence the Government.  Unenfranchised England now received from Southern friends a degree of attention hitherto withheld from it by those gentry who had been confident that the goodwill of the bulk of their own class was sufficient support to the Southern cause.  Early in the war one little Southern society had indeed been organized, but on so diffident a basis as almost to escape notice.  This was the London Confederate States Aid Association which came to the attention of Adams and his friends in December, 1862, through the attendance at an early meeting of one, W.A.  Jackson ("Jefferson Davis’ ex-coachman"), who reported the proceedings to George Thompson.  The meeting was held at 3 Devonshire Street, Portland Place, was attended by some fifty persons and was addressed by Dr. Lempriere.  A Mr. Beals, evidently an unwelcome guest, interrupted the speaker, was forcibly ejected by a policeman and got revenge by arranging a demonstration against Mason (who was present), confronting him, on leaving the house, with a placard showing a negro in chains[1141].  There was no “public effort” contemplated in such a meeting, although funds were to be solicited to aid the South.  Adams reported the Association as a sort of Club planning to hold regular Wednesday evening meetings of its members, the dues being a shilling a week and the rules providing for loss of membership for non-attendance[1142].

Nothing more is heard of this Association after December, 1862.  Possibly its puerilities killed it and in any case it was not intended to appeal to the public[1143].  But the launching of the Southern Independence Association betokened the new policy of constructive effort in London to match and guide that already started in the provinces.  A long and carefully worded constitution and address depicted the heroic struggles of the Confederates and the “general sympathy” of England for their cause; dwelt upon the “governmental tyranny, corruption in high places, ruthlessness in war, untruthfulness of speech, and causeless animosity toward Great Britain”