Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1849-12-21


their own gait" and give aid and COM
fort TO whom they please.
The Force of Public Opinion.
Al the late NewiHampshire Festival,
held in Boston, Mr.. WEBSTER, in the
course Of speech, touched uponthe re-
cent revolutions in Europe For so
great and far-seeing a man, he took a
very superficial view Of their causes and
tendencies; but he warmed up gradually
on the subject of Hungary and thnnders
in his best style. As indicating the NOR
al force Of public opinion, the following
extract is really eloqnent:-Chic. Irib.
|. s,Then, gentleman there is another as
pect. We have all had our sympalhies
much enlisted in the Hungarian effort
for liberty. We have all wept at its fair
ure. We thought we saw more ration-
al hope OF establishing indepen dence IN
Hungary. than in other parts oil Europe
where the question has been in agitation
within the last twelve months. But des-
potic power from abroad interviewed TO
suppress it.. # s.s .has9 @s.t
sand, gentleman, what will come of it
Il do not know. For my part, at this
moment | feel more indignant at recent
events connected with Hungary than all
those which passed during her struggle
for liberty. Tremendous cheering.)
Isee that the Emperor of Russia demands
of Turkey, that the noble Kossuth and
his companions shall be given up
Shame Shame!!) And see that
this demand is made in deiision of the
established law of nations. Gentleman,
there is something on earth greater than
arbitrary or despotic power. The light
ming has its power, and the earthquake
has its power, and the, whirlwind has its
power. But there is something among
men unacceptable of shaking despotic
power, than lightning, earthquake or
whirlwind. (Overpowering bursts of
applause. THAT is the threatened indig-
nation of the whole civilized wo-ld.-
Renewed cheers.) Gentleman, the Em-
peror of Russia holds himself to be bound
by the law of nations; from the fact that
he treats with nations; that he forms al.
liances, he processes, in fact, to live in a
civilized age, and to govern an enlighten-
ed nation. say, that if under these
circumstances, he shall perpetrate SO great
a violation Of natural law, as to sieze
these Hungarians, and execute them, he
will stand as criminal and malefactor
in the view of the law. cloud huzzas
continued for several minutes. Fhe
whole world will be the tribunal to try
him, and he must appear before it and
hold up his hand and plead and abide its
judgement Reiterated cheers.
The Emperorof Russia is the supreme
law-giver in his own country, and for
aught ] know, the executor of il also.
But thanks be 10 God, he is not the SUI
preme law giver or executor of the nation
al law, and every offence against that is
an offence against the rights of the civ-
ilized world, (hear hear J and if he
breaks that law, in the case of Turkey,
orin any other ease, the whole world has
a right to. call him out and demand his
punishment. y..4 irlsonsa sa81 /.
Our rights as a nation are held under
the sanction of national lava law
which becomes'more and more important
every day--a law which none who pro-
fess to agree to it, are atliberty to violate.
Nor let him imagine, nor let any one inn
agine, that mere force can subdue the
general sentiment of mankind. It is
much more likely to extend that sentI-
ment and to destroy that power which he
most desires to establish and secure. az "A
Gentlemen, the bones of poor John
Wickliffe were dug out of his grave sew,