The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-10

oCo, Which, NC supPosos W oAisl III Inc PoPuiar
mind against the officers of the Navy, in recent
article relating to KossUrH. Our columns bear
testimony to our high appreciation and respect
for the Hungarian patriot, whom il is now be-
coming the fashion to abuse, as much as it was
the rage few weeks since extravagantly to
extol. Yet We can no good reason why il
is necessary to do injustice to others while doing
justice TO him; nor to forestal public opinion
on the merits of any misunderstanding between
himself and the officers of the Mississippi
That difference, we doubt not, has been grossly
exaggerated and the circumstantal accounts
given by anonymous, and therefore irresponsible
writers, are to be taken with many grains OF
allowance. But this is not the topic on which
we proposed TO comment. We desired merely
to put in our protest against this sweeping con-
demnation and unstinted abuse of gallant and
heightened body Of public servants, the officers
of our Navy-who though they may despise
assaults from such source, must nevertheless
feel hurt at their endorsement in other quarters,
where more respect is usually paid to fairness
and courtesy.
Had these gross and uncalled-for imputstions
appeared alone in the Tribune, we would have
passed them by but they have been reiterated
and re- echoed for effect and as yet We have seen
no response to, or rebuke of, those who circulate
or endorse them.
Hear the refined, the courteous, the liberal
language in which the editor of the Tribune
speaks of body of his countrymen, who have
done as much TO sustain the high character of
the American people abroad, as he has to de-
grade it.
1.-THE officers of the American Navy and the
attaches Of American diplomacy boast that they
are gentlemen. They are not apt to boast that
they are republicans and democrats The former,
especially, have not been trained in a democratic
school, and it is not 30 much their fault as that
of their profession that men should be found
among them with the very opposite of demo-
cratic sentiments. The latter when in Europe
associate not with democrats, but with men of
titles and tinsel; and they are all too easily
tempted to forget that power and honor come
from the people, and to ape the assumptions and
adopt the notions of the class with whom they
are most brought in contact. With a few honor
able exceptions they learn to despise the people
rs "the rabble," and to contemn and insult as
mere anarchists and destructives the leaders who
in the late fearful struggles sought but failed to
establish freedom and popular rights.
Into the hands of such persons kossuth has
apparently fallen. They could not understand
him, nor he them. He thought them republi-
cans, with republican sympithies, hating despot-
ism and despots, loving liberty, and Jealous, as
republican officers should be, for the elevation
of the people everywhere. They thought him
great man, cured, of his greatness by defeat,
aud Ow anxious only to find an asylum and re-
pose in the United States. Parties so opposite
in character and tendencies could not harmonize
There have been difficulties between them, and
the officers have forestalled public opinion in this
country by taking care to have their side of the
story widely circulated before anything could be
heard from the other We cannot think this
proceeding altogether creditable Nay, we think
IT is very small and ptiful, this gossiping i'll
port of the exile and guest assailing him at such
advantage as carrou flies buzz absit lion in
abe tolls
sit surprising then that such men should fall
out with kossuth! Or that they shoSld write
letters to this country such as would delight the
hearts of Haynau or Radetsky
The associate abroad of runaway negroes,
the defamer of his own country and country
try" as well as the commonaty Of Great Britain
presumes to pour out ribsldry and invectivs
upon the officers Of our navy, because their asso
cistes are not such az his, and Sbgmatizes then
with being "genlLemen"-a title of honor higher
than any other in all Countries nobility whose
patent is conferred by God alone.
OF all the demagogical appeals of the Tri.
buns, We deem this last the lowest and most
ridiculous. 1t is an exhibition OF petty spite
and mean malignity, which the addresses Of
AARAr :" 10 the dear people" alone can parallel,
while accusing of "incivism" and hostility to
popular progress all who did not belong to hs
own faction. True, the French demagogue
asked for the heads OF the enemies of the
people" while his modern type only desires to
put those he thus denounces under the ban of
public opinion, engine in this country more
dreaded than the guillotine.
The only specific allegation made by the Tri.
bune wants confirmation nor do we believe that
any honorable mind will sanction the idea that
the officers of the Mississippi would resort to
falsehood and trickery to forestal public opinion
on this, or any other matter Of dispute between
kossUTp and themselves
The democracy" which the Tribune by pre-.
cept and example ineulcates, is a spurious arti-
Gle; and of kind which suits neither the genius
nor the temper Of the American people, ma
ton of gentlemen" in the best acceptation of
that much abused term.
E During the unavoidable absence Of both
the Editors from this city,, few days since, a
paragraph from another paper, rejecting upon
NJ prrpr Of South Carnlfpa ,xos ;p.artad In ,ho