The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-17
Kossuth In England.

We again devote considerable space 10 re-
cord of the speeches of the Hungarian leader at
Southampton and London. We have not room
for more than an outline of his addresses at
those places, but the points embodied in our
abstract cannot fail to strengthen the favorable
impressions produced by previous efforts. In
nothing has KossUTH evinced greater judgment
than in his studied silence upon all political
questions not directly connected with the
cause to which he is devoted, and his fixed
determination to take no part in proceed
ings that can be made to bear the aspect
of pariisanship. The same good sense which
induced him to eschew socialist nantes
tations led him to repudlate, specifically and
forcibly, the flibustering notion of armed in
terventon by England and the United States
in the affairs of other nations He desires that
Hungary and every other country shall be left
10 fight its own battles and the only interven-
ton he desires or approves is Of that moral kind
which shall enable great country to protest
in season against the progress of absolutlst
diplomacy. The reader cannot fail TO discern
a marked distinction between intervention, as
thus expounded by KossUTH, and the anarchi-
cal crusade which finds tumultuous echo
within the walls of old Tammany.
1t will be seen that Mr.. ex-Secretary
WALKER was toasted at Southampton as gen
tleman "likely soon to become President of the
United States"
The Law of Nations and General Jackson.
Our contemporary of the sole DEMOCRATIC
organ prefers his own authority to that Of the
Justices of the Supreme Court on question of
international law. He has no idea-not he
of permitting his intuitive conclusions on points
of law to be disturbed by any thing In the books
of the sages of the profession, or in the deci
sions Of the courts. This he regards as mere
slavish submission of his own opinion TO that Of
other people Hence the contempt with which
he rejects the authority of GRorrUs, and PUF
FENDoRF, and VArTEL, and Mr. Justice STORY,
and Mr. Justice MCLEAN.
But there is one authority which we have
never seen impugned by our contemporary,
and that he appeals to every day in the week
as infallibe We refer of course to General
Jackson The Union receives this distin-
guished man as its oracle in all matters of law,
politics, diplomacy, and morals. He certainly
entertained some pretty strong and sensible no
tions on certain interesting questions of constitu-
tional law, and worse lawyers as well as worse
men have probably been made doctors by the
faculty of Harvard College.
Now, we desire to call the attention of our
contemporary to General JAcKsoN's statement
of the law on point in which the Union has
made an issue with the Administration. Presi-
dent FILLMORE in his proclamation declared very
properly that expeditions Of the nature of those
which he had reason TO fear were fitting out in
the United States against CUBA, were regarded
by the law of nations as adventures of "robbery
and plumber" On this ground our contempt
rary has repeatedly charged that the PREsI-
DENT had denounced the CUBAN adventures in
advance as "pirates" and "outlaws." These
words do not occur in the proclamation; but that
is of no consequence to the Union as long it can
insert them in the instrument, by argument
or inference President FILLMORE also said
that all men who might engage in such an ex-
petition would necessarily forfeit all claim to
the interference of the American Government
in their behalf. This the Union describes as
Presidential outlawry.
had really used the language attributed 10 him,
and that the terms OF his proclamation de-
nounced all such adventures outlaws, we
find that he would have been abundantly sus-
tanned on those very points by the law as lait
down by General JACKSON.
We do not propose TO examine the merits
of the case in which this law was pro
nounced, for it is not necessary to our present
purpose Whether or not it was humane Il
execute ARBuTHNoT and AMBRIsTER, under
the circumstances, we are not prepared to dis
cuss; but our approval Of that act is not neces
sary 10 commend the law Of the case 10 the
pious attention Of our contemporary On the
occasion of his approval of the finding and SEN
tence of the court martial which tried these
men, General JACKSON made the following
enunciaton of the law, with his characteristic
energy and decision
at is an established principle, in the laws Of ma
'tions, that any individual Of nation making
war against the citizens Of any other nation, hsl
being at peace, FoRFEITs ALLEGIANCE, AM
AuyA rn Arc