Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-12-10
A "REMINISCENCES OF KOSSUTH.

4 A REMINISCENSE OF KOSSUIH.
Whoever saw the sunburnt faces of the war
riors who surrounded the bending form of Kos
suth, when he pronounced his farewell words in
the barracks of Shumla--whoever beheld the
hot tears coursing down the cheeks of his beard
ed Honveds, when Kossuth babe them "lesos"
adieu--will have been reminded Of the incident
of the sod Guard" who maintained their un-
swerving devotion to Napoleon to the latest
moment. That moving scence so often repre-
scented in pictures, "Napoleons farewell to his
faithful" was, on the 10Th of February, 1850,
rehearsed before my eyes in living colors. They
hung in silence upon his very word, that the
echo Of those well-beloved and inspiring tones
might linger on their souls. Nor did Kossuth
forget to gaze long and intently upon the coun-
tenance of each brave comrade there, to fix the
features on his memory.
Profoundly agitated as he was, with tremb-
ling voice he spake these words:
" Brothers! the first hard necessity of my life
for me was that to which was subjected when
constrained to abandon my native soil and no
BILE nation' the second meets me to-day; when
| behold myself obliged to bid u long farewell
to you, glorious remnants Of the Hungarian ar
my, and compelled by force to depart from Eu-
rope, to place where the grave ycarns tor me.
Ye are still strong and efficient--ye are still
permitted by fate to bear arms for our father
land, and to struggle for its freedom-a boon
no longer granted to me, for feel my strength
failing with me every day, yield to the unal-
terable decree of destiny, and see myself DOOM
ed to the same sad lot of exile which was me-
ted out to my predecessor Rakoezy. Brothers
we are yet young enough to see our fatherland
in the glory of her restoration to freedom.
"ShOuld We be SO blest as to witness this,
swear to me that We will not leave my bones to
moulder in foreign soil, in the land of the bar
barian. This you will promise me, and this
am convinced ye will fulfill"
Here Count Ladislaus Way, with uncovered
head, stepped up to Kossuth, and said aloud in
strong and manly voice:
Great man who standest there, pure and
spotess before the eyes Of the world--thOu
whom the Hungarian nation honors to-day as it
honored thee when it chose thee for its regent
thou wilt, thou shalt, thou must live. Not
thy bones but thy living self, we will bear back
in triumph to our fartherand! This we swear
by the Almighty God" And all barred their
heads while they uplifted their hands to take
the oath, and solemnly repeated, Eshubunk -
we swear it. Kossuth kissed and embraced
those who stood nearest to him. All pressed
toward him to grasp his hand and battle it with
tears.
The old huzzars strove once more to press
the hem of his mantle to their lips. The whole
group was heart rending to look upon; even
the Turks--and thiss saying much--were mov-
ed to tears at the sight. The train then repair
ed to Count Casimir Bathyani, to bid him also
Il heartfelt farewell The Count left many
beautiful reflections of his noble soul in the
remembranccs of the emigration. Kossuth
mounted his horse and was borne away. That
brilliant star of the armament of Hungary,
from which the nation had received its greatest
light, gradually disappeared, until it could no
longer be seen in the whole circuit of the hori-
zon. The waves of the Black Sea once more
gave back a reflection Of its splendor, and
long night closed in upon that too brief day.
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