The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-15


dsavor to restore Hungary to that sovereign
right which IL the fundamental right Of every
nsti0n--to disposs of its own domestic affairs,
Ia future, should Divine Providence stilI assign
me place for tho accomplishment 0f practi-
cal duty, shall take good care that no new trea-
son shall endanger the hope of Hungary. And
on this point, beg leave to make a few single
remarks. WAS in my life, extremely anxious
never to assume upon my humble shoulders any
duty which had not the intimate conviction
that could perform. Accordingly, though |
saw the imminent peril Of the struggle, still |
had not the boldness to take the tactical and
stratigetical direction Of the military operations
in all the country into my own hands, because
had not the conviction in my conscience that
could answer as fully to this duty as Others;
and | was also extremely afraid of the idea, that
should anything happen amiss, not only my
people and not only history, but my conscience
would charge me with the eternal torturing
feeling that, perhaps, had not have taken in
my own hands the thing which did not suiii
GENTLY understand, the result would have been
happier his was the cause why | did not
take into my hands the practical and stratgetical
command OF all the armies Of Hungary was
induced from necessity, therefore, to give my
confidence upon some man or other. But alas .
| have seen that man never penetrate the
secrets OF the heart of his felIow-man have
seen that ambition very often sweep away
every guarantee which we have had TO the char
acter of man; aud therefore, since have been
an exile, have employed my time in improving
and extending the capacity of this part Of my
humble intelligence which was wanting to me
in the past And now, relying upon the conf
dence of my good people, which is neither
shaken by misfortune nor broken by calumny--
relying upon this confidence, | freely declare
that in the future will have the thing in my
own hands; because, for myself | am sure !
will become neither Monck nor Napoleon
nor such man to take the confidence of the
people as means of personal ambition. am
sure that in my hands the conduct of the strug-
giles for freedom and liberty Of my people will
be faithful; but IA to trusting any one man,
am sure that shall not be deceived ever more
Applause Therefore, in that circumstance
find some bore that our future struggles will
not be frustrated by treason.
But there is another danger TO the hope of
the Hungarian struggle; and that danger is
Russian interference. Il beg not TO be misun
dersteod ;-Rnssin is not such giant is com
monty accorded to it to be. Appause It's
huge inflated body standing upon very weak
and feeble feet But there is a prestige of lis
greatness. Now that prestige will be broken,
and so much the more, because | consider the
people of Russia are members of the great hu.
man brotherhood, and are moving towards the
common destiny of every nation. The sun of
freedom must rise alike over them, and the for
tune Of that people is as dear to my heart as
that of any other. | consider them to be my
BRETHREN rs much as any people in the world
But in their present condition, they are doomed
to nothing but toll, to administer to the ambi
ton OF an arrogant mortal, who dared to boast
that he has received the calling of heaven, to
put his implous foot upon the hopes of man.
kind. Now there is danger of Russian inter-
| terence-danger, not because Russia is mighty
but because she is mean The army OF Russia
which is now only distant thirty hours from
Hungary, can rush upon us before our nation
has had time to develop and organize its forces
There is danger, aud therefore, | come hither,
gentlemen, humbly to ask the people Of the
United States To take such a stand rs will not
have the consequence of entangling you in a
war, but which will prevent Russian in;erfer
ence. And why have | this hope here! | be-
lieve if there is anything to which the people Of
the United States are attached, il is, their con-
stitutiona principles upon which yonr indepen-
dence reposes; those doctrines which the found
ers of your great republic have taught You, not
as exigencies of momentary policy, but as ever
lasting principles. And find among these great
principles of your Washngton-among the
fundamental principles of your Constitution
that every nation has the sovereign right to dis
pose of itself--to alter its government, and its
institutions, according as il seems best and most
expedient for them, and that no power on earth
has the right to interfere with this sovereign
faculty in regard to any people whatever
could compile book by recallng only the
words out of the messages of your Presidents,
ont Of the writings and correspondence Of your
greatest men, out of your Declaration Of indie
pendence out of the instructions of your gov
ernmont given on several occasions, and at diff
ierent times, TO diplomatic agents, ministers
plenpotentiary, all uniting in the declaration of
this great principle. Now ask you, gentlemen,
in the name of all that is sacred, what is prin-
ciple worth when there is nobody to protect it
when the world is ready at every moment 10
violate that principle, and there is no people on
earth TO protect il? shall have an opportunity
10 point out some statements Of your greatest
and most renowned statesmen, who have recog
missed on several occasions this rrinciple-that
the people Of the United States have precisely
that concern in the maintenance Of international
law Of all humanity, which every single citiz IN
of your country has in the maintenance Of your
private laws--that the nation of the United
States IL, in respect to other nations precisely
in that situTiion in which every citizen Of the
Unit States Is in respect TO the laws of his
country. Here | take my ground and upon
this ground | tread. We want not your armies
we want not your fleets to fight our battles
for indep ndence; we will fight them ourselves
Let us have only fair play. Applause and
laughter But claim that you may take such
an attitude as will prevent intervention Nor
would il be the first time you have done So
When the Spanish colonies rose here on the
continent of America TO achieve their indepen.
dence, the United State. declared tha', should
Europe, in holy or unholy alliance, interfere
with the independence Of these nations. you
would oppose it. And beg leave to remark
that at that instant, England itself united with
you. Now, England is as far distant from Amer
lea ~ America is distant from the continent of
Europe; aud while mcnarchicsl England is just
AZ convenient for tie maintenance Of the great
international law of nstions--of the sovereign