Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-12-22
Kossutil's First Address ia Amyrlca

| and this gigantic continent seems. yet /,
tfemble beneath my wavefIng steps. lie
me before 90 to work, have so,ne hours
OF rest upon this soil Of lreedou,, yuur Inn
py home. Freedom and Home. WIN
Heavenly music in these two words! Alas
have no home, and The lreedom Of m,
people is down.trooden, Young Clan, q
Free America, do not tell me that III,
shores are an asylum to The oppressed, ant
q home to the homeless exile. AD asyIun
1t is. but all the blessings OF your glorious
country, can they drown into obllyinn ,h,
longing oil the heart, and The fond desire.
of our native landl My beloved native
land! thy very sutferiugs make thee bu
dearer to my heart; thy bleeding ina O.
dwelis with me when wake, rs it resi-;
with me in the short moments of my rest.
less sleep. 1t has accompanied me over
The waves. 1t will accompany me when
60 back 10 fight over again The battle oI
thy freedom once more. | have no ideo
but thee; have no feeling bat thee Even
here, with this prodigious view OF great
ness, freedom and happiness, which spreads
before my astonished eyes. my Thoughts
are wandering towards home; and when |
look over these thousands OF thousands be
ioren'e, the happy inheritance of yonder
freedom for which your fathers fought and
bled-and when | turn TO you, citizens,
to bow before the majesty of the United
States, and TO thank The people OF New
York for their generous share in my l5er-
alton, and for Inc unparalleled honor in
this reception, see out O. The very mlds,
OF this great asse,nblage, rise The bleeding
image OF Hungary, Looking to you with
anxiety whether there be in the lus,re OF
your eyes ray Of hoYe for her; whether
there be in the thunder of your hurrnhs a
trumpet call OF resurrection. II there
were no such ray of hope in your eyes.
and no such trumpet call in our cheers,
then woe to Europe's oppressed nniions.-
They will stand alone in the hour of neei
Less fortunate than you were, they will
meet no brothers. hand 10 hel p them in The
approaching giant struggle nguins, the
leauged despols Of the world; and woe also
to me. ] will feel no jny even here, and
tn days of my stay here will turn ou. to
be lost for fatherlanj-lns! at the very time
when every moment is teeming in the de-
cision of E.urope's destiny. Ctizans, much
MS am wanting some hours of rest, much
rs have need TO become familiar with the
ground | will have to stand upon before
enter on business matters publicly, ! took
ii for duty Of honor, no! to lie, escnpe
even this first. moment of your generous
welcome, without stating plainly and open
ly to you what sort OF uan | am, and what
are the expectations and hopes what NJ.
The motives which brought me now to your
glorious shores. Gentlemen, | have 10
thank the people, Congress ond govern
ment Of the United States for my liberia
ton from captivity. Human tongue hns
no words 10 express the bliss which felt
when 1.-The down.lrodden Elungnry's
wandering chief-saw the glorious n 'g uf
The stripes and stars Huuering over my
head-when first bowed before il with
deep respect when | saw around me the
gallant officers and the crew of The Ms.
sissippi frigale-ite most Of them the
worthless, representatives of true American
principles, American greatness, American
generosuy-.nnd 10 think lba, it was not
more chance which cast the sar-spnngIed
banner around me, but that II was your
wil-lo know that the United
States of America. conscious Of their gln-
rious calling as we'll as of their power de
clared by this unparalleled act to be re
solved to become the protectors of human
rights-to see a powerful vessel of Ameri'
ca, coming to far Asia, to break the chains
by which The mightiesl despost of Europe
te,tered The activity OF an exiled Magyar.
whose very name disturbed the proud Sc
CURLY OF their s!eep-lo feel restored by
such Il protection, and in such n way, to
freedom, and by freedom 10 activity, you
may well be aware of what | have felt,
and still feel, at the remembrance of this
proud momen, Of my life. Others spoke,
you acted; and was free! You acted;
and al this oct of yours tyrants trembied;
humanity shouted out with joy; the down
lrodden people of Mngynrs-tie down trod'
den, but not broken, raised his head with
resolution and with hope, and The brllian'
cy of your stars was greeted by Europe's
oppressed nations as the morning s:ar OF
rising liberty. Now, gentlemen, you must
be aware how boundless The gratitude mus!
be which feel for you. You have re.
stored me 10 life because, restored 10 ac-
tvity; and should my !ufe, by The blessings
of The Almighty, stlI prove useful 10 my
fatherlnnd and 10 humanity, il viii be your
will be your work. May you
and your glorious country be blessed for
it. Europe is on the very eve of such i'm
mense events, that however trrvent my
gratitude be 10 you, | would no, have fell
authorized to cross the Atlantic, nj this
worry time, only for the purpose Ia exhibit
10 you my warm thanks. | would have
thanked you by facts contributing 10 The
freedom Of the European Continent, and
would have postponed my visit I" your
glorious shores uIl the decisive battle for
liberty was iough,-if it were my destiny
10 oullive that day. Then what is the mo-
live CT my being here at this very time!
The motive, citizens, is that your generous
act of nv liberation has raised The convic.
lion throughout the world that this gener-
ous act Of yours is but the manifestation OF
your resolution 10 throw your weight into