Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-12-25
Banquet or tIle New xorEz Press
rSu5s EI9ssRE.
GREAT sPErcH OF rHn MAGYAR.

| Be gfanu eultOtial banquet IN hO10i
Of their ilustrious brother Louis kossuth
the exile Governor of Hungary, was given
on Monday night, at the Astor House, BY
tile editors ofihe city Of New York. in d
style worthy ofthe occasion, ofthe movers
and Of The house; and was attended by
/ ore Of the most respectable ahdintelligent
body Of men ever assembled together,
numbering about two hundred an ! tw eniv
persons,
The room was u1agnificentiy decorated
with the flags Of the Union, and the win
dows itsiooned and arched with the tri-
color Of Hungary, while, through the cen
ire of the room, from head to foot, grace
~ folds of the same emblem were sus
pended, and had very preItey effect
The flag of England was also suspended
over the left of the platform. AT the back
ofihe chair was tastefully formed tricolor
Hungarian arch, studded with stars. and
the eagles ofAmerica soaring among them,
and a white clneld beneath his wings, with
the wordsinscribed;~ Give me the liberty
10 know. to utter, and TO argue freely, uc-
cordipg to conscience, above all Other hb-
critics"
The gallery was also handsomely de-
coratcd, and all the tables ornamcn,ed with
great taste and beauty.
At G9 o'clock, while Oodworlh's FIRE
band was giving enivening music, M. Kos
suth was announced, and, amid the cheeig
Of the guests, was escorted by Mr. Bryant,
| Of the Evening Post, to the seat provided
for him. Mr. Bryant presided, assisted
by Horace Greely and two other vice pre-.
sidenfs.) Oh bis right sat hossuth, on bis
Left was Mayor hingsland
The third toast was: Louis Kossutll.
As soon as the name of the Governor of
Hungary was mentioned, the assenblere
cheercd vocilcrously.
hossuih responded as follows.
KOSSUTH'S SPEECH.
Genilemen; Rising respectfully to re-
turn my most warm thanks for the honor
Of the toast, and the high benefit Of thc
sympathy manifested ~ this solemn DE-
mons'ration, it is with mingled feelings of
JOY and fear that Iaddress YOU, gentlemen.
| address You With iny, hccause, conscious
Of The immcnsty ol thc power Which YOU
Wicid, il is nuturalto feel some awe in ad-
dressing those ia whose hands the success
or the failure ofour hopes is placed. Sill,
| equally know ,hat in your hands, gen
tlcmcn, lie Independent republican press
lsa weapon, but weapon to defend truth
and Justice, and Dot to offend.
1t is 10 screen 70 hide, no snufers to ex
3, ~, lt..l 81
of Immortality, spark Of which u g!stcn-
ing in every mans soul ,to prove ils divine
origin; a torch which yen WELD loijily and
high, to spread light with it to the most
lonely regions ofhnmauity Aud as The
cauHe 81 my conntry is tie cause of justice
and trut---as il has in no respect to fear
rght, bat rather wants nothing but light TO
see occurred toit the support and protec,
ilcn uf every friend of freedom, OF every
LchlemlrGrd man, lI.esc are the reasons
why address you y i'll joy. eentlemen-
The a.efc with .iey, because, though it is
scwo"iul to see tiat IL wllled msfepre-
scutations 81 secret Austrian intricacs, d;s
tolting nluin, open history to tissue III
ialsehuod and lies, know hcw 10 find ;heir
way even To small, insignificant part Of
the American press, sill | am proud 10 see
tbat tie immense majority olthe American
press not ouIy proved inaccessibcl to these
yeu0mous iutriguers, but conscious Of tie
noble weston of an Independent press,
ard yielding To- the generous inclination of
trecmfn, of protecting truth and justice
against illc dark plots oftyranuy, has, with
out any Interference from my part, come
forth 10 protect the sacred cause of Hun
gary.
Ihe independent press oftlis great re-
public has ID this very case also, prosed "a
Tie world that even against the nischiey-
ous pow sr Of calnmHies, the most efficient
protection is the freedom Of the press, and
not preventive measures. condemning hui
man intellect to eternal minority. ad-
dress You, gentlemen, the more with ioy.
because through sou have the invalua-
ble benefit to address the whole univctsi-
ty ofthe great. glorious and free people ol
the United States. This is a great word
gectlcmcn, and yet it is literally true
While, eighty yeats ago immortal Frank
An's oWn press was almost the only one
IN the colonies, now, there are over three
thousand newspapers 10 the United Stutes.
having Il circulation OF five millions Of
copies, ard amounting in tl.cir yearly cir
culation tothe prodieious nami,er Of near
" four and hulfllundred millions; every
grown man in the Uuion reads, on tie
average, two newspapers week, and ono
hundred anal five copies a year; nearly
eighteen pics fall, in the proportion to
The population. e every human being in The
Lnion-man, woman and child.
am told dat the Journals Of New York
State alone, exceed in number those Of all
the rest oi the world beyond your great
Uaion, anu The circulation Of tie newsna-
pers Of tlis city alone, nearly exceeds
those ot the Whole empire OF G real Britain.
Bur there IS yet one particularly rcmarla-
Bile fact V hich | cannot forbear to mention,
gentlemen. | boldly declare that beyond
tae United States, there exists scarcely
practical freedom Of the prcss-al least in
Enrope-not except, perhaps, Norway,
Of whose condition, IN that respect | am
not quite aware. Aou know, gentlemen.
how tie press is fettercd throughout the
European Continent, even for tie present
IN France ITSELF whose great nation, bv a
strange fate, sees, under a noniinally re-
pubhran hut centralized government, oil
the glorious fruits Of their great and yicto
rious revolutions wasting betw cen the bias
ling fingers Of centralized, administrative
and legislaiivcomuipefencc.
gou know how the independent press
Of France is murdered by Imprisonment Of
their editors, aud by fees; you know how
the present governmeut ofFrance ieolsuna-
bic 70 bear the force Of public opinion-so
much that ID tie French republic the very
legitimate shot Of " Iire Ia Repabliq1et"
had almost become ariEne. This very