Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-12-24
From the New York Tribune,
The Reception OF KOssuth.


Never has New York witnessed more bril-.
liant pageant than that Of Saturday, and new.
was pageant heightened by greater or homes.
ter enthusiasm on the part of the people. Kos
suTH, the exile, had a reception in the CONNER
cial capital of America such as would have
greeted no other European, nor even any living
American. 1t was genuine too, and tribute
not only to the personal magnetism exercised
by his career and character, not only to the
courage, heroism and misfortunes of his nation.
but to the cause and the principles Of which
he is so distinguished representative. Ef3t
Whatever fault may be found with his speech
which We publish at length in another place
it cannot be charged with reserve or vagucness.
He speaks right out, a. his position demands
and as his history shows he has ever been
wont to do. 1t is plain and a manly speech.
No art could have more exactly hit the Ameri-
can character than this strait, forward manner
of presenting the subject most upon his heart,
He may start|e prejudice in some quarters, but
everywhere he must command respect. It is
seen that he is inc earnest. He is no mere deal
er in phrases, no mere lramatic artist bent on
the applause Of the multitude and Of the hour.
but man charged with a great and all
absorbing idea, which tolerates no unfaithful-
ness and admits of no repose. We rejoice to
see him,at the very beginning of his visit thus
declaring the end and aim for which he is
among us. We rejoice to see him thus casting
aside all personalities and addressing himself
sternly and exclusively to the work whereto
Providence has devoted his faculties and his
days.
In truth, what has such a man to do with
compliments and pageants,excep as connected
with something more earnest: 1t is no weak.
ness to feel an inward qualification at the evil
dences of general esteem when they are drawn
forth by conduct that ones own conscience ius.
titles. But such rewards can bring no delight
to him whose people langush in slavery, weep
ing over the the tombs of their heroes, at the
remembrance of freedom wrenched from them.
and of independence destroyed in the blood Of
its defenders. What place for pleasure, what
personal satisfaction in honors can there be in
the soil of one who has lived the life of Kos.
suth and bears the burdens that rest upon him!
There can be none, and there is none His
mind is Accordingly fixed upon the rescue of
his country, the emancipation Of Europe and
the establishment of freedom for humanity.
And could it ever wander from that solemn
purpose, then,-to borrow his own magnif.
cent language,-the spirits of the Hungarian
martyrs would pass before him and the cry of
the millions Of his countrymen, Liberty or
DEATH! would recall him to the great business
of his life.
Remote as we are from Europe. happily pur-
suing our own development in peace and free
dom, it is difficult for us to form an idea of
the causes there at work, and ere long to con-
vulsc that Continent with universal revolu-
ton. 1t is with difficult for us to apprellend
the gravity Of the crisis with an interest vital
enough to make it real in our minds. But be-
lieve it or not as we may, the world has never
witnessed an epoch more pregnant withmomsnuI
tuous consequences than the present. So
tyranny everywhere is unbounded and d
See how all rights are trampled undesl
tice and humanity SCOTCH at. aQl
but that of the strong adj utterly
despised See how the people are o7VO
ed with taxation to support immense ardn(
and maintain dynasties in splendor. AMI
know that underdeath the quietudc maintained
by all the means of opposition. is gathering ir.
resistably moral and political earthquake that
must either destroy absolutism throughout
Europe or plunge the millions in still gloom
Ter abyss of suffering. Can we wonder that a
man who stands behind the scenes of history,
who not only knows all this and feels it in ev.
err fiber and at every moment, Blu: knows and
feels that he has to play a leading part in the
awful drama, should be altog ether occupied
with its approach, and should omit and meg
lect nothing that can insure for it happy and
benignant issue? az
1t is no holiday visit then, no mere ceremony
which brings the Magyar leader to this country
He comes to rouse our sympathy for his peop'e
and their cause, and for the cause of popu'ar
liberty in all Europe, and to ask us that, in
case of need, that sympathy may not be suffer-
ed to evaporate with the words wherein it is
expressed. He comes to set forth and enforce
great point in the natural obligations Of ma
tions. On that topic few brief words.
We are believers in the supreme wisdom of
minding your own business. We are believers
in Peace. We believe in Industry and in Pow.
er, gained, as alone it can be, by staying at
home and working faithfully to develop the
natural resources with which nature has en-.
lowed every country, and the mental and
moral resources with which she has gifted
every people. We believe in the good old
American policy of neutrality, and no entang-
ling alliances. 1t is the policy under which
the nation has grown great and strong, and
under which it will grow greater and stronger
But there may be circumstances when our
own interest, as well as our duty as member
of the great family Of States, must command
us to step beyond the strait line of this policy.
Should you, person of respectable strength
and courage, able to handle your man, see
rufiian bruising and trampling little boy in
the street, would you be scrupulous as to pre-
serving you neutrality? Or if you saw brute
raising his fist to strike down defenseless
woman, would you look on in silence till the
blow had fallen and help was impossible9 By
no means. You would despise yourself for do
ing SO, and every body else would despise you
You would intervene and forbid and prevent
such outrageous breaches of the peace Such
would be your duty and your impulse, and all
your honest neighbors would bear you out in
it. And the great moral law of Christianity
would bear you out in it also.
How do the rules of mutual dutv " h;ch Hind