The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-18

|
ments of liberty are uttered. that they are o
value II is because they will testify to the vic
Tins Of oppression everywhere, that there Is
feeling Of sympathy, of COMMUNICATION, ofcondo
lence, and ofrespect in the hearts OF all the Anne
rican people with them in their misfortunes-
it is because of this that this resolution hai
any value And if you stop to fortliy 1t witt
provisos qualifications, reservations, and exciu
sions and conclusions, it may be very gooo
special plea, but very poor channel through
which the sympathy of the American people Is
to find vent, utterance and expression.
No, sir let the expression of these sentiments
be broad, manly open, unqualified, and direct
Let them be expressed in the plainest terms in
which the English language is capable of pre-
senting those sentiments and ideas which 10
day are beating and vibrating in the hearts OF
the whole American people. Let the heavings
and uprsings OF the great American heart,
which has been moved by the advent of this
man to our shores as it has not been moved for
more than quarter of century past find a
corresponding emotion here in the hearts OF
their representatives in the Senate and Congress
assembled. Let us not be afraid that there is
any danger of compromising ourselves, or of
giving rise to any step which we may hereafter
have need to retrace and retract | trust, as
has been said by distinguished American
statesman on another occasion, that he takes
no steps backward such will be the lam
| guage of the American Senate and the Ameri-
can people, "that we take no step backward"
They have planted their banners they are I'M
furled; they have written their sentiments
where the world may read them, and from
whence, | trust in God that all time cannot eff
face them And let it never be told to the
victims of oppression and despotsm in the Old
| World, who are straining their eyes and look
ing with anxious and throbbing hearts to see
what the only free people on the face of the
earth will do; let it never be said to them that
we have hesitated halted, failed, and furled ouI
glorious banner, lest the characters that have
been written there in the blood of our fathers
by being repeated and re-uttered by us, might
give offence to those to whom the principles Of
liberty are ever an offence trust that, instead
of going back-instead of retrograding-in-
stead of pausing-we will make this resolution
more full, more extsnded, and more explicit
and if the sentiments there expressed, or in
tended to be expressed, want more meaning, let
it be given to them and, in doing so, we do
not give words to anything and everything that
1Sr.sN nH-' o. ~-~-3r
To- the great principe of fidelity to the great
l11asA 49, - /, = Al IA. :: -,
luton, and which is Embodied in our Constitu-
ton. trust that so far as that we are prepar-
ed to go.
But as | am destous that this resolution
should pass, will nd trespass longer upon the
attention of the Semitic, but will give way ho-
ping that we may arr We at an early conclusion
in reference to this mltter.
Mr.. FOOTE, of Mississippi do not rise for
the purpose of ntiniing this debate and if
any gentleman wishes to discuss the resolution
| shall give way to hin intend simply to put
myself right before he country in regard to
this matter introduced the original resoIu-
ton, as have alread stated at the instance
OF the Secretary of 3ate, and as declared to
me by him, and doubtless, truly, with the sane
ton of the Administration itself it being the
opinion of the President and his Cabinet as
clearly minated in tie last annual message,
that it was the duty OF Congress, under all the
circumstances existing to provide suitable re-
ceptlon for the distinguished parsonage whose
character and actings have been the subject of
such extended remarksOn this occasion act
ed, say again, at the Instance of gentlemen of
high official standing in Washington, with
whom, after full consultation. | had the good
fortune to agree. | an willing to acknowl-
edge that in none of tie conversations which
held on this subject, preliminary to introducing
the original resolution, did any person under
take to intimate the propriety of so demeaning
ourselves in the discussion of the question de-
signed to be presented to the Senate as to avoid
enkindling the resentment of the Emperor of
Russia Had any such consideration been sug-
gested to me- should have felt not little dis
satisfaction with the parsonage in whose brain
an idea so ignoble had arisen understood
| the roeolution before US to be simply a proposi-
ton to afford to Governor Kossuth. on account
OF the high respect which we entertain for his
public character, and the ardent sympathy
which the freemen of this country must natu-
rally feel for him and the noble cause with which
he stands identified, reception cordial and re-
| spectful on the part of the two Houses of Con-
gress in the first instance. to be followed, as
has been generally anticipated, by an addition
| al reception on the part of the Executive of
the Republic. | now regret exceedingly hay
ing withdrawn the original resolution because
it might perhaps have been acted upon before
the present time | withdrew it for reasons
satisfactory to me, and which | stated in the
hearing OF the Senate. supposed that it would
be impossible for US, IN consequence of the I'M
expected opposition presented in various quar-
ters of this hail. to act on the resolution brought
forward by me in time to accord to Governor
kossuth that reception which had hoped all
the members of this body would have supposed
to be due to him. Since that period. some de-
lay having occurred in New York with regard
to his public reception there, other gentlemen
here, friendly to the original object which
had in view, have thought proper to introduce
propositions to provide for him respectful and
atfectionatc reception in the capital of the ma
| ton.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10.
| On the motion of MIR SEWARD the Senate