Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-08-20
THE CAPTIVITY OF KOSSUTH.

we rear LnaJ tne hmeTlcal people arc Hot
fully aware of the circumstances attending the
prolonged captivity of Kossuth. 1t has been
often reported that the Sultan was about to set
him at liberty. More recently it was said that
twenty-five Of his companions in exile had been
liberated, and that they were now on their way
from England to the United States These
latter not long since, landed at Southampton,
where they were courteousy and Hospitality re-
ceived by the civic authorities They were to
embark shortly after for the United States,
whittier the British Governmet had offered to de-
fray the expense of their passage.
The Sultan has been highly eulogized for set
ting these men free. He is also reported to
have offered Kossuth himself permission to go
to America, if he chose but that a still linger-
ing hope that his presence might yet be needed
and that it might be useful in Hungary, con-
strained the illustrious patriot to wait in Europe
until the summons should come. Every one
of these reports is false, wholly false. Kossuth
is kept at Kutahia-an obscure town in Asia
Minor-a sort of Austrian State prisoner, but
with the Sultan of Turkey for his more imme-
date jailor The Turkish Government has ma
ny times promised to free him from further con-
inement, but has hitherto, upon some pretext
or another, failed to make its promise good. 1t
has now, at last, promised to release him on the
18th of September next. No reliance is to be
placed upon this promise any more than on the
former ones. Kossuth himself, in his recent
letter to the American Consul, wholly despairs
of its being fulfilled The whole of the past
conduct of the Turkish Government renders it
in the highest degree improbable that he will be
set at liberty.
1t is a miserable and contemplate effort on
the part Of that Government to evade inquiry
for the present time, to delude the captive and
his friends with an empty but bitter Illusion
1t is part of the policy which has been all along
pursued by it towards Kossuth, under the die
tation of Austria and Russia, calculated to wear
him out by constant disappointment by the
heart sickened with the hope deferred, if, indeed
he should not perish before by some hired as.
sassin. Whilst many weak and faithless fell
in the hour Of trial, some strong and true men
followed Kossuth. No longer fighting the bat.
ties Of their country under him upon the plain
they resolved to protect his person, and cherish
their old and their country's hope. AT Kutahia
these brave and faithful men have remained, til
very lately by the side of Kossuth they have
kept close by him, watched and protected him
a self constituted and self sustained life guard
Was there ever such a one before! They may
challenge the worlds history no instance of q
similar voluntary, generous, lofty, disinterested
self devotion can be found in its pages. This
band Of brother patriots have been his only
companions in his long captive exile. But Aus
tria is remorseless, Russia is unreenting, anG
the Porte is weak and afraid to offend its pow
erful neighbors. These men, against their will
have been torn from their beloved chieftain, anC
compelled to seek some resting place upon this
continent; here, at least, they may rest unhar
rassed. Kossuth is thus deprived of his friends
and stripped of his protectors, four or five be
ing all that are permitted to stay with him; ant
thus the noble Patriot Chief of Hungary is still
kept n prisoner in Asia Minor, by the Turkish
Government
1t is now nearly two years since the combin
ed forces Of Austria and Russia crushed tn,
struggle of Hungary for independence. Tha
struggle was the close of long contest that hat
been carried on by the Hungarian nation agains
the encroaching despotsm of the centralized
imperial power of Austria. The princes Of the
house of Hapsburg were Archdukes of Aus
tria-Austria Proper being in a small provnc,
AS such they became Emperors Of Germany
and afterwards acquired the crown of Hungary
in failure Of its own line of kings, by inherit
ance. Hungary was then an incorporated con
stituent member Of the Austrian empire, ye
retaining its own customs and privileges, and al
the essentials of q free constitution. She pos
sessed a separate system of national laws,
distinct legislature, and was constitutionally en-
titled to separate ministry distinct from tn
Imperial Cabinet Of Vienna. The Emperor wa
in right of his crown, King of Hungary. Thu
although with other absorbed kingdoms ant
provinces Hungary was a constituent part o
! the Anefrian emnire with n dcsnnfic consfifi