The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1851-12-17
Reception Of Kossuth in n. York
His Speech.

emerged from Castle Gardan into the batVe-
~, where twelve regiments of militia waited
to receive him, and were reviewed by him,
mounted on horseback. The procession then
moved forward, Kossuth and his family in a
barouche drawn by six elegant bays; butsuch
was the intense anxiety of the people to see
the great Hungarian, that the streets were
rendered almost impossible by the crowd.
The speech of NJ. Kossuth will be read
with profound interest, whatever may be
thought of the principles which 1T announ-
ces. 1t f ankly proclaims the objects of the
author in visiting the United States. He
comes among us for the purpose of enlisting
the people and Government of this country
in active measures for the liberation Of Hun
gary. But to the
SPEECH.
I am vet half sick, gentlemen; tossed and
twisted about by a fortnight's gale on the
Atlantic's restless waves; my giddy brains
are still turning around, as in a whirlpool,
and this gigantic continent seems yet to
tremble beneath my wavering steps.
Let me, before | go to work, have some
hours of res. upon this soil of freedom, your
happy home. Freedom and Home! what
heavenly music in those TWO words! Alas,
II have no home, and the freedom of my peo-
pie is downtrodden; Young Giant of free
America, do not tell me that thy shores are
an asylum to the oppressed, and a home to
the homeless exile, An asylum it is, but all
the blessings Of your glorious country, can
they drown into oblivion the longing of the
heart, and the fond desires for our native
land?
Ny beloved native land! thy very suffer-
ings make thee but dearer to my heart; thy
bleeding image dwells within me when |
wake, as itrests with me in the short mo-
nients of my restless sleep. 1t has accompa-
MED me over the waves. 1t will accompany
me when | 60 back to fight over again the
battle of thy freedom once more. l have no
idea but thee; | have no feeling but thee.
Even here, with this prodigious view of great
ness, freedom and happin ass, which spreads
before my astonished eyes, my thoughts are
wandering toward home; and when look
over these thousands of thousands before
me, the happy inheritance of yonder freedom
for which your fathers fought and bled-
and when | turn to you, citizens, to bow be-
fore the majesty of the United States, and to
thank tho people ofNew York for their gem
erous share in my liberation, and for the I'M
parallelad honor of this reception see, out
of the very midst of this great assemblage,
rise the bleeding image of Hungary, looking
to you with anxiety whether there be in the
lustre of your eyes a ray Of hope or her;
whether there be in tine thunder oil your hur-
rahs a trumpet call of resurrection. lfthere
were no such ray of hope in your eyes, and
no such trumpet-call in your cheers, then
woe to Europe's oppressed nations.
l. They will stand alone in the hour OF need.
Less fortunate than you were, they will meet
no brothers. hand to help them in the APP
preaching giant struggle againstthe leagued
despots of the world; and woe also to me. |
will feel no Joy ever here; and the days OF
nv stay here will turn out to be lost for my
father-land-lost at the very time when eV-
cry moment is teeming in the decision of Eu-
ropes destiny. Citizens, much as am wan
ting some hours of rest, much as have need
to become familiar with the ground | will
have to stand upon before enter upon bust
ness matters publicly, | took it for a duty OF
honor not to let escape even this first mo-
ment ofyour generous welcome, without sta
ting plainly and openly to you what sort Of
man | am, and what are the motives, which
brought me now to your glorious shores.
Gentlemen, | have to thank the People,
| Congress, and Government of the U. States,
for my liberation from captivity.
Human tongue has no words to express
the bliss which | felt when THE down,
trodden Hungary's wandering ehiet-saw
the glorious flag of the stripes and stars fiut-
tering over my head-when first bowed be.
fore it with eeprespect-when saw around
me the gallant officers and the crew Of the
Mississippi frigate-thc most of them the
worthless representatives Of true American
principles, American greatness, American
generosity--and to think that it was not
mere chance which cast the star-spanglet
banner around me, but that it was your pro
tecting will-to knew that the United State
of America, conscious of their glorious cal
ling as well as of their power declared b.
this unparalleled act to be resolved to be
come the protectors Of human rights-to Sc
a powerful vessel Of America, coming to fal
Asia, to break the chains by which the nigh
test despots of Europe feltered the activit.
of an exiIed Magyar, whose very name dis
turbed the proud security of their sleep-t
feel restored by such a protection and i
such a way, to freedom, and by freedom t
activity, you may be well aware OF what
have felt, and still feel at the remembrance
of this proud moment of my life.
Others spoke-you acted; and | was free
You acted; and at this act of yours tyrant
rembled; humanity shouted out with Joy
} the dow~n-trodden people of Magyars--th
ldown-trodGen, but not b~roken--raised hi
} head with resolution and with hope, and tn
} brilliancy of your stars was greeted by Eu
lrope's oppressed nations as the morning sta
Iof rising liber'y. Now, gentlemen, 20
} must be aware how boundless the gratitud
must be which l feel for you. You hav
restored me to life--because restored to &C
ivity; and should my life, by the blessing
Of the Almighty, still prove useful to m
} father-la land and 10 humanity, it will be you
D merritt will be your work. Hay you an
S your glorious country be blessed for it. Er
D rope Is on the very eve Of such immense (
D vents, that, however fervent my gratitude
s to you, | would not have felt authorized I
S cross the Atlantic at this very time, only fc
D the purpose to exhibit to you my war;