Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-12-13
FOREIGN poLIcr or THE UNITED STATES

of this People We speak, of course, of the advent
of NJ KossUTH, formerly Governor of Hungary,
to our shores, under the circumstances which have
attended his voyage from the Mediterranean, herald
ed his approach, characterized his reception by the
Corporation of the city of New York, and attended
his intercourse with other corporations and asso-
Citations.
We disclaim, in the outset, any purpose to de-
tract from the just claims of the distinguished Hun
sarian to respect for his person, his intellectual
qualities or his conduct in the varied scenes through
which he had passed before his captivity. We do
not question either the honesty of his intentions or
the gallantry with which, long as it was possible,
he maintained them in arms We disclaim equally
any objection his receiving the greatest personal
attention and courtesies that any portion Of our
feIlow-citizens may be disposed to offer him.
On the contrary, putting the personal, military
and political merits of M. KossuTH entirely out of
question in the view which we take of his position
in regard to this country, our attention will be
directed TO what is material TO and to our readers
concerning vital interests of tha United $780,,
Implicated in the claim by cerainof our own citizens
Of the abandonment by this Government, on the
occasion of his coming, if not in consequence Of his
in the political conflicts of European Powers, in
the internal affairs of any one of them.
To expose in its true light this attempt to involve
the United States in the struggle of contending
Powers and Peoples that quarter Of the world by
placing the Government of the United States in the
attitude of having invited NJ. KossUTH to this coun-
try under the influence of any other feelings than
those of humanity and sympathy with the suferings
of himself and his companions in captivity, 1t will
be necessary for to trace to its beginnin" -" e
ton of this Govern-oe ~ ...ou I'll J..
statement of facts show how far the incident
which has led to their arrival on these shores has
been magnifed or sought to be magnifed, into a
signal demonstration, on the part of the Govern
ment of this country, of determination to abandon
Its pacific and neutral policy, and enter into
alliance with the Government of Great Britain for the
purpose of joint guaranty of the claims to indie
pendence of all the other Powers of Europe. We
do not pretend to state with literal accuracy the OBJ
jects of the Hungarian and his English and Ameri-
can friends: but this Is, understand it, the
substance of the plan which was Swallowed forth in
the speeches at the late banquets in England, and
has been more distinctly sketched out by the par
ticular friends Of M. KossUTH since his arrival in
this country.
The offer to receive NJ. KossUTH and his CON-
panions on board of one of our national ships, then
in the Mediterranean and convey him to the United
States, originated with the late lamented President
TAYLOR, and was first made in the month of March,
1850; but, in consequence Of the conflicting pledge
of the Sublime Porte to the Emperor of Austria,
1as not then carried into effect.
On 1.-THE passage by Congress- in February last of the
Resolution requesting the President to to be
conveyed to this country from Turkey, with the
consent of the Sultan, such of the Hungarian cap
tives within his dominions might be disposed to
enligrate to the United States, the overture to the
Sublime Porte was renewed by this Government,
through its Secretary of State, in despatch to
Minister at Constantnople, under date of February
%, 1851. That despatch was published in the
National Intelligencer of the 18th of the following
month. 1t carefully worded and there is nothing
whatever in it to justify the assumption that any
political design lurked at the bottom of that act,
that any sordd or selfish or ambitious motive de-
traeted from its purely humane and sympathetic
character We quote from that despatch 50 much as
will show what inducements were held out to the
Sultan to obtain his consent to the liberation Of
these captives:
"A great attempt at revolution against the established
authorities of neghborng State with which the Sublime
Porte peace and with which it desired to preserve
friendly relations had only then been suppressed The
chief in that attempt had escaped into the domn
ions of the Porte To permit them to remain upon its
frontiers where they might project undertakings
against that State and into which, if circumstances favor
ed they could in at any time, might well have
been considered dangerous both Governments and the
Guhme Porte, while protecting them, might certainly
also prevent their occupying any such position in its
dominons should give just of alarm to neghbor
ing and friendly Powers Their removal to certain local-
ties might also be rendered desirable by considerations of
convenience the Sublime Porte ITSELF upon whose cha
riiy and generosity such had suddonly
come dependant
The detention Of these persons for short period Of
time in order that they might not at repair other
parts of Europe to their operations, request
that not unnatural to make and certainly in the
discretion Of the Sublime Porte grant, without any
ece to its dignity any of kindness towards the
refugees.
But at this time all possible apprehensons of danger
disturbance to result from their liberation has ceased
at is than year since the last Hungarian
army surrendered and the attempts revolution and the
establishment of independent Government in which
they engaged most erny crushed by the united
forces Of two of the greatest Powers of Europe.