The southern press., 1851-11-06
Letter frs- the zss. aeAsst >. yalAAs.


The xnasBrH BAHQuEr AT soUTH&~rToa.
~ following letter from the Hos Robert J.
Walker, laks Secretary Of the Treasl9y. who in
ct prsseat on visit to England. was addressed
70 Chas e. Deacon, esq, Town clerk Of South
smpton. who, in obsdence to tho Mayor and
corporation of that town. had invited him to the
banquet to be given in honor Of Gen. Kossuth:
LoEDor, Oct 10, 1851.
Charles T.. Deacon, esq, &c.: Sir--I have re-
ceived your letter of yesterday, inviting ms, on
behalf Of the municipal authorities OF Southaup-
ton, TO . banquet proposed to be given BY them
to His Excellency, Louis Kossuth, late Governor
of Hungary, on his arrival 1t your port
Nothing could give me greater pleasure than
to be present on an occasion so interesting and
important. This illustrious exile is on his way
to my own country, being carried thither under
the American flag, and in national vessel, (bear-
ing the name that is dear 10 my hearth des-
patched for him by the President of the United
States, under the sanction OF u resolution OF
Congress. rejoice that this Is an English BAN
quet--that it is given by Englishmen, and that
the eminent patriot, on first landing upon British
soil, is To be thus received and honored. As an
American thank you for the privilege afforded
me on this OCCASION The British cabinet, through
Lord Palmerston, united with my own govern
ment in obtaining the liberation Of Louis Kos
suth and his associates. Nor will we forget the
maananimity of the Sultan of Turkey, in protect
ing him and them within the Ottoman Empire,
and restoring them to liberty, in defiance Of the
remonstrances of despotic powers.
The day of your banquet will be regarded by
my countrymen as an illustrious epoch In the
gradual but certain and conservative progress of
British freedom. 1t will prove again that the
threats of absolutism inspire with no terror the
hearts of Engshmen. England requires no for
eign mid but, if her generous countenance to
the oppressed should cause the oppressors to
league against her, there are millions of my
countrymen who would esteem it-a glorious
privilege to be permitted to contend for and with
er, under her and our flag, and her and our own
great captains, against the despotisms Of the
world in arms. It is less than century since,
under the British flag, your and our Washing
ton and Braddock together fought, within the
limits of Pennsylvania, my native State. 1t was
under the same hsg that your and our own coun-
trymen together fought, and your and our Wolfe
then fell in the arms OF victory upon the heights
of Quebec Language can convey no adequate
idea of the profound sensation that will be ex-
cited in America by your generous reception of
Kossuth, or Of the gratitude which will warm
every heart when the intelligence shall reach the
shores of my country. There this ustrious
exile will receive such triumph as has never
been awarded by US to any one, except our be-
loved benefactor, Lafayette.
Louis Kossutll is regarded by us as the cham
pion of freedom of his country, and as having
struggled there for constitutional liberty, and
the rights of an oppressed people We believe
he desired to establish for Hungary govern
ment, with adequate checks and balances, slmI-
~ ~ az. L. md fhx.rQ
life, liberty and property should all be placed
under the inyiolable projection and guarantee Of
the law ard Constitution. We saw no support
on his part of those agrarian doctrines which
| lead only to disorder and anarchy, which are in
| compatible with the existence of free govern
ment, and upon which despots now seize as a
pretext for the re-establi shment OF absolute
power.
Differing as does our government in form
from your own we are united with you by a
common race and language, in the maintenance
of the common law of England, of the trial by
Jury, of the liberty Of the press, and of those
great principles of constitutional freedom foI
which your Russell persisted, your Ilampder
and your Sydney bled We are united with
YOU. also, in the support Of those views ol
political economy taught by Adam Smith, Ri
cardo. Peel and Golden, which are 80 hostile tc
agrarian tendencies views so nobly maintained
by your present enlightened ministry, Parliament
and people We are united with you, also, in
opposing all spoliation of coercive diversion o.
property which marked the downfall OF Roman
liberty, and the recent temperance OF which
fatal doemas In another form, is made the pre-
text for the restoration of despotic power. Onl
ancestors took with them, IRON England to
/ America, no such disorganizng doctrines; MOI
L. oni hy fhs
crafts and assaults of despots or demagogues
II is the toiling millions who constitute the
mass of our people They know that wages
IN only be increased (as is desired by us al
by augmenting capital, the fund out of whicf
wages are paid, by uniting labor and capital as
far as practicable in industrial pursuits, not by
any Legislative organization, but by voluntary
co.operation, arising from enlightened views o
their own true interests. They know that thu
destruction or diminuton of capital must de
stroy or diminish wages. Capital being only
accumulated labor, to make war upon capita
they know is to assail labor, which will be bes
rewarded when, unfettered by Legislative inter
ference or restrictions, it is left, to seek freely
for all its products the markets of the world
These views were promulgated by me some
wears since, in official reports to Congress, a
the finance minister of the American cabinet
were sanctioned by the action Of Congress, re
affirmed by augmented majoriries in our recen
elections, and may be regarded as the settled
policy of the country. Views of similar ten
dency were propounded by an iustrious depart
ed British prime minister, whose measures
simultaneous with our own, enlarged the com
I merce and cemeuted the friendly relations o
England and America, and who will ever b'
remembered as benelactor of both countries
and of mankind
deem it due to myself and my country, ano
to your iustrious guest to state my respectful
dissent from the efforts now made to impute tt
him those agrarian dogmas which were en-
countered by contrary provisions, for ever Sc
curing property as well as contracts from al
violation, inserted, as axiom4tc truths, by thu
founders Of our republic, in our fundamenta
laws He has toiled too long, and too much, II
the cause of freedom, and his course ns governo
I of Hungary was too wise and enlightened t'
leave any doubt with US that he desired to es
tabsh for Hungary government founded upoT
those just and equitable principles by which life
liberty, and property we're secured.
I hone 10 be with you when this banquet i