North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-11-19
SPEECH OF KOSSUTH,

Mr. Croskey, the American consul, Lord Dude
Stuaft, Mr.. Golden and NJ Puisky;~ The room NV. wa
AIten were drank, followed by others to the Fres
i,feAa Of the United States - and the 4" Sultan
Turkey" The mayor then arose to propose the heal
of 6eir illustrous guest whose presence among tne
was source of re oicng to the whole English PEG
pie. He was delighted TO see the onanimI'y wiz
which he welcomed as the champion OF consul
tutonal liberty and he trusted these demonstration
would have effect in the proper quarter Inc press
which was the leading and most powerful agent II
all reforms, would, he hoped, be unanimous on th
subject. He would not dilate 10 them on me claims
which Kossulh had upon all the friends oil freedom
He had, as one of his first acts OF power, eanclpaL
ed l. 600 900 serls, who could never be enthralled
AGAIN. and the day not, he hoped, tar dis
tant when he would have the power TO ancIpatt
eight millions more. Loud cheers Without fur
ther preface, he would giv them, " The heGHh o.
Louis Kossuih, and prosperity 10 has u"derfahingS
Loud cheers. , :.
NJ Kossuth then rose and, in excellent English,
proceeded TO address the assembLage as follows:
Mr.. MAYOR AND GENTLEMEN: In rising to thank
YOU most sincerely for the noble, kind, and generous
sentiments which have been so well expressed, and
SO heartily responded experience emotions tar
too strong to permit OF any display OF eloquence'
Besides, quite unprepared to meet so dlstn-
guished an asSembage that which, have the nom
or Of addressing. Not much accustomed to address
public assemblies in my own language fear shall
have great difficulty in addressing you In English,
and therefore must in the first instance claim your
patience and generous indulgence. Hear, hear.
believe may attribute the generous sentiments OF
which am the object nothing else than that sym
pathy with struggle for freedom which so well be-
fits the free Engshm1n, and to the fact that the
of Hungary is just case, strongly and Intimately
connected with the maintenance OF the principles OF
freedom all over the world. Loud cheers Now,
instead of any vain attempt to give you an eloquent
speech. perhaps the better way will be to give you,
in plain unvanshed manner, some nor NATION res
pecling the great cause which have so deeply at
heart. Hear, hear. wish the people of Eng land
IF
gary, in order that may preserve the generous
sentiments already displayed towards us, and be-
lieve that that can in no way be so well done as by
plain statement Of facts, without any other unne-
cessary flourish or artificial pomp of words. Hear,
hear To understand fully the Hungarian question,
it will be necessary say few words about Hunga-
rian Institutions. You all know that Hungary was
for more than s00years constitutional monarchy, and
that alone is no small indication TO the elements
of strength existing in my nation. Hear, hear.
When you refet on the geographical position OF Hun
gary and reflect that the Magyar Asiac peo-
ple-men thrust into the middle of European races,
without friends and without kindred-you must give
credit for the firmness and inherent strength that
the national institutions for so long
period. We were, in fact, surrounded by Gespotlc
powers. On the side was Turkey, encroaching
on for centuries, and against which we had
for ages been considered the buiwark of Europe
only OF its civilization, but OF its Christianity
and on another was Russia, power which, not for .
The benefit of mankind, has grown odgiously in in
duence during the last century, hear on the third
side Austria not the large empire now s but the
proper dominions of the house of lIapsburg. not
Of the sons of which, if history speaks truth, was
ever the friend of political freedom. One of them,
It's true-Joseph II-was the friend of religious free
lom, and of the political freedom of the peasantry.
But even he, the best of the Austrian dynasty,
opposed to any extension of politi-
:al privileges. Such was our position, then,
by Turkey, Russia, and the dominions of
he house of Hapsburg; and, besides all that, i
lad an internal state OF things which has always been
considered bar TO national greatness-namey, that
he people of the country excluded from polit-
cal privileges. Sill, with all these difficulties, the
dagyars preserved not only their national life but
heir national institutions. Hear, hear. Am not,
hen, justified in saying that in such nation there
re elements of future. and that such a nation de-
erves to have rights 7 Loud cheers.1 1 have al
eady stated that the original people of the country
lad share in constitutional rights. The constitu-
ion OF Hungary was aristocratic but aristocratic
of Hungary somewhat different from
ne meaning which is attached to the word in En o.
and. In Hungary the word is not Synonymous with
over and wealth, but simply means position obtain
by birth so that if man born noble, all his
hlldren and children'S children would be noble also.
What was the consequence Nations, like individ- {
ais, are subject to many changes, and the descen-
ants of the old mobiles of Hungary did not remain
reat and powerful, but became so propagated and
ifused to be nearly the people themselves, and
oorer than the peasanty because the mobiles had the
mbition not to work, if labor the high
st honor of humanity. Loud cheers. Therefore G
re found that this poor arstocracy Were not only in
lie condition of the people, but actually poorer be-
ause not so industrious. But prominent feature n
these facts is that arstocracy not OPP
osed to the extension of constitutional rights as
zen the other arstocraces of the middle ages, and
was formerly the arstocracy of this country. / a
~ was, because confess that the arstocracy of Il
ngland have know how 10 meet the exigencies of the
me, TO share their privileges with the people, and
bear with the latter their proper share in the public
lrdens of the country. And they have had their c
ward ENGLAND
m While other arlsocracies have been scattered to Il
9 winds. But in Hungary the mobiles were diffased [
nong the people, mere agrculturists, landlords,
anufacturers and laborers, and therefore the word
one case must be taken with meaning different c.
om It's accepation in other countries; and must c.
d, that although the people not by the ancient
Institution allowed TO speak for themselves, still we p
ways found among the aristocracy generous and W
liant men, ready stand forth the champions of
cir country, and of the rights ofhumanity. Cheers
enable them to do so, they had framed TWO nsti- fc
tlons-one was what may call the Parliament of b
nngary, and the other the county municpal m
stitutions which latter, more than the Parliament
ere the safeguards of the rights of the people. &C
sIdes, these county institutions framed that
ey could be the only media through which the gov W
lment could convey orders the magistrates and til
1er officers. These county meetings were compos- ga
OF noblemen who resided in the countless and in pit
me counties amounted TO twenty-five thirty thou w
nd every one of whom had the right of voting he
9ctons for magistrates who were the onIy execu- be
e power of the country. If the government want CO
any order executed, 1t must be done by the NUM- ev
'a magistrate but he could come into inme. &C
lie contact with the government. who send ur
elr orders In The hrSt Instance to the county meet.
3. Such meetings had right discuss the orders &C
government, and more than case has occurred st
which the order was not forwarded the magis- sy
lie Tor execution, but remonstrance sent the tn
vernmeHt tor sending it. They formed thus strong sh
rrier against the entertainments of the government
no country has needed such barrier more than W
ln2ary: FOR more than three centuries the house IN