The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-06
aKOSSUTH AND COTTON"

"KOSSUTH AND COTTON"
Under this title, says the New York Tribune,
Henry Ward Beecher in the Independent, |
caustically depicts the absurdity if not hypocrisy
of pretending to honor the champions Of Liber- |
ty in other lands while unfolding Slavery and
such acts rs the Fugitive Slave Law in our
own We extract Mr.. BIS account of the
interview Ia in my minds eye, Horatio y between
the great Magyar on his arrival in our Bay and
our clerical denouncers of opposition to the
Fugitive Slave Law:
Now, let us suppose that Committee OF
Clergymen should be deputed to wait upon the
illustrous exile Whose traitorous ethgy has just
been battered and hung at homeD OF course
we should select those who have most polntedly
inveighed against the doctrine of Higher Law
DR. Dewey, DIR. Taylor, DR.. Spencer, DIR. Spring,
DR. Lord-cOuld better Committee be desired
During the quarantine of two days which
our Government has ordered at Staten Island,
we may imagine that it is the purpose OF our
excellent rulers to cleanse away all inward
faint of treason, as well as outward contamlna-
ton g. Sgass,s, from the illustrious exile, we
will imagine that the DAYS are TO te-dlvided
between the Church and the State, Our cleri-
cal Committee would without doubt cast
IN = -. . So. ttll1S s.NSc, a3A-r, 10 stslyr.
marched into the cabin of the steam frigate
Mississippi State of Reputation and Sena-
tor Foote !)-each one bearing a presentation
copy of his sermon or speech on the Fugitive
Slave Law. The Oldest clergyman now APP
proaches Kossuth, and welcomes him TO this land
of liberty and equality ID blessings are de-
scribed The statistics Of our prosperity are
briefly stated: "All these things" says the
excellent spokesman, eve owe under God to
our liberty. No people can thrive while ground
by oppression" This happy laudation of
| liberty being done, the gentlemen proceed to
question his notions oflaw and government pa
| triotism and treason.
"Does your Excellency believe that Slavery
is a sin per Sc? Do you not regard 1T as a
patriarchal institution, tolerated by Jehovah,
not abrogated by Christ and, if properly used,
a benefcent arrangement for the blacks!"
Mr. kossuth lbeing perhaps more used late
ly to the sword than to theology may be sup
posed to be little confused, and rather evades
| so unsavory catechism.
But our good divines are too expert in ex-
amining candidates in theology in all the nice
distinctions into which Truth has been split
up, to be easily lodged And 50 DR.. S. says
plainly
"Would you, sir, if by uttering the prayers
for it, you could release every slave in America
tomorrow dare to utter such prayer?"
"That | should, very quickly" responds
the illustrious catechumen, a little off his guard
by the directness Of the question.
The divines nudged each other. There is
business on hand
DO you believe that slave has the right to
run away from his master?"
"DO you mean to inquire by this question
gentlemen, whether have done right in run
ming away from the service of the Emperor o.
Austria !"
"No, sir; oh, no! You are white man
Perhaps we ought to put the question little
more explicitly DO you believe that black
man, held to slavery in South Carolina has q
right to run away ~
The English tongue being yet little new
Mr.. KOssuth does not exactly know what
South Carolina is, ian ignorance, perhaps Of
which her own citizens somewhat partake,
and supposng that it is the name of some
prison, or Government galley, answers, that
eff a man is imprisoned for crime, he thinks
that he ought TO work his sentence out, wheth-
er he is white or black
"Do you think that when man is flying
for liberty, that any one has q right to help him
| off?u
"Oh, certainly, | do quite agree with
| YOUR pONcruncnI RcutleiDtn WIN HdNc kiuuiy
provided me this noble steamer wherewith to
escape from the Emperor of Austria"
But do you think that if fugitive is ar
rested, that it is right for men to conspre to-
| gether for his release against the express laws
of his native land ~
"Ah, gentlemen, you are quite familiar with
my case. | perceive that you allude to my
extradition from Kutahyia, against the edict of
the Emperor Of Austria. quite agree with
you, gentlemen that the Turks did a noble
thing"
| BY this time the venerated doctors whispered
o moment in consultation, and concluded to
leave copy each of their several sermons and
addresses in favor of ODE ing the Fugitive Slave
Law, and to turn down leaves upon the most
salutary passages, such as this in DIR. Lords
sermon f. Union Safety Committee edition,
page 66) To plead a higher law to justify
| disobedience TO a human law, the subject-mat-
ter Of which is within the cognzance of the
State, is to reject the authority of God himself
who has committed TO Governments the power
and authority which they exercise in civil az
fairs As slave is by our laws defined TO be
a chattel, to be completely in the power Of his
master-as our laws give the master the right
to treat his female slave as he will-to separate
families. sell the children in one direction and
the parents in the other-as our civil laws pro-
tect the master in the right of sending his own
blood to market mingled with his sIayes---t is
not strange that Kossuth, on reading the pas
sage quite failed to nee IT. practical drift and
thought il was hint to him to be an obedient
citizen when he should have settled down
DR.. Spencer called his attention to the doc
trine ION page ~ man hasno right to fling
away his life for mere sentiment and leave
his wife a widow, or his gray-haired parents
without a son to solace them" This is q part
of the statement that citizens have no right 10
resist Government until there is good prospect
ofsuccess. Upon this passage Kossuth ponders
and as he walks up and, down his now deserted
cabin he soliloquizcs; As If the greatest
achievements of the world were not in their in
ccpton gloomy and checrless to oil usual
methods OF estimation. 1t is the heart deter
mined 10 diet is that courage which cries out
give me liberty or give me death II Is that
noblene~ Of nature that scorns to accept life as
a burden of disgrace, and hastens to lay 1t down
as a sacrifice TO liberty in short 1t IL that sub
lime and heroic determination OF great souls 70
yindicate mans manhood, living or Dying thas
ever gives success Every Hungarian tnat naS
fallen is tongue Of liberty in the world; %
tween the Russian Bear and the Austrian onske
there was but little hopeof victory Tor their %
tive land. But though Hungary has lost her
hest sons the world has gained them. They
stand up above all division hines OF States snd
INSPIRE men everywhere with a hatred 70 oP-
preston and a determination to be free NO II
4 the mark Of coward TO be afraid TO strike
until he is sure of victory-until be has caicu-
lated the profit and loss and has sale CONNER
cial prospect Of gaining II is the tvry mark,
in ali ages, of a Mas, that he is willing 70 DE
for SENrIMESTv
4 On their way back to this city our clerical
| ---:-u-. LII a gvave conmltation. "Well,