The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-04

From Tie Ao()0n DAILY -ddUeyttsN.
Mr.. Webstsr's xsttsr 10 Mr. Hulssmaan.
This remarkable document 10 by this time scat.
tered Europe, TO attract wider attention and
to give a greater impulse to opinion, than COM
monty falls to the lot of any diplomatic paper The
circums attending il peculiar. and almost
unprecedented The people Of Hungary had been
for same time engaged in an unequal contest win
the iron power of Austria but, notwithstanding
the great and at times apparently hopeless dincui
Taylor to the Presidency OF the United States there
seemed from ali the information that could be OBJ
tanned in this country, to be reasonable proba-
bity of their Ultimate success and OF the establish
ment Of their independence. Information, how
ever, Of correct and reliable character, il was
exceedingly difficult to obtain, this side OF the
Atlantic, and through the ordinary channels. The
origin and merits Of the quarrel were involved in
an obscurity, made doubly obscure by the tradi
tons of the past and the entanglements OF the
present. The war was said TO be war OF
races; oil unity Of character and interests was
denied to the people of hungary, as nation
and many judcious persons thought it was far from
being clear that the real interests Of humanity,
liberty, and popular institutions were likely to be
promoted by The of the Hungarians in their
efforts TO sever their country from the imperial
crown Of Austria. At the Same time the great
Inasa OF the people Of the United States took lively
interest in this struggle and had firm faith in its
merits and its ultimate success they saw, or
thought they saw, in its circumstances, strong
anaogies to the struggle Of their fathers with the
crown of Great Britain. They saw, at any rate,
that issue of this contest would be 70 establish
the right of gallant and heroic people to govern
themselves, and TO fashion their own institutions;
and they hoped that thereby the general cause Of
liberty would have gained great accession OF
strength against the arbitrary and despotic gov
ernments which still hold large part Of Europe
in subsection. The sympathcs OF the people Of this
country had thus become SO quickened and intc-
rested by this contest, that 1t was extremely i'm
portant to the Government of the United States to
know, and to know at the earliest moment, and
through the most reliable means of information,
what its result likely to be; for although
neither the people nor the Government Of the Uni
ted States proposed to do any thing to accelerate
events in Hungary or TO hasten tne scoom-
doubtedlY have become the lawful policy OF
this Government to have recognised that inde-
pendence at any moment when there was fair
prospect Of its being achieved. Non-intervention
in the internal affairs of States engaged in civil
war; or in the process Of constitutional change, 10
the declared policy of this country; but it does not
require the suppression o. popular SymPa.ny; rS y
1t does not impose on the Government Of the Union
an abstinence from measures OF intercourse and
alliance with nations, ms fast as they shall rise
out of the dismembered fragments OF ancient des-
potism The delicate and critical point in such
measures is at the precise moment when neutral
power may fairly assume that new and indie
pendent nation has come into the family OF inde-
pendent States. When it fairly assume this,
its own policy and interests, its own relations to
the world at large, and the desirableness OF imme-
diate connection with the new power that may be
in order to determine whether this point OF time
has been reached, precise and accurate informa-
tion-such information as can be gathered only by
a confidential agents necessary; and THIS we
take it, was the sole purpose. in the case of Hun
= gary; for which General Taylor's administration
sent Mr.. Dudley Mann to that country.
But Mr.. Mann's mission and instructions having
transpired in a domestic communication Of the
fact by the Executive to the Senate OF the United
States, a most extraordinary and unprecedented
thing happens The Austrian government causes
Al do ntr0Sf Qct nf he
Government of the United States, in tone at once
offensive and presumptuous; declaring the pro-
ceedipg at variance with the principles Of inter
national law; plainly intimating that II the agent
trian authorities be would have been hanged as a
spy and insinuating that the purpose of obtaining
reliable information was not the true purpose OF his
mission.
Well, it is something to have the foreign affairs
Of q country under the guidance OF the fret intel
lect In the world. II is something TO know that
that intellect can be backed if need be, by power
which would need only to have hair of the head
of any Of its lawful servants unlnwfuly touched,
to cause itself be felt in the farthest stronghods
of European despotism. We apprehend that, by
this time, the existence of such power on this
side Of the globe s known TO more funchonaries,
governments. and people, on the continent OF
Europe than had been in the habit OF including 1t
among their familiar ideas In our OPINION the
tone Of Mr.. Webstcr's answer to M. Hulscmann
was not only called for but 1t will DO great deal
of good.
resources
country were understood in the interior of Europe;
time that it's influence the progress OF free
thought and opinion should be comprehended, both
by those who are interested to retard, and those
who wish to advance that progress. Mr.. webster
has laid this influence, and it's mode and process OF
operation, bare before the world. He has shown
that it il the inevitable tendency of our history, our
institutions and IDEAS to act upon the development
of constitutional freedom all the world, through
the influence Of opinion, of example, and OF the
success which has attended our own great expert
ment in the forms and principles OF popular gov
eminent. He has shown that it is from us, from
the people of the United States that other nations
must take their ideas and exemplars OF constitu-
tional liberty; and that the power which thus FUR
nishes these principles Tor the study OF mankind
with any thing but dignifcd defiance, the menaces
of any government on the face OF the GLOBE lie
has completely repeed the charge that this infiu-
ence, in the case Of Hungary, was undertaken to
be exerted in mode Inconsistent with the usages
of nations, the proesscd neutrality OF the United
States with regard to the civil contests OF other
countries; and he has given to European govern
nents of the absolute class, lesson that will not
be likely to be lost.
we think that MIR. Webster letter is destined to
do good throughout Europe, independent OF its ten
dency 10 make known the resources OF this coun-
try, by showing the ground we are prepared 70
take with such power AS Austria In the hrst
place. it will show TO the other and feeblcr govern
world that will submit to no indignity, and re-
ceive no menace. from any quarter whatever This
may encourage others to resist oppression. In the
second place, it will help the down trodden friends
of liberty and constitutional rights to sustain them
selves in their struggles, by making known to
them the readiness OF this country to receive them
into it's alliance, they show that they
arc fit for freedom, by showing reasonable pros
pect OF preserving when they have gained 1t.
The letter too, comes OPPORTUNITY to touch the
national pride. at moment when it needed TO be
touched. Who can read it without rejecting that
the Union of these States, which constitutes US
nation has not only enabled thus to speak 70 one
of the oldest Of the despotsms of Europe, but has
put it in our power to exercise the vast and bench
cent influence upon the best interests Of mankind,
which il 30 clearly porrnys? What should we be
without this Union? Would any government in
Europe hesitate to "subect to the Treatment of a
spy' an agent Of Massachusetts, South Carolina,
or even Of New York; Or il, in the absence oil our
national rover, only the threat of so doing was
needed to be resorted to, what answcr could be
made to it by any Of these States, although its
whole population stood ready justify the response