The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-11-27
xossuTH,s GREAT SPEECH.

Albert were drank followed by others to the Pres
lident Of the United States" aud the "Sultan of
Turkey" The Mayor then arose to propose the
health Of their illustrious guest, whose presence
among them was a source Of rejoicing to the Eng
lish people. He was delighted 10 see the una.
nimity with which he was welcomed as the
champion Of Constitutional liberty and he trust
ed these demonstrations would have effect in the
proper quarter. The Press. which was the lead
ing and most powerful agent in all reforms would.
he hoped, be unanimous on this subject. He
would not dilate to them the claims which Kos
suth had on all the friends of freedom. He had.
as one of his first acts of power, emancipated A.
100000 serls, who could never be en'hralled n
gain. and the day was not, he hoped. far distant,
when he could have the power 10 emancipate
eight millions more, Loud cheers Without
further preface he would give them. " The
health Of LOUIS KossUTH. and pr osperity 10 his
undertakings" 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 sincerity for the noble kiud and gener'
Gus sentiments which have been so well express
sed, and so heartily responded to, experience
emotions far too strong to permit any display
of eloquence. Besides was quite unprepared to
meet so distinguished an assemblage as that which
/ | have the honor Of addressing Not much ac
customed to addressing 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 gen.
erous indulgence, Hear, hear. believe
may attribute the generous sentiments Of which
am the object to nothing else than that sympathy
with struggle for freedom which so we'll becomes
the free Engsllman. aud to the fact that the
cause of Hungary is a just cause. strongly and in
tmately connected with the maintenance, Of the
principles of freedom all over the world loud
Cheers.) Now, instead of any vain attempts to
give you an elegant speech perhaps The better
way will be to give you, in plain unvarnished
manner, some information respecting the great
cause which have so deeply ut heart. (Hear
hear.
wish the people to know the true nature of
the past troubles in Hungary, in order that we
may preserve the generous sentiments already
displayed towards us, aud believe that that can
lin no way be SO well done as by plain statement
offacs, without any other unnecessary flourish or
artificial pomp of words. Hear, hear.1 To un-
derstand fully the Hungarian question it will be
necessary 10 say few words about Hungarian
Institutions. You all know that Hungary was for
more than 800 years "a constitutional monarchy,
and that alone is no small indication as to the el.
ements ofstrength existing in my nation. Hear.
hear,1 When you reflect on the geographical po-
siou of Hungary. and reflect that the Magyar
race are Asiatic people, men thrust into the mid.
die of the European races, without frienns and
without kindred you must give credit for the
hrmness aud inherent strength that maintained
the national institutions for so long period. We
were, in fact surrounded by despotic powers.
On the one side was Turkey encrOaching on us
for centuries, and against which we had for ages
been considered the bulwark of Europe-not only
of its civilization but Of its Chrislianity-and on
another was Russia, a power which, not for the
benefit of mankind, has grown proligionsly in
Influence during the last century, Hear. On
Il third side was Austria not the large empire it
now is, but the proper dOmniOns Of the House Of
Hapsburg not one of tho sOhs of which. il
history speaks truth, was ever the friend of politi
cal freedom. One of them, It's true, Joseph H.,
was the friend of religious freedom aud Of The so.
cia freedom Of tie peusantry. But even he, the
best of the Austrian dynasty, was strenuously OPP
posed To my extension OF political privileges.
Such was our position. then. surrounded by Tur-
key, Russia, and the dominions Of the House oi
Hapsburg, and, besides all that we had an inter-
nal state of thugs which has always been consid
erred a bar To national greatness, namely, that the
people of the country were excluded from pc.
tical privileges. Still, with all these difficulties
the Mugyars preserved not only their national
life but their national institutions Hear, hear
Am not, then, jus tilted i'll saying that in such .
nation there are elements Of a future. aud that
such nation deserves to have rightsl loud
cheers ] have already said that the original
people ofthe country had "A share in constitutional
rights. The constitution of Hungary was aris
tOcratic, but an nristOcratc constitution in Hun
gary was somewhat different from the meaning
which is attached 10 the word in England. In
Hungary the word is not Synonymous with power
and Int nlNt