The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-10

ITO was uccpIJ ulolI6oScu az tue dCliOu WHICH
} had been taken by Congress" The New
York Times echoes the complaint, and
converts il into ground of indictment
against Congress, and a text for the
{ inculcation of the current version of the
''higher law" According TO the Times, the
proceedings of Congress on this subject are
evidences of ignorance and bgotry" in its
midst; they are held up to public reprobation
as demonstration of an cutter lack Of sympa-
thy with the struggles for liberty that are go
ing on in Europe, as well as their shameful
ignorance of the events that are taking place
before their eyes," they are accused Of want
of Courtesy and ciylity'' towards the illus
trious stranger, who is finally assured that he
can appeal ''with perfect safety" to the people
from the Judgment of their representatives.
'fHe said well in his first speech,'' the Times
declares, 'that he understood perfectly that in
this country the people, and not the Govern
ment, were the sovereigns; and that their be-
hests must in the end be obeyed."
We are not disposed to attach undue import
ance to this remark of KossUTH but still it
cannot be passed over without explanation or
condemnation If uttered hastily, and with
out previous thought, let the fact be known,
that the whole speech may be rated at its pro
| per value. On the other hand, if KossUTH
meant what he said-if he desired to put firth
deliberate appeal from the Government to the
| people-if he intended to convey the impress
sion that the Legislature and Administration of
this Republic can really be at issue with the
people, whose will they reflect--then we
desire TO know the reasons which have led
to the opinion that such difference exists
at the present moment, and which form
the Justification of the imputation that is cast
upon the principles and practice of the Govern
ment. Addressing the Philadelphians, Kos
sUTH is represented to have said he recognised
Congress, and of course the Government, Gas
the exponent of the national will;' and vet he
proposes to appeal from this body, lawfully
constituted though it be, to those who are adj
mitted to be its constituents. There is want
of logical consistency here, scarcely worthy Of
a statesman's mind; but this is of trivial mo-
ment in comparison with the false position in
which it places KossUTH in any intercourse he
may hereafter hold with the Administration or
with Congress. He has already told us that
| he desires to be viewed, not as a holiday
guest, but as avirtual ambassador in behalf of
Hungary, anxious to obtain the means and mu-
nitions of war, together with certain measures
deemed desirable for his country in her coming
struggle. Recognising our Government - as
| the exponent Of the national Wills it is 10 be
| presumed that he will address to it any re-
quests he may have TO make. 1t is equally
| probable that the Government or Congress, or
both, will without delay assure him that, how
| ever sollcltous TO aid him by all peaceable
means, they could not, without sacrificing their
own country, comply with all the demands as
| he has stated them. KossUTH will then
join issue with the Government, and will
prefer his petition to the people, in direct de-
fiance of the Government--that is, of course,
if his Staten Island declaration was bona fde,
and not mere oratorical invention. If, un-
happily, matters advance to this stage we
venture to predict that KossUTH will find too
late that he has miscalculated the genius and
habits of our citizens, who are much more
truly represented by Congress than by noisy
populace in Staten Island OF New York.
But whatever allowance be made for |
kossUTH in this respect, we opine that
none is due to the New York Times and jour
nails of that stamp. A foreigner--a stranger
just landed on our shores-may be pardoned
| for unseemly words, spoken hastily and with |
out reflection; but no excuse that We are aware
of can be assigned to justify the course of
citizen journalist, who deliberately endorses
| KosspTH's unfortunate remark, and endeavors
to give it effect by using his whole power to
create breach between Congress and the
people. 1t 10 course which admits of no
palliaton or apology. 1t involves an abb
rogation of SO much of the social com
pact as may be obnoxious in the estimation
of a fraction Of the community. 1t proceeds on
the assumption that any knot of individuals
may elevate their own predictions over and
above the laws of the land-renderag obedi-
ence when agreeable TO Themselves, and at
other times appealing to the people ''with per-
! feet safety" The Times may depend on it
| that doctrines of this nature are not likely to
| advance KossUTH's object, either with the pco-
pie or the Government. High sounding phrases
will not intimidate a Government based on
popular suffrages; and the people themselves
are not to be tempted from the plain path Of
duty by the most startling epithets that the
Times can string together.
1t is alleged, however, that Congress has
shown itself Sc insensbe to the claims of hos
pitality," and that it has deliberately insulted
guest whose presence had been invited Kos
sUTH himself repeats the complaint, and actu
ally goes so far as to remark, that g had the
proceedings in Congress to which he had ad
verted reached him before he left Europe, he |
would have hesitated about coming to this |
country at all" Now, wherein is this bar
barous lack of hospitality observable2 What
slight has Congress passed upon KossUrH that
he should complain so piteously? Certainly
the sending Of the Mississippi was sufficient to
rescue us from any charge of inhospitality
prior to his passage across the Atlantic; and
we search the New York nanare in vain f,r