The republic., 1851-12-16
Kossuth's Greot speech.

bv fbe corporation to Kossuth The chair was
occupied by the Mayor, and Judge Edmonds
acted as vice-pTesident. kossuih sat on the
right of the chairman. About four hundred
persons were present.
At the hour appointed, Kossnth, accompanied
by the Mayor. entered the room In reply TO
the address Of the Mayor, kossulh said:
Sir, in returning you my most humble thanks
for the honor you did me by your toast, and by the
be ntht OF coupling my name with that cause which
the sacred aim of my life, confess 10 be
whclIned with emotion by all II was my prodigiuus
lot 10 experience since am on your glorious
shores, that unahle 10 find words TO express my
feelings, aud knowing that all the honor meet
with Las the higher meaning of principles at
once beg leave 10 fall back TO my duties, which are
the lasting topics of my reflections, my sorrows,
and my hopes. | take the present occasion for
highly important opportunity. ! take it for such
as N probably decide about the success or failure
ui nay visiting the United States. must therefore
Lumtiy embrace your indulgence ior pretty
lung, plain, md in no Gaze eloquent development
my humble views TO the benefit of that which
the citizens Of New York, and you particularly,
gentlemen, honor with generous sympathy.
When consider the sympathy of the people Of
the United States for tho cause OF Hungary, SO gen
orally dilinsed as TO be almost universal, and
eolutely pronounced as men pronounce those feel
ings which intended to be followed by noble
and great deeds, would feel inclined 10 take your
generous aid for the restoration OF my native land
- its sovereign independence already as granted
in principle and for me nothing left to DO but 10
enter into a negotiation about the arrangeInen OF
the detais, were my confident hopes not checked
by that idea Of non-intervention in oreignchictiy
Earopean-atfairs, which, according to the nuIDc-
rous testimonials OF your most distinguished poll
ticians, told 70 lc of the ruling and ast
ing principles of the policy Of the United States.
1 highly respect the source OF this conviction,
gentlemen. This source 10 your religious attach
ment to the doctrines of those great men who high
Iy proved 10 all posterity their wisdom by bequeuth
ing 10 you the immortal work of tire Constitution,
which aided by the unparalleled benefits OF nature,
has raised you, in the short period OF seventy five
years, from the precaTious position OF an infant
people to the prodigious strength OF giant nation
The beneficial results of the wisdom of the founders
OF your great Republic you see in happy reality.
What would be the consequences of departure
from that wisdom you not sure of! Ii Is, there
fore, natural that you feel instinctive fear TO
touch. even with improving hands, the dear legacy
Of those great men.
And as 10 your glorious Constitution, all hu-
Inanity can only wish, in the common interests OF
mankind, lhat you and your posterity may yet
long conserve this religious attachment to its fun
daniental principles, which by exclude
development and progress and that every citizen
Of your great Union, thankfully acknowledging the
immense benefits OF this Constitution, may,
in the moments of the most passionate irritation,
never forget 10 love that Constitution more than
the momentary passion Of the heart, or the ego
tistical interest Of the passing hour. May every
citizen of your glorious country forever remember
that partial discomfort Of corner in large,
sure, and comfortable house, may be well amended
without breaking the foundation OF II; and that
amongst all possible means OF getting rid OF that
corners partial discomfort, the worst would be
TO burn down the house with own hands
But while / thus acknowledge the wisdom OF
your attachment 10 the Fundamental doctrines o!
the founders of your united Republic, beg leave,
with equal rankness TO state that, IN my opinion,
there can be scarcely any thing more dangerous
TO the progressive development OF whatever nation
than TO take for basis that which is none-to take
ior principle that which is but the convenience OF
the passing situationto take for substantial that
which is bat accidental, take for constitutional
doctrine that which was but the momentary exi
gency of administrative policy Such course OF
action would be like to that when healthy man
would refuse To take sui stautla food, because,
when he was once aboring under weakness OF
stomach, his physician ordered him q severe diet
TO keep. The consequences would be consumption,
death
Let me suppose, gentlemen, that yoader doc
trine of interference was really bequeahed TO
you by your Washington-and, that it was not
will prove 10 you afterwards-and let me even sup
pose that your Washington impaired such mean
ing to yopder supposed doctrine hch were equiv
alent to the words OF Cain Am my brothers.
keeper'-which supposition would be Of course
sacrilege. But suppose all this. And believe
that, even under such snpposi;ions, may be enti-
still convenient to the full grown nlap-nay, to
Qiant-whjch you arel Would il not be ridiculous
to lay the giant in the child's cradle, and to sing
him TO sleep by lullaby!
States, you were an infant people, and the large
dress Of your then comparatively not large terrific
ry, hung loose on your pueriie Limbs. In those
tirnes you had, Of course wiser thing to do but
to grow, to grow, and to grow
But you are 60 far grown that there is no
foreign power earth from which you have any
thing To fear for your own existeEce-for your own
security. This being your present condition, you
have entered into the second stadium Of political
existence the destination of which is not only To
exist for yourself exclusively, but to exist as a
member of the great human family of nations,
having the right to all ciaims which are due from,
that family towards every one of its full grown
members, but alec engaged to every duty which
that great family has the right to claim from every
one OF its full grown rnembers.
A nation may be in the situation, either by
comparative weakness, or by choice and policy as
japan and China, or by botn these motives as Par
aguay, under DIR. Fancia, 10 live a life secluded
from the world Indifferent to the doctrines of man
kind, in which it cannot will not have apy
share; but then IL must also be prepared to become
also excluded from the benefits Of progress, civil
Eation and national intercourse. Such nation
may well say al don't care about the fate of what
ever other nations in the world"
"But am sure no citizen of the United States
has, ever will have, the wish to his country
degraded TO the rotting vegetation of Paraguay or
the mummy existence Of Japan and China The
feeling of 5ef-dignity, and the expansive quality
OF that enterprising spirit which are congcnial IL
freemen, would revolt against the very idca OF
such a degrading national captivity. But If lhcro
were even will 10 live such mummy lie
there were no possibility TO do 50.
The very existence OF your great country the
principles upon which il IL founded, i;s geogfaphi
cal position, s present state of civilization and all
its moral and material interests, would lead ON
your people not only to maintain. but incessantly
more and more to develop, your intercourse with
the world.
Then, Of course, being in many rcopects
linked to the world. you can have neither the will
nor be in the position to remain Indifferent 10 the
condition Of that outward world you arc in so many
respects connected with. And if you cannot re-.
main indifferent, you must feel resolved to put
your own self-consisent weight into that balance
in which the fate and condition Of the world "a
weighed
In word, the glorious Republic Of the United
states must feel resolved TO be poloeT on earha
power among the natious-or else itself would be
doomed 10 continual decay, and soon cease 10 be
great, glorious and free.
You a power earth You must be a
power on earth So, Of course, you must also un
hssitatngy accept all the natural consequences Of
this situatiOn, You cannot allow chat any power
whatever should dispose Of the fate of that great
family OF mankind Of which you are such a promi.
nent member; else you would resign your proud
position, and resign your still prouder future, and
he n or,ap rfItr M