The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-03-25


declaration, nor menace, nor even pledge
of war in any contingency. War, then, will
not come in that way, nor by or in consequence
of our act. II war is nevertheless to come it
must come in retaliation of the Protest, and by
the act of Russia, or of Austria, or of both. As
sumo now that it shall so come, will it be Just
. The Protest is a remOnstrance addressed to the
conscience of Russia, and passing beyond her,
carries an appeal to the Reason and Justice of
Mankind. As by the Municipal Law no re-
monstrance or complaint justfes blow so by
the Law of Nations no remOnstrance or COM
plant iustihes war. The war then would be
uni ust and SO the Protest would be not q cause.
but pretext But nation that will declare
war on pretext will either fabricate one or
declare war without any Let no one say that
| misstate the character of this measure. It's
neither untried nor new. Austria protested
against the mission Of Dudley Mann, and Pres
inent Taylor's ayowal Of it. Did we 90 TO war (!
Did anybody think that we ought or could go
to war for that No! we made a counter pro-
test by the celebrated letter Of the Secretary of
State MIR WEBsTER Did Austria maintain
her protest by declaration of war! No; we
are at peace with Austria yet and hope we
shall be 50 forever. And now, honorable Sen
. atOrs, | ask, if we are to shrink from this Guty
through fear of unjust retaliation, what duty
shall we not shrink from under the same mo-
, tive! And what will be the principle Of our
, policy when thus shrinking from obligations,
= but Fear instead of Duty!
And who are we, and who are Austria and
|. Russia, that are should fear them when on the
defence against an Just war? | admit and
| hope all my cOuntrymen will learn it without
n trial, that we are not constituted for main
min q or ,f
erosion, But in a defensive war levied against
US on such pretcxt the reason and the SYM
pathes of mankind would be on our side CO.
! operating with our own instincts of patriotism
and selfpreservatiOn Our enemies would be
powerless TO harm US, and we should be uncon-
! querable.
! Why, then ask. shall we refrain from the
| Protest : The answer comes up on all sides
Since. then, the measure is pacific, Russia will
disregard it, and so it will be useless Well,
what if it should! 1t will at least be harmless.
g % n~5-T;@ "s;p not disregard it. :, u ~ t-',oJ
that we once interpleaded between the belhger-
ents of Europe twenty-five years by protests
and remonstrances in defence of our neutral
rights, and indicated them Mt last by resist
ance against one party, and open, direct war
against the other. But all that is changed now
Our flag was then stranger on the seas, our
principles were then unknown. Now, both are
regarded with respect and affection by the Peo-
pie of Europe. And that People, too, are chang
ed They are no longer debased and hopeless
OF freedom but on the contrary, are waiting
impatiently for it, and ready to second our ey-
pressions of interest in their cause The Brit
iSh nation is not without jealousy of us. Let
us only speak out. Do you think that they
would be silent? No. sir. And when the
ITrtf Skakaa D., II
speak the ever-traternizing bavonets of the
army of France, if need were, would open a
passage for the voice of that mpulsive and gen
erous nation Who believes that Russia. des-
potic as she is, would brave the remonstrances
of these three great Powers sustained as they
would be by the voice of Christcndom? Sir, ii
do not know that this Protest will do Hungary
or European Democracy any good 1t is enough |
for me that like our first of orators Mr. WEB |
sTER in similar case, ! can say, I'll hope it |
may
But it is replied that if our Protest shall be |
disregarded we must resort to war to maintain |
it, and that Louis kossuth has confessed so
much. | shall not stay long on the bubble of
the lawyers who claim to have crcumventcd |
the guest at the feast to which they had bid |
den him. 1t was so that some of old sought TO
entangle IN constructions of their national ira
dltlons the Great Teacher who came. not to
dispute with Doctors, but to call all men to re-
pcntanoe This proceeding is mine not that
of the Hungarian Neophyte in American poll
tics 1t is to be scttled upon Arguments here !
not on concessions elsewhere. And now. sir |
why must we go to war to sustain our Protest
You may say, because we should be dshonored
! by abandoning an interest so solemnly assert
ed Sir. those who oppose the Protest are
] H. a,
! Will il be more dshOnorable to relinduish it af-
ter an earnest effort than to abandon it with
ont any effort at all in its behalf Sir, if it he
mere honor that is then to prick us on, let the
timid give over their fears, A really great, en-
lightcncd, and Christian nation has lust as
much need to make war on a false point of hon
or, as really great enlightened, and Chris
tian man has need to engage in personal
contest in the same case aud that is no neces
sity at all. Nor shall we be reduced to the al
Tentative OF war. If Hungary shall never rise
there will be no cdSuS bella II she shall rise
we shall have right to choose the time when to
recognise her az a nation. That recognition
with it's political influence and commercial
DEMENT'S, Will be adequate to prevent or coun-
terbalance Russian intervention. But am an
swered, that we shall unnecessarily offend Pow
ers whom it is unwisc to provoke reply, that
it is not enough for II nation that it has no
enemies Japan and China are in that happy
condition. Ii is necessary that a State should
have some friends To us, exemption from ha
tired obtained by insensbility to crime is of no
value; still less is the security obtained by self
ishncss and isolation. Only generosity ever
makes friends, and those that it does bring are
grateful and enduring
Again, then, ! ask, why not vindicate the
! Law of Nations by our Protest One Senator
! Mr.. CLEMENS draws an argument against
the exercise of national sympathy from the
character and conduct he imputcs to Louis
Kossuth, and represents him as having been
reckless and matchmaking before danger APP
preached, and weak and vacillating and shrink
ing when it was coming on; a. having aban-
doned his country while he had yet one hun
dred and thmty.fyc thousand men; and as
having surrendered the State unnecessarily or
unwisely to one who for months he had belev-
cd n traitor; and ~ being. therefore, not
hero; and, finally as addicted to military dis
play, and irreyerent of the ashes of Washing
ton, and therefore not Republican.
Sir, if these assumptions were rs correct
and Just rs it has sufficiently appeared that
they are erroneous what would they or the
objection raised upon them have to do here
and now This IL II trial of Russia at the
bar of the Public Justice of the World How
can the verdict be affected by any imagined
misconduct of Louis Kossuth here, after Rus
sian intervention in Hungary was ended or
even by any errors or misconduct before, of
which Hungary alone not Russia, had right
to complain The objection is as much out
of season as out Of place. The character of
Louis Kossuth was preliminary question, and
has been decided by Congress with uncxamplcd
unanimity, and by decree awarding such
honors as the American People had before
found none worthy 10 receive lint tho constant