The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-01
YoSsUTHs ADDRESS TO THE LADIES.
NEW YonK. December 90. 1851.

] high interest and enthusiasm, the Hhihehse
Hall being filled with some three thousand
persons of whom there were estimated to be
| $500 ladies'
Shortly after o'clock Judge EdmondS ap-
pearing on the stage, said "As Governor Kos
suth and his family enter the room, the audi
cnce are requested to rise
At2L clock, Kossuth entered the stage ac-
companied by Madame Kossuth, Madame
/ Pulzsky, NJ Pulzsky, Col Berzenczey, and sever
al other officers of his suite, the Mayor Rev.
| Mr.. Bellows, Rev. Dr. Tying, and Hon. George
Bancroft, together with a number of ladies
/ The whole audience arose and cheered vche-
mently.
The Hon. George Bancroft then made a
brief and very eloquent address, and was
followed by the Rev. DIR. Tying, in brief ad-
dress to the great advocate of Liberty IN the
name of the Ladies of New York.
Governor Kussuth then spoke as follows:
would were able 10 answer that call.
would were able conveniently to fill the place
which your kindness has assigned to me; but
really / am in despair do not know how
many times | have spoken within the last
! fourteen DAYS in New York Permit me to
make some few remarks which are suggested
to nv mind by what has been stated. You
were pleased to say that Austria was blind to
! let me escape. Be assured THAT it was not the
merit of Austria Austria would have been
very glad to bury me. if not in the cold grave
| of death. at least in the equally cold grave OF
moral inactivity But the Emperor OF Turkey
took courage at the interference Of America
and notwithstanding all the reclamations of
Austria | am free-restored to life because
restored to duty and activity. 1t Austria
would not have murdered down the very exist
ence of nv nation. it is true | should have
vanished out of the memory Of man. Ii is "A
curious fate which | have. Perhaps there
never was a man in the would who was so
fond Of tranquility rs am; and perhaps no
man so fond Of doing as much good as possible
y, IL. = ..-.,.---... g >.-~nHetl"Nf 2s4ss@
III the " ariu A,.ta4 lS.s:lg for "a anquiiity 1t
-'tos n,y destiny never TO have single MONEYS
n ms ms IS 50 - -. 4 = - r,,.!s:g
star was and will be, Duty" and the pleas
ure and delight of the heart must wait, even
forever if necessary when duty calls Ladies'
worn out as | am, still am glad, very glad in
deed. that it is the ladies of New York who
have condescended to listen to my farewell
This my farewell cannot will not he eloquent
When. in the midst Of a busy day the watch
full cares of a guardian angel throws some
flowers of JOY in the thorny way of man. he
gathers them up with thanks. a cheerful thrill
quivers through his heart like the melody of
an Eolian harp; but the earnest duties of life
soon claim his attention and his cares. The
melodious thrill dies away, and on he must
GO and on he goes ioyless cherries, and cold,
every fibre Of his heart bent to the earnest
duties of the day But when the hard work
Of the day is DONE and the stress of mind for
moment subsidies. then the heart again claims
its right, and the tender fingers of our memory
gather up again the violets of joy which the
guardian angel threw in our way, and we look
at them with so much JOY, we cherish them as
the favOrite gifts of lifc--we are 50 glad-as
glad as the child on Christmas eve. These are
the happest moments of man life. But when
we are not noisy not eloquent, we are silent,
almost mute like nature in mid-summers
night, reposing from the burning heat of the
day Ladies that is my condition now. 1t is
a hard days work which | have to do here.
| am delivering my farewell address; and
every compassionate smile, every warm grasp
of the hand, every token of kindness which
have received, land have received so many
every flower of consolation which the ladies
of New York have thrown on my thorny way,
rushes with double force to my memory.
feel so happy in this memory-there is a solemn
tranquility about my mind but in such
,Aomcut would rather be silent than speak.
scarcely can speak. You know, ladies, that
it is not the deepest feelings which are the
loudest Loud applause. And, besides,
| have to say farewell TO New York This is a
sorrowful word What immense hopes are
| linked in my memory in this word New York
hopes of resurrection for my down-trodden
observation-disclosures of liberation for oppressed
nations on the European continent
Will the expectations which the mighty out
burst of New lork's young and generous heart
loreshSlowcd be realized! Will these hopes
be fulfilled. or will the ray of consolation which
New York cast on the dark night of my father
and-will it pass away like an electric flash
Oh, could | cast one single glance into the
book of futurity No; God forgive me this
mpious wish 1t is lie who hid the future
from man, and what He does is well done. 1t
were not good for man to know his destiny.
The energy of his sense Of duty would fater or
subsidc, if we were assured of the failure or
success Ofour aims Applause. 1t lis because
we do not know the future, that we retain our
energy of duty. SO will 60 on in my work,
with the full energy of my humble abilities,
without despair, but with hope 1t is Eastern
blood which runs in my veins: and | come
from the East have, accordingly somewhat
of Eastern fatalsm in my disposition, but it is.
the tatalism of n Christian who trusts with I'M
wavering faith in the boundlcss goodness of
Divine Providence But among all these dit
ferent feelings and thoughts that come upon
me in the hour of my farewell one thing is
almost indispensable TO me-and that is the as
surance that the sympathy have met with
here will not pass away like the cheers which
a warbling girl receives on the stage-that it
will be preserved rs principle; and that when
the emotion subsidies, the calmness ofreflection
will but strengthen it, because it is principle.
This consolation wanted, and this consolation
have, because, ladies, place it in your hands.
bestow on your motherly and sisterly cares,
the hopes Of Europe's oppressed nations-the
hopes of civil POLITICAL, social and religious
liberty. Oh, let me entreat you, with the brief
and stammering words OF a warm heart, over
whclmed with emotions and with sorrowful
cares-let me entreat you, ladies' to be watch
full of the sympathy of your people like the
mother over the cradle of her beloved child. Ii
is worthy of your watchful care, because it is
the cradle of regenerated humanity. Espe-
cially in regard to my poor father-land, | have
particular claims on the fairer and better half
of humanity, which you arc. Thefirst of these
claims is that there is not perhaps, on the face
of the earth, n nation which in its institutions
has shown more chvalric regard for ladies than
the Hungarians. 1t is praiseworthy trait of
the Oriental character You know that it was
the Moorish race, in Spain, who were the
founders of the chiyalrc era in Europe so full
of personal virtue. so full of noble deeds, so de-
voted to the service of ladies, and hcroism and
to the protection of the oppressed. You are
told that the ladies of the East are almost de-