Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-02-17

! ing the least censrrc upon kossutl
The country should rejoice in possessing officer
who looks with sagacious intuition info the consequent
ees oftreatened events. and determines to the
! danger in advance.
| Most respectfully, &c.
w. Il. SMITH
| ExErER, IN. H. Feb l. 1852
DEARSGR lhavc received your letter ol the eth OF
January informing that you had called for the cor
rcsponence relative to the supposed difficulties which
occurred ON board the Mississippi under my command
with kossuih. Oft Narsees for the purpose viica
ting the dignity OF the navy and to sustain com
/ mander, Ac.
While the circumstances which gave occasion to the
honorable intentions mentioned in YOUR letter are to mt.
matter ofdeep regret, allow me to express you my
thanks or your readiness to vnicate the dignity the
navy, well to sustain the character Of an officer
whose abes efforts in the discharge sof his duty have
met with uunered reproaelf.
tshoud be remembered by the American people, that
in the discharge fthe delicate duty orelnovng kossuth
and his companions this country could have b. en- nc.
tuaed by motive but to do it such manner as would
make them happy and selfrespecable To have trea-
ted any of them with radeness neglect would have
been nhosptabe. they then board ship under
| my immediate command. 1t would have been iuunan
for they detected and sorrowi at the failure of
their cXertions to give freedom their nation They
were exiles without country, without home, and
had claims upon the compassion well the respect
humankind
The prominent charge against me is rudeness to Kos
suth at the time off Marseles From the first
moment saw him to the hour OF separation spared
pains to render him and his associates happy When
he first on board. he and his companions we're re-
ceived by me and the officers and men under my COM
mand with every expression ofwelcome which language
| and cheers could afford. On my part their welcome
was sncere my own apartments resigned pro-
mote their comfort, and employed all the means in my
power to divert their attention from the gloom which
seemed to have settled on their prospects,
My position at Marseilles was peculiarly perplexnr
and responsible but did not intend be- and was not
dsrespectf to Kossuth, either III my language or man
ners. My conduct such that a review of it I
cannst regret and would not atcrit.
In order form Just opinion of the propety of nv
conduct officer at Marsees, it is important to con
slider the srictness of my orders with reference a
compromise of the American flag; that had been eau
| toned again and again by Commodore Morgan and
Others whose opinions entitled to the highest re-
spect of the imminent danger of compromising the flag
that the French authorities had refused to allow os
suth to pass through France to England that he had
landed ut Marseiles and that orders had been is
sued by the same authorities that he should not land
| again. together with the excitement which his pres
ence personally among the people had occasoned at
Marseies.
In the first place, please observe the strctness of
the general orders of Commodore Morgan against all
interference with the political affairs Of other nations
dated April 1851. from which the following is ex-
tract:
"ro the careful preservation of the good faith of our
country, as pishted in treaty spuatons and the deli
cate subject of strict neutrality claim your particular
attention. Gon will remember, therefore, that the ship
under your command, when wing in the port or sailing
within the jurisdiction of another friendly nation. is
mere guest and for the time less under its
lection. Assured that it is the wish of the Govern
of the United States it is order that the ut
most crcumspecton be observed particularly bv the
officers and of the vessels composing the squad
under my command at all times when in company
conversation with the people of the nations of ,
rope, that they enter into political discussions with
them, with each other about them, the state of
their respective countries and that they carefully
avoid the expression of any opinion which may inst.
fy surlnse that their synpathes are enlisted III be-
half Of inclined towards any particular party or
nation 1t is the determination of the Government to
neutrality strictly, and thereby
the friendship and continued confidence of all. Any
deviation from the foregoing order in relation to this
subject will hardly, under any circumstances admit
ofan excuse
In addition to the above general ORDERS please to OBJ
the specific orders from Commodore Morgan to
of the 9th September 1SJ1 In these orders Won
will find thatmany doubts entertained by him whe-
ther Kossuth would be allowed to land in France; an
expression of regret that kossuh had determined to
land at Marseilles; apprehension lest should en-
counter many veXaons and Inconvenience; and then
enoins SHE most exact observance IN erey mar
ticala of the instructions already given in general
orders with reference to the careful preservation of
strict neutrality, without which the serious com
promise ofthe character ofour country is almost nevi
table.
Inext received letter from the American ol,su at
Marseiles, John L. Hodge Esq. September 3d. 1s5l-
la this letter he says that he received official letter
from the Project requesting him to call on him on
business OF Importance In compliance with this re-
quest he called The "Prefct told him that the letter
addressed to him as the representative of the United
States was published IN paper called LA Peupe,' Il
violent partisan paper, and asked by whom it had been
done, as he viewed it breach of confidence Mr.
Hodge stated he let kossuh have the letter and that
it published by him. The "Prelect' then gave Or
ders that but the officers and ofthe Misss
sipp should land, and Mr.. Hodge wrote him as fol
lows "4ou will in the positive manner carry out
the views Of the "Preect;' prohibit every individual
except your men landing from the United states steam
er Mississippi, no matter who may be the person.
The consequence ofthe publication of that letter. and
the comments upon it in the paper LA Peupe was the
imprisonment ofhe editor ofte paper and the suspen
sion fall issues from that press. further consequence
was great and very unusual excitement among the PEG
pie.
Had no reason. sir to apprehend in view of the cir
eumstances. compromise OF our flag! The popuace of
Marseilles manifested much excitement while Kos
suth and his associates shore that the Prefect
through Consul informed me that such deonstra
tons must cease. He also withdrew the permission he
had granted through the ntercesson of Consul Hodge
for kossuth and his associates to land pleasure He
further ordered that othem should in future be al
lowed to land who had not passports signed by French
Minister, or "ctsed by French Consul
On the afternoon of the day the ship was sur
rounded by multitude of boats filed with people in
tensely excited, calling for kossu, singing the Mar
settles Hymn and other Revolutionary songs accompanied
by that well known clap the hands which is employed
by the FRENCH people in times of great excitement at
the time muttudes had collected and were still
gathering, the shores and mole heads and drums in
the city beating. twas i'll this state of agitation
among the people that remarked to kossuth fhat he
mo,M retire from tie poop deck perhaps tie people ould
diOerse TOR tedred a compromise Of the Rag. He
complied with this request but returned and said
u hope will meet generous welcome from your PEG
pie also, and anu you would not have me repulse it.
am in the same position here | replied of course
would not; but this mas diterem case. He made Il
short address to the people and then he and his sso
ciates left the deck and in about half hour after this
period the boats moved off slowly in the dusk of the
evening II was rude to him. my ruleness consisted
in the above expressions. 1t for this that haye been
censured How justly, you will judge
There was strong ground for apprehension my
part for had been repeatedly warned of the danger of
compromise ofthe flag HAD received express orders
In way interfere with the politics oftoren nations
suerit to be done by the officers under my
command kossuth, though foreigner was under the
protection of the American flag by virtue resolve of
Congress. He had had permission through the nterces
sion of Mr.. Hodge the American Consul, 90 shore
with his companions Events hal TRANSFERRED of such
character that the people of Marseiles had become in