The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-03-11

u #5 " +.
s'We cannot wonder, then, that the anci
ents should believe, Whom tha Gods love
die young,' and are ready 10 say, will
Souihey, himself subsequently, like poo
Swift, melancholy example Of the truli
Of his poelical exclamation
ssThey who reach
Grey hairs die pieccmcal."
IFrom the National In,elligencer.
M. KOSSUTH AND Mr.. CLAY.
The interview between NJ. Kossuih and
Mr.. Clay has excited . general interest in
the country, and the reports Of il hitherto
given to the public have been somewha,
inaccurate, and, at the best, imperfect.
Tho company present on the occasion
consisted Of. Senators Cass, Jones, Of Ten
nessee, Mr.. Fendall, Of this city, and the
Hon. Presley Ewing, of Kentucky. The
las,-named gentleman has been induced, al
the instance Of several persons, and with
the consent Of Mr.. Clay, to give more
extended and careful repor. OF the inter
view, and especially of Mr.. Clay's re-
marks, which we publish below, and which
may be regarded as authentic, having, be-
sides the authority Of Mr.. Ewing, the sane
,ion Of Senator Jones, by whom the report
has been examined and approved.
NJ. Kossuih was introduced BY Mr.. Cass
at about three O'Clock.
On being presented to Mr.. Clay. who
rose to receive him, sSir," said he, Il tina nk
you for the honor Of the interview"
81 beg you TO believe" said Mr.. Clay,
Iinterrup,ing him, s'that il is who am hon
ored. Will you please to be seatcd?"
After the mutual interchange Of ciyili-
ties, 81 owe you, sir" said MIR. Clay, san
apology for not having acceded before to
the desire you were kind enough to inii-
mate, more than once, to see me. But re-
ally my health has been SO feeble that J
did not dare to hazard the excitement OF so
interesting an interview. Besides, sir"
be added with some pleasantly, "your won
derful and fascinating eloquence has mes
merized so large portion Of our people,
wherever you have gone, and even some
Of our members Of Congress" waving
his hand towards the two gentlemen who
were present, ''that ! feared TO come
under its influence, lest you might shake
my faith in some principles in regard
to the foreign policy Of this Govern
ment which have long and constantly
cherished. And in regard to this matter,
you will allow me, hope, TO speak with
that sincerity and candor which becomes
the interest the subject has for you and
for myself, and which are due to US both as
the votares of freedom. trust you will
believe me, too, when tell you that ! en-
tertan the liveiest sympathies in every
struggle for liberty in Hungary and in every
country And in this, believe, express
the universal sentiment Of my countrymen
But, sir. for the sake Of my country, yor
must allow me TO protest against the poll
| cy you propose to her. Waving the grave
and momentous question Of the righ, ol
one nation to assume the executive power
among nations, for tho enforcement Of in
ternational law, or Of the right Of the Uni
ted States to dictate 10 Russia the charac
ter Of her relations with the nations around
her, let us como at once to the practical
consideration OF the matter. You tell US
Yourself, with great truth and propriety
that mere sympathy, or The expression Of
sympathy, cannot advance your purposes.
You require materiul aid. And indeed it
is manifest that the mere declarations ol
the sympathy Of Congress, or the Presi.
dent, or Of the public, would be OF li,tle'a
vail, unless we are prepared to enforce
those declarations by resort to arms, and
unless other nations could see that prepa-
ration and determination upon our part
Well, sir, suppose that war should be th is
sue Of the course you propose 10 Us, could we
then effect ANYTHING for YOU, ourselves, or
the cause Of liberty? To transport men
and arms across the ocean in sufficient
quantities to be effective against Russia
and Austria would be impossible. Il is q
fact which perhaps may not be generally
known, that the most imperative reason
with Great Britain for the close Of the last
war with us was the immense cost OF the
transportation and maintenance Of forces
and the munitions of war on such distan,
theatre, aud yet she had no, perhaps more
than thirty thousand men on this continent
a, any time. Upcn land Russia is inyul-
nerab!e TO us, as we are to her. Upon the
ocean war between Russia and this coun-
try would result in the mutual annoyance
to commerce, but probably in little else
| learn recently that her war marine is su-
pcrior TO ths, Of any nation in Europe, ex
cep, perhaps Great Britain. Her ports
are few, her commerce limited, while VIC
on our part would offer as prey to hel
cruisers rich and extensive commerce
Thus, sir, after eflec,ing nothing in such =
war, after abandoning our ancient policy
Of amity and Ion-in,ervention in the affair;
Of other nations, and thus justitying them
| in abandoning the terms Of iorbearance
and non-in,eriesence, which they have hith
erto preserved towards US; after the down
fall, perhaps, Of the friends of liberal insii
tutions in Europe, her despo,s, initiating
and provoked by our fatal example, may
turn upon us in the hour Of our weakness
and exhaustion, and with an almost equal
| " irresistible force Of reason and Of arms,
they may say to US, You have set US the
example, you have quit your own to stand
on foreign ground, you hare abandoned
the policy you prolesscd in the day Of your
weakness, to interfere with the affairs d
the people ON this continent, in behalf o.
those principles the supremacy Of which
YOU say is necessary 10 Your prosperity