Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-01-12
THE CONGRESSIONAL DINNER TO KosUTH
SPEECH OF MIR. WEBSTEB

4
| timent was proposed: -
| .The SECRETARY OF STATE: Hissymnaths are as
broad as his intellect is profound"
Mr.. Webster rose and responded as fcll5s:
have great pleasure IN participating il is fesi
val. II is a remarkable occasion. He whcis youi
honored guest tonight has led thus far lief event:
that are viewed as highly Important here, md still
more important TO his own country. Educdd, spr-
lied, full Of feeling II liberty and indepentnce he
entered early into the public councils of naive
country and he is here to-day fresh from ;tng his
part in the great struggle for Hungarian naoRaI in
dependence: That is not all his Distinction He was
brought to these shores by the authority of ongress
lie has been welcomed TO the capital of d United
States by the votes Of the two Houses of Ctgress
Mr.. Seward, Gnterrn9ting) lie is wectie ! and
there were loud cries OF Welcome, WELDON = from
various parts of the house.
Mr.. Webster (resuming.) agree as | ar not CON-
nected with either branch of the Legslaan, in oio-
ing, and DO JON IN NY loudes tone, inthat vel
come pronounced by them to him. loren nnIause I
The House OF Repfesentatives--the mnedste r EN-
| 1esentatlves Of the Peope-full themselves an ar
dent love OF liberty, have joined in that wecCn the
wisdom aud s9bTIety OF the Senate have jond in it;
| and the head Of the Republic, with the utirst cor
dlalty, has approved of whatsoever official ct ws
Necessary to bid him welcome TO these sheres Aud
he stands here tonight in the midst OF an asephly
| OF both Houses OF Congress, aud others of l. met
here IN our individual capacity, 10 Join the eueraI
acclaim. and signify to him with what pleasIreys re-
celVe hun to the shores OF this free andt1s sylum
| OF oppressed humanity EApplause. I Genem6 The
effect OF the reception thus given him cannot mi ha
! felt. 1T cannot but have It's influence bevod tbe
| ocean and among countries where our pnncipIs and
our sentiments are either generally unknown gen
orally disked, Let them 90 forth; let il he hons On
all the winds Of heaven that the sympathies IF tbs
Government OF the United States and all the pepIp Of
the Udlted States have been attracted tovs rdss ~
| ton struggling for national independence al TO-
wards those OF her sons who have most dlstngl,she
themselves IN that struggle. [Great applause /
have said that this cannot be without its .efnt-
We are too much inclined to underrate the po,er of
moral Influence, and the influence OF public opnion
and the influence oil principles, to which grea,men
the lights OF the world and OF the age have eiven,her
SANCTION. Whs doubts that, in our own slrugeL for
Liberty and independence, the majestic eloquene Of
| Chatham, the profound reasoning of Burke, thebp
ming satire and irony OF Col Barre had Influences m
on our fortunes here in America! They had inAten
ences bothways. They tended, in the first place sone
what to diminish the confidence OF the British Ministry
IN heir hopes OF success in attempting to subuoate an
injured people. Iney had influence another way be
people in that day lived upon the coast-there wssnot
a reading man who did not feel stronger, holder. md
| more determined in the assertion oil his rights Han
when these exhlliratng accounts from the two Houses
| ~ Parliament reached him from beyond the seas
| He felt that those who held and controlled nn,to
opinion elsewhere were with Us; that their word, Of
eioquence might produce an effect inthe region w,en
they were uttered; and above all, they assured them
thai, 10 the judgment OF the just, and the wise and th
| impartial, their cause just and they were rioh.
and therefore they said, We will fight il out TO m,
| last. Applause.
1
| times made. We think that nothing is powerful
| enough to stand before au ocratic, monarchcaI az
| despotic power. Here is melting strong enough
quite strong enough, and it properly exefted w III
prove selso, and hat is the power OF intelligent pub
lie opinion in all the nations Of The earth There is MOI
a monarch earth whose throne is not liable TO he
shaken by the progress OF opinion ard the sentiment of
the Just and intelligent part OF the people II becomes
US in the station which we hold to let that pubic opn-
ion, so far form it, have free course brave
Bravo Let 1t 60 out; let 1t be pronounced in thunder
tones let It open the ears OF the deaf; let it open
the eyes OF the bind, and let it everywhere be pro-
Claimed what we oil this great Republic, think OF The
general principle Of human liberty and of that on
preston which all abhor iApplause] D pend upon
IT, gentlemen that between these Two rival bowers
the suocratic power maintained by arms and force
and the pop liar power mant aimed ~ opinion
he former is constantly decreasing, and, thank God
the latter is constantly increasing. Applause y
Real human liberty and human rights are gaining The
asceEdant and the part which have to act ia all
this great drama is show ourselves in favor of those
rights, TO uphold ascendency, and to carry it on
until we shall it cumnate in the highest heaven
over our heads. tApplause)
On the topics, gentlemen, which this occasion
seems to invite have nothing to say, because in the
course OF my political llie-~not now short one-I
have said all that wish to say, and all that wish
to transmit to postery connected with nv own nams
and history. What said OF Greece twenty-five wears
ago. when our friend was too Young to be in pnitical
lite, repeat tonight, pcrbun, post nerbn exactly
what said then. lIreat applause What said
OF Spain at later PERIOD when the power Of the re-
stored Bourbons was sxered 10 impose upon Spain a
dynasty not wlshed by the people of Span that re-
peat in English and Spanish, and French, and in ev-
cry other language, if they choose totranslale it,
(Appause)
now TO say upon the subject OF Hungary Gente-
men, in the autumn of the year before last, out of
h .aith, and retired to my paternal home among the
mountains OF New Hampshire, | was. by reason of
my physical condition, confined TO my house; bu.
was among the mountains whose pative air wa 5
born to inspire Nothing saluted my senses, nothing
sauled my mind or my sentiments, but freedom, fI!
and entire, (applause;) and there, gentlemen, near
the grave OF my ancestors, | wrote letter, whh
most of you may have seen, addressed to the Aus
trian Charge d'Afaires. (1reat applause, With
was continued for some time) | can say nothing IF
the ability displayed IN that letter; but its prll-
clples, while the sun and moon endure, and while
can see she light of the sun anu the moon, stand ty
them. Q%reat applause.)
In letter dated February last, moved by these COZ
siderations which have influenced all the Christian
world, making no particular merit it, addressed
letter the American Minister at Gonslantinople, at
the Court of the Sublime Porte, for the relief of M
Louis Kossuh and his companio s in exile; and |
happen to know that that letter wasnot without some
effect. At any rate, it is proper for here 10 say
that this letter and that to which have be ore
lnded, were dispatched with the cordial appreciation Of
the President OF the United States. 1t was therefore,
far the act Of the Government OF the United States
in its executive capacity Now, shall not further
advert to those topics tonight shall l go back to
ancient times and discuss the provisions OF The Holy
iance but say that in the sentiments ayowed by me
think IN Inc year 1875 aud 1874 In the cause OF Greece
and in the more subsequent declarations OF opinion
there is that which never depart from without
departing from myself should cease to be what am
i'll were reract single sentiment which has been
expressed Oh these several occasions
Now. gentlemen, lido not propose, at this hour Of
the night 10 entertain you, or 10 attempt to entertain
you by any general dsqusit upoa the value of hui
man freedom, upon the inaienable rights oil man, or
upon any general topics Of that kind, but wish say
few words upon the precise question, understand
it, that exists before the civilized world between Hun
gary and the Austrian Government. | wish to ar
range the thoughtsto which desire to give uterance
under two or three general heads.
And in the first place say that wherever there is in
the Christian and civilized world nationality OF char
ter-wherever there exists nation OF sufficient know
ledge and wealth and population to constitute Gov
eminent, then National Government is necessary
and proper result OF nationality oil character. We may
talk of it as please but there is nothing that salts"
| ies the human mind in enlightened age unless be
| is governed BY his country and the institutions OF
| his own Government. No matter how easy be the
woke of foreign power, materhow lightly it sits
upon the shoulders lift not imposed by the voice OF
his own nation and OF his own country, he will not
he cannot, an d he not to be happy under lis
| A.1,al