New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-02-24
DAILY CRESCENT
M. Kossuth and Can't. Long


we give place to the following letter from Can't Lone
a we deem it due to that officer to publish his defence
ihasrnuch as we have given publicity to the eharee
against nm portion Of the Northern press devoted 4.
hossuth continue to refer to Capt Long in terms of e
sure anu we are siad he has fully explained the auppf
dfhenty between him and Kossuth at MarseiIIes TIN
following letter was addressed by Capt Long to Hon "
Il shf'th' IN reply to communication from that eentla
man IL contains bis vindcation expressed in terms q,
once modest and distinct. with careful effort to shield
rather than cast censure upon KossrJth.
EXETER. On II) Feb !, 1852
Dear Su have received your letter Of the 9th a.
January informing me that you had called for the Ger
respondence relative to the supposed difficulties which
occurred on board the Mississippi under nv comm,
with kossuth off Marseies for the purpose of yndicaf
ing the dignity Of the Navy and to sustain as co-
While the circumstances which gave occasion to the
honorable Intentions mentioned in your letter are to me
matter OF deep regret allow to express you NV
thanks for your readiness to vindicate the dignity of the
navy as well as to sustain the character Of officer
whose abest efforts in the discharge Of his duty. have
met with unmerted reproach
II should be remembered by the American people that
In the discharge OF the delicate duty removing Kess
and his companions to this country could have b.e
actuated by no motive but to in such manner as
would make them happy and myself respectable To have
treated Of them with rdencss or neglect would have
been nhosptable as they were then board ship undr
my immediate command 1t would have been inhuu a,
for they were detected and sorrowr the failure Of
exertos TO give freedom to their nation They were e
lies without country without home and had claim.
upon the compassion well the respect of mankin
The prominent charge against me is rudeness to Kos
stlth at the time off MarseiiIes From the frs,
moment him to our serarat;o,, sn,raJ
no pains to render him and his associates happy When
he first came on board he and his companions were re.
ceived by me and the officers under my command with
every expression Of weldome which language and
could afford On my part their welcome was sincere m
own apartments were resigned to promote their comfort
aud employed all the in my power to divert their
attention from the gloom which to have settled
on their prospects
Ny position at Marseles was peculiarly pernexine md
responsible but did intend be- and was mot is
respectful to Kossuth either my language or mannsys
NY cohuuct was suc that on review Of it cannot re-
gret and would not alter it.
In order to form Just opinion of the propriety of my
conduct as an officer at Marseiles it is mportan to cor
slider the strctness of my orders with reference TO
promise of the American flag that had been cautioned
again anu again by Morgan and others whose
opinions were entitled to the highest respect of the i'm
mnent danger OF compromising the that the French
authorities had refused 10 allow Kossuth to pass THROUGH
France to England that he had landed at arsees
and that orders had been y the same athorit;es
that lie should not land again together with the excite
ment which ms presence personally among the people had
In the first place please observe the strctness of tho
general orders of Commodore Morgan against the inter
ference with the political affairs of other nations dated
April g. ls5l from which the following is an extract
To the careful preservation of the good faith Of our
country as pghted in treaty stipuations and the deli
cate subject of strict neutrality claim your particular
attention. You will remember therefore, that the shin
der your command, when lying in the port or sailing
within the jurisdiction Of another friendly nation i .
mere guest and for the time less under its pr
lection Assured that it is the wish of the Government
OF the United States it is my wish that the cireuu-
specilon be observed particularly by the officers and
crews of the vessels composing the squadron under nv
command at all times when in company or conversation
with the people of the nations of Europe that they enter
INTO no political discussion with them with each ote,
nbout them the state of their respective countries
and that they carefully avoid the expression of nv opn
ION which may justify surmse that their sympathias
are enlisted in behalf of inclined towards any partic
lar party or nation. 1t is the determination of the Co,el
to preserve neutrality ctiu and thereby to se
COZ npI r1nffiot all
deviation from the foregoing relation to this su
ject will hardly under any circumstances admit of an
excuse
In addition to the above orders please TO observe
the specific orders from Commodore Morgan t me Of tta
Attn September 1901 In these orders you will find that
many doubts are entertained by him whether Kcssutb
would be allowed to land in France expression of re-
gret that Kossuth had determined and at arselles
apprehension lest should encounter MANY yexatio,s
era observance in aniiruL of the instructions nj
ready given to me in general orders with reference to the
careful preservation of strict neutrality without which
is almost inevitable.
next received letter from the American Consul at
Marseies John L. Hodge ESQ. September Sd. 1851 In
this letter he says that received an official letter from
tho fsrefect, on him On m ness
OF Importance In compliance with this request he called
The Pfrteet told him that the letter addressed to him
the representative of the United States was published
i'll paper called La Peupe violent partisan naner
and asked by whom it had been done he viewed it
breach of confidence Mr. Hodge stated that he let Kos
suth have the letter and that it published by him
GERS and men of the Mississippi should land. and Mr.
Hodge wrote to me follows You will in the most
positive manner carry out the views of the Project
prohlb every Individual except your landing from
the United States steamer Mississippi matter who ma
be the person.
The consequence of the publication of that letter and
the comments upon it in the paper La peupIe was The
Imprisonment of the editor of the paper and the sspen
sion of all issues from that press further consequence
was great and very unusual excitement among the eule
Had no sir, to apprelend in view Of the cir
,nmSfances compromise of our tag' The populace of
sllGseiles manifested much excitement while Kossh
tmi his associates We're shore that the preec thro
our Consul informed me that such demonstrations must
cease lie also withdrew the permission he granted.
through the intercesson of Consul Hodge for Kossuth
and his associates to land at pleasure further ordered
that no one OF them should in future be allowed to land
who had not passports signed by French Minister
" rised" by French Consul.
On the afternoon of the day the ship was sur
rounded by multitude of boats filed with people in
tensey excited calling for Kossuth singing the nrsej
%s lynn ana other revolutionary songs accompanied by
that Well-known clap of the hands which is employed y
the French people in times of great excitement at the
same time multtudes had collected and still gather
ing the shores and mole heads and drums in the CITY
beating 1t was in this state of agitation among the
people that l remarked Kossuth that If he roi Tete
from he oopdeck perhaps the 7topie roud dsiperse for
feared compromise Of the flag lie complied with this re-
quest but soon returned and said Il hope will meet
generous welcome from your people also, and am sure
you would not have repulse it am in the same po
ston mere. 1 replied of course would not : but this
rhS different ease lie made short address the peo-
pie and then he and his associates left the deck and in
about half hour after this period boats moved off
slowly in the dusk of the evening Ii was rude to him
my rdcness consisted in the above expressions 1t is for
THIS that L have been censured How justly, you
will judge. -
There was strong ground for apprehension my part
for had been repeatedly warned of the danger of a com
promise of the flag had received express orders in no
way to interfere with the politics of foreign nations
suffer it to be done by the officers men under nv com
mand kos.uth, though foreigner under the pro
lection of the American flag by virtue of resolve of
Congress He had had permission through the interces
SION Of Alr Hodge. the American Consul goo shore
with his companions. Events had transpire of such
character that the people OF Marseillcs had become i'll
tensely excited had received orders not to allow any
person. whoever that person might be- to leave the shin
but the officers and of the iSsissppi Should these
circumstances and warnings have been clslagnrGel by
me- would they be overlooked by any having the
eas degree of prudence when the peace of two nations
was in jeopardy | had right to suppose that the
French Government would prohibit KosSuth from landing
" Marseies account Of the excitement his presence
aused among the people, and that the same time they
would be tame enough to allow him to address them in
heir port under the protection an American lag and
rom the deck of an American frgate
Suppose there had been in reality no danger of com
PROMISING the flag ii had reason apprehend danger
II compromise it was not my duty to speak The lip OF
N officer should not be sealed u silence till the flag is
compromised 1t is his duty to anticipate and prevent
he evil rather than pause till mischief is complete then
temp remedy. Regarding it my duty to interfere
Knew OF no language more subdued and gentle
At the time employed the above language Koss1th
nenoned that had charged him with having compro-
lsed the flag told him at that he misunderstood
ne that did not say he had compromised the flag hut
aat there was danger OF it. Here supposed end
all dissatisfaction on his part until Informed some
lays afterwards while passage to Gibraltar that
\ossuth was dissatisfied with the remarks have reepred
o. Immediately called on him with view to put /, pe |
lod to all dissatisfaction He appeared to be excited
till entertaining the impression that had ordered him
fht tppk hnlu