Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-02-19
KOSSUTH'> SPEECH
Before the Legislature of Ohio
From The .\sw York Daily Times.
COLUMBUS, Friday, Feb. Z,


ME-. PRESIDENT The General Assem-
bIv of Ono having mlgnanlnously bestow-
ed upon me The honor Of this national wei.
come, It is with profound veneratIon that
beg leave to expresa my fer'ent gratitude
for 1t,
Were there even no princi pies for the
future connected with the honor which |
now enjoy, still the fact would be memora-
BILE i'll history, and could moi fail to have
beneficial influence to develope the spirit of
the age, which, however contradlcted, how
ever opposed, still has always proved to
rule, and will prove to rule the destlnies of
Immunity.
Applying the souchstone Of phlosuphi-
cal scrutiny to that instruction which hist0-
ry affords, we cannot fail to remark that al.
most every century has had one Predomi-
nant idea, which all.absorbingy prevailed,
and impressed one direction to the ACTIVITY
of nations. This predominant idea is al
together the spirit OF the age-invlsIble, yet
omnipotent-lmpregnable, YET a!l-pervadng
-scorned, abused, opposed, aud YET omnp-
otent.
The spirit of our age is democracy-aIl
for the people, and all by the people
Nothing about the people without the peo-
pIe-that is democracy, that is the ruling
tendency Of the spirit of our age, APP
plause To this spirit is opposed the prln-
ciple of despotism, claiming sovereignty
over mankind, and degrading nations from
the position of a set-conscious, self con-
sistent aim to the condition Of tools, sub
servent to the authority of ambition. One
of these principles will and mnst prevail
So far as one prevails, civilizations prevails,
the destiny of mankind is linked TO COM
mon source of principles, and within the
bounds of common civilization unity o
destiny exists; hence the warm lneres
which the condition of distant nations
now a-days, in manner even not yet recor
ded in history, because humanity never wa
YET thus aware OF the common lie as it i
now. With this consciousness thus d, vel
oped, two opposite principles cannot ruI,
within the same boundaries. Democracy
of deSpo ism There Is no transaction be
tween heaven aud hell. Applause
In the conflict with these two hostile
principles, TIL now, ii was not right no
probation and applause. Unsuccessful pat
rIollsm was slgm lllsed with the name o
crime Revolution not crowned with sue
cess was styled anarchy and revolt; ant
the vanqushed parut, being dragged IL
the galIowS by victorious despolIsm, 1t wa.
the gaIlowS, but the fact nscIt-thal thcr
he dled-whlch imp lrted IA stain to HI.
name. And, though impartial history nov
aud thea casts the halo of a martyr over al
unsuccessful pa RIOTS grave, yet even tina
is not always sure. Tyrants often per,ert
ed history, sullied by adualI n or by fear
But whatever that late verdict may have
been for him who dared To struggle agaIns
desputlsm, when he struggled IN VAN
there was no honor on earth. VictorIou,
tyranny marked the point Of virtue with
the bI and of criminal To have uppo et
existing auto ny was that of violence
worse than the authority Ot the pirate is
this nppnSllun, when unsuccessful, was
sufficient to elude from every place Where
authorll, resided, The people never fail
ed to console the outcast by its sympathy
but AUTHORITY shared not the peoples sym
pathy regarded rather this sympathy as {
dangerous sign of the peoples propensity tC
anarchy.
The idea Of Justice thus perverted, or o
virtue thus deprived of Its fair renown, anC
honor but attached to success, though Grim
inal, like Louis Napoleons-all this be
came an object of immea urabIe influence
to the freedom OF nations, never yet achleV
ed but by a struggle which success raised
to the honor of glorious revolution, but
failure lowered to to The reputation OF
criminal revol.
Mr.. Presldent--l feel proud that my
humble self became an opportunity for th'