The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-15

lncEC 10 no lOr EuTOpt-nO hopt vi oSChiE
spread your principles abroad
Yours is happy country, gentlemen. You
had more than fair play. You had active, ope-
ratve aid from Europe in your struggle for in
dependence, which, once achieved, you 50 wise
ly used as to become prodigy of freedom and
welfare, and a book of life to nations
But we in Europe We unhappily, have no
such fair play. With us, against every palpi-
tation of liberty, all despots are united in a
common league. And, to be sure, despots will
never yield to the moral influence of your great
example. They hate the very existence OF
this example. 1t is the sorrow of their thoughts,
and the incubus Of their dreams. To stop It's
moral influence abroad, and to check its
spreading development at home is what they
wish, instead of yielding to its influence.
We will have no fair play The Cossack
already rules, by Louis Napoleon's usurpation,
to the very borders of the Atlantic ocean. One
Of your great statosmen-now to my deep sor-
row bound to the sick bed of far advanced age,
(alas! that am deprived of the advice which
his wisdom could have impaired to me)-your
great statesman told the world, thirty years
ago, that Paris was transferred to st. Peters
burgh What would he now say, when Peters
burgh is transferred to Paris, and Europe Is
but an appendix to Russia
Alas Europe can no more secure TO Europe
fair play. Albion only remains but even AL
bon casts sorrowful glance over the waves.
Still we will stand our place, sink or swim,
live or die You know the word, it is your
own-we will follow it, 1t will be a bloody
path to tread. Despots have consplred against
the world. Terror spreads over Europe, and
anticipating persecution rules From Paris to
Pesth there is gloomy silence, like the silence
of nature before the terrors of hurricane.
1t is sensible silence, only disturbed by
the thousand-fold rafting of muskets, by which
Napoleon murders that people which gave him
a home when he was an exile, and by the
groans of new martyrs in Sicily, Milano, Nien-
ma, and Pesth. The very sympathy which
met in England, and was expected to meet
here, throws my sisters into the dungeons of
Austria. Well, Gods will be done! The heart
may break but duty will be done We will
stand our place, though to us in Europe there
be no fair play But so much hope, that no
Just man on earth can charge me with unbe-
coming arrogance when here, on this soil of
freedom, kneel down and raise my prayer to
God Almighty Father of humanity, will
Thy merciful arm not raise a power on earth
10 nro,eet PIE law Of nations when there are
20. nfapp 10 y'oiars N u rs = prayer; ',i,
nothing else What would remain 10 the Sp-
pressed if they were not even permitted to pray
The rest is in the hand of God.
Gentlemen, know where stand No hon
or, no encouraging generosity will make me
ever forget where | stand and what is due
from me to you. Here my duty is silently to
await what you in your wisdom will be pleased
Al
knows to be my prayer and my aim and DO it
your will to pronounce, or be 1t your Will not
to take notice of it. will understand your will
and bow before it with sincere reverence, and
will go back over the ocean hopeless, perhaps,
but my heart full of admiration, love- and graft
tude, to your generous people, to your glorious
land.
But one single word even here may be per-
mitted to say-only such n word as may secure
me from being misunderstood | came to the
undetermined people of the United States to
claim its generous operative sympathy tor the
struggle of oppressed freedom on
the European continent and | freely inter
preted the hopes and wishes which those OPP
pressed nations entertain but as to your great |
Republic rs q State, as power on earth, |
stand before the statesmen, Senators and legis- |
ators of that Republic only to ascertain from |
their wisdom and experience what is their |
Judgment upon a question of national law and
right. hoped and now hope,
hat they wildly the foreboding events on the
,ther great c0ntnent-feel induced to pro-
iounce in time their vote about that law and
hose rights And hoped, and hope, that,
their vote, it will be in favor of
,road principles of international justice conso-
,ant with their republican institutions and
heir democratic life.
That is all know, and Europe knows, the |
immense weight of such a pronunciation from
uch n place But neUer had the impious
wish to try to entangle this great Republic In
to difficulties inconsistent with its own welfare,
its own security, its own interest. | rather. re-
pcatedly, earnestly, declared that n war on this
account by your country is utterly impossible,
and mere phantom. | always declared that
the United States, remaining masters of their
action under every circumstance, will act as
they Judge consistent with the supreme duties
to themselves. But | said, and say that such
a declaration of Just principles would insure to
the nations of Europe a fair play" in their
struggle for freedom and independence, because
the declaration of such a power as your Re-
public is will be respected, even where it should
not be liked; and Europe's oppressed nations
will feel cheered in resolution and doubled in
strength to maintain the decision of their
American brethren on their own behalf, with
their own lives.
There is an immense power in the idea to be
right when this idea is sanctioned by nation
like yours And when the foreboding future
will become present there is an immense field
for private benevolence and sympathy, upon
the basis of the broad principles of information
al justice pronounced in the sanctuary of your
peoples collective majesty SO much to guard
me against Misunderstanding.
Sir | most fervently thank you for the ac-
that my country has proved
worthy to be free. Yes, gentlemen, ! feel
proud at my nations character, herolsm, love
of freedom, and vitality; and bow with rev.
erental awe before the decree OF Providence
which placed my country into position that
without it's restoration to independence, there
is no possibility for freedom and independence
of nations on the European Continent. Even
what now in France is about to pass, proves
the truth of this Every disappointed hope
with which Europe looked towards France is u
degree more added to the Importance of Hun
gary to the world. Upon our plains were
fought the decisive battles for Christendom !;
there will be fought the decisive battle for the
independence of nations for State rights for
international law, and for Democratic liberty
We will live free or die like men. But should
my people be doomed to die, it will be the first
whose death will not be recorded as suicide
but as a martyrdom for the world and future
ages will mourn over the sad fate of the Mag
var race, doomed to perish, not because we de-
served it, but because, in the nineteenth Gen.
fury, there was nobody to protect the laws of
nature and of natures God.
But look to the future with confidence and
with hope. Adversities manifold of tempest
tossed life could of course not fail to impress a
mark of cheerlessness upon my heart, which,
if not a source of JOY, is at least a guard
against sangune illusions. for myself would