The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-21

and the duty of all Northern Union men, to exact
distinct understanding of both parties the slavery
question-to break up their juggling and junketing
with the abolition agitators, and to suppress, by
the force of public opinion, their incendiary de-
signs. Failing of an understanding with the old
parties it becomes the duty of the South to organize
a new party on the basis of the constitution and
the compromises, and the great and expansive re-
quirements Of the times. The whig caucus proclaims
to the South that now is the time for action.
KossUTH--HIs ADVENT AND DEPARrURE.-The
events Of the last few days present a remarkable
comment on the career of Kossuth since he landed
in the United States. There is an extraordinary
contrast between the wild and thoughtless Sclat
that attended his advent, and the 'sober second
thought cooled down almost to zero--cod as this
ungenial weathcr-that marks his departure from
our shores. In the interval of four months people
have had time to reflect and the result is, that thou
sands are ashamed Of having been carried away
with delusion, and many Of the warmest advocates
of fllibustero expedition against Russia, Austria,
and g the rest Of mankind" strenuously deny that
they were ever in favor Of Kossuth Intervention
to prevent non-intervention.
But in proportion as the fortunes Of Kossuth
temerty increase and all the little prudence he had
utterly forsake him. He commenced by assailing
the rircples of Washington, and sapping the foun
dations of the republic. He n W depreciates the
character of Washington. In his speech at Bur-
lington, he said that the greatness of George
Washington depended mainly on his SUCCESSFUL
IDENTIFY intending thereby to convey the idea, which
he developes more fully at Trenton, that though
Kossutn has not been as successful as Washington,
he deserved to be, and is intrinsically as great
man. This is very singular philosophy. Success
is the only evidence Of greatness, and every man
who has succeeded might otherwise be asserted to
be great by accident. The sentiment contained in
the following beautiful stanzas Of "Grays Elegy in
a Country Churchyard,'' may be very good doc
trne for some speculative philosophers, but will
never obtain much favor with the common sense Of
mankind
Full many a gem Of purcst ray serene,
The dark. unfathom'd caves of ocean bear
Full many u flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
Some village Hampden. that with dauntess breast,
The little tyrant Of his field wthstood-
Some mute ingorous Milton here may rest
Some Cromwell gultless of his country baosd
TIL applause Of listening senates to command,
The threats of pain and ruin to despise,
To scatter plenty DER a smiling land.
And read their history in q nations eyes,
Their lot forbade, nor circumscribed alone
Their growing virtues but their crimes conin'd
Forbade to wade through slaughter to throne,
And shut the gates OF mercy on mankind.
This may be all very fine in theory-but in prac-
tice it is very different. If it means anything, it
would 60 to show that Tom, Dick, and Harry, clod-
hopper hod-carrier, and scavenger, just great
men as Bonaparte. A man can only get credit
for what he has done-not for what he may do un-
der possible circumstances. The proof Of the pud-
ding is in the eating thereof Kossuth has failed
Washington has succeeded beyond all example in
the history Of mankind. The success is he result
Of the greatness. Kossuth wants to be elevated to
the same level with Washington, if not to far high
er one The attempt is simply ridiculous, and be-
trays the very ambition which he SO strongly repu-
dates, notwithstanding the prayer he made on en-
tering his public career. vide speech at Trenton
in Yesterdays HERALD. How sincere he is in
his abnegation Of overvaulting ambition may be
determined by the fact that while he talks Of being
poor penniless exile, and a plain, hsnest man. in
the same breath he tells us he has been selected by
Providence as the representative of oil suffering
humanity in this world, if not in the world to come
Had Louis Kossuth been George Washington, this
country would still have groaned under the yoke Of
bondage. One was practical energetic man, ready
10 90 ana uHre Ill Dut VI ueep RhRaclty 10
attain his object and Of the purest patriotism to keep
him right The other is theoretical dreamer, who,
by his own confession, has failed from want of ca
pacty, though he promises to do better next time,
and has failed, too, under favorable circumstances
which Washington never enjoyed, and with the aid
Of which, he would have deeated(be British armies,
in half the time. The idea Of comparing Washing
ton and Kossuth is about the preposterous that
has ever entered the mind Of The one was a
colossal genius Of COMMUNICATED in mind and body
the other weak in person and visionary in mind
filed with an overweening sense Of his own impor-
lance. When Kossuth has accomplished what
George Washington has done, then it will be time
to institute comparison between them. Mean
time, the whole Country, North and South, East and
West, seems to be arriving Mt the true idea Of the
measure and stature Of the poet Of Hungary. OF
course there will always be few fanatics ready to
follow any "wll-o'-the-wisp," even to their own
destruction and drowning politicians who will
grasp at sraws as they sink to rise no more.
THE CALIFORNIA MAILs.-The steamship Georgia
arrived yesterday with the California mails. These
mails might have been here nine days ago. but for
the ridiculous instructions Of Postmaster General
Hall to the mail agents. According to these in