New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-04
MIR. Clay on intervention

The weighty and impressive remarks of
HENRY CLAY to Gov. KossUrH on the oc-
casion Of their meeting in Washington will
be found IN this mornings issue, having
been first printed here in our Third Edition
of yesterday. They do not need our COM
mendation to insure their general and
thoughtful perusal by the whole American
People. May we not hope that some por-
ton of that People will listen to a few sug-
gestioDs from far humber source bearing
on the same general subject
twas wenremarked by Lord Brougham,
in the debate on the English Reform Bill,
that there never yet was a reform effected,
decidedly forward movement made, which
might not have been defeated by giving
adequate force to the natural iuquiry-"l If
'you begin here, where will YOU stop! IL
{ you take this step, how can you logically
refuse to take that, and then the other -"
Nh. Clay decides that We cannot do all chat
Kossuth has asked of us, in view of all
thence Jumps to the conclusion that we can
do nothing directly and positively toward
the liberation of Hungary and of Europe
We protest against this mode Of stating
the question. We protest against "waiv-
ing the great and momentous question" of
National duty to uphold international Law,
as Mr.. Clay so readily does. We insist
that the first question in importance and in
order is What is the Right What is
our Dutyr Having ascertained and settled
that, we may next inquire whether we shall
follow the dictates of Principle and Honor
or consult those of Policy and seeming Ex-
pediency. In taking hold Of the subject at
the wrong end, Mr. Clay clearly comedies
that the decision must be against him if he
had begun at the right one.
Nor do we admit that we must be involved
in War by a bold, clear, manly declaration of
what is the Law of Nature or of Nations
with respect to People struggling with its
tyrants, and who only ask that Foreign des-
pets, who DO lot pretend to have any au-
thority over them, should let them alone
All must feel that such Intervention against
self-lberated People as Austria exercised
In Naples, France in Spain and more re-
Gently In Rome, Russia in Hungary, &c +,
strikes directly at the Right Of Nations to
Self-Govesnment, and so assails and impertls
| the fundamental basis of eur Liberties.
Such being the undeniable facts, which we
cannot but feel and do not by silence con-
zeal, what can be the valid objection to a
formal, official declaration of their exis-
tencel
But, says Mr.. Clay, mere declaration
would be of little avail, unless we stood
ready to enforce respect thereto by arms.
We totally dissent from this. OF course,
If we were to notify the world, in making
the declaration, that we did not mean to
stand by it-that it was mere sound and
ry,'signihying nothing'-that the roaring
hon was no hon at all, but only Snug the
Joiner-it might fall to the ground useless
and unnoticed- Bo; If we were simply to
proclaim the Law of Right and of Nations,
saying nothing of our ulterior intentions
and neither defying nor deprecating the
wrath Of the Despots, that declaration would
! have very great and salutary neral ia
iiuence or the destinies of Europe and of
mankind. II would encourages and give
heart to the dovn-trodden Millions: il
would strengthen Switzerland, Belgium.
Sardinia ape other Constitutional States,