The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-24

i but more on account of the kind and cordial re
lations existing between u.s. II was therefore
with sincere pleas ure heard him announce tina
he proposed no intervention in the affairs o
other nations beyond an expression OF opinion
that the conduct Of Russia had not been in &C
cordance with the law Of nations, and that we
could not look upon similar violation OF thai
law with unconcern.
| shall not 90 out Of my way to discuss with
the Senator from Michigan the propriety of the
expression of such an opinion. shall address
myself rather to those who go far beyond that
honorable Senator, aud demand "material aid
for Hungary. am afraid that there is dispo.
siton in some quarters to undervalue the import
ance of this question Indeed have heard it
on one or two occasions, characterized as an
abstraction. | wish il was. In my opinion, il
is not only question OF immediate and pressing
Importance, but il is question, upon the correc,
decision of which, must depend the liberty and
happiness of generations who are to come after
| us.
A foreigner has landed upon our shores, preach
| ing a crusade against the nations OF the Old
World, and boldly asking US to incorporate a
new principle in the foreign policy of the nation
or that foreigner, it is necessary that | should
say something. That he is an orator of consid-
cradle ability, is conceded; but he is an orator
merely To call him hero. is, in my opinion, a
very near approach to the ridiculous. The man
who was the first to shrink at the approach OF
the tempest he had raised, who abandoned his
country when he had still an army Of one hun
dred and thirtyfve thousand men at hi mmand
who surrendered the powers vested in him for the
good of the State into the hands Of man, whom
for months, he had believed to be traitor, is
not made of such stuf as Washington, or Stump
ter, or Marion, or Greene. The excessive lau-
dations which have been heaped upon him since
his arrival among US, must, in the eyes OF for
eign nations, who know his history far better than
we seem to know it, cover us with ridicule, if
not with contempt Not long since, saw le'-
ter, written by an individual in high place, in
which the writer seemed to be at a loss for words
to express the amount of his reverence for the
illustrous Magyar" An American citizen, a
freeman, talking about his reverence for any living
thing below the God that made him! Sir,
neither feel reverence, nor anything approaching
it, for one who has proved himself to be as weak
and Facilitating in the hour of danger, as he was
reckless and uncalculating before its approach.
But have no wish to deal in unkind expressions
towards him. As an individual, entertain for
him no feeling but that of indifference. 1t is
almost impossible that he should ever become
either a friend or an enemy Of mine. Nor would
speak of him at all, but for the doctrines he.
advances; and for the further fact, that he has
been invested by his advocates with almost num-
beress virtues, for the purpose of enlisting SYM
patty in his behalf, and preparing the public
mind to yield a reader assent to his teachings
None know better than the demagogues who
have surrounded him since his arrival here, that
the voice of wisdom may be drowned by the
Il a.. a
the establishment of freedom throughout the
world. And hence il is that we have him pre-
scented to us as pure republican, whose exile is a
consequence of his ministrations at the altar of
liberty, and whose whole life has been one long
labor in the cause Of human rights.
Now, sir, do not believe this but should
not trouble myself to contradct il, If il were not
for The intention which dictates the eulogy
That he has labored, and is laboring zealously,
to obtain aid for Hungary, is not 10 be denied /;
and | neither know nor care what amount OF
stimulus may have been added TO his exertions
by disappointed ambition and deep-rooted en-
nifty 10 the power that yanquished him. He
would not be human, If somc such feeling did
not find place in his bosom. blame him not
If iiis there; and ae cot care 10 inquire how FAR
il may have governed his conduct. But, sir, the
apostle of freedom should illustrate, by his own
example, its beauty and simplicity. On a for.
Iner occasion, ! expressed doubts whether he
really understood the simple creed which has
been the source Of all our happiness and al our
| greatness Since that time he has been among
US, and those doubts have ripened into convic
tons. And here again let me say, | do mol
blame him. He had been accustomed 10 the
pageantry OF courts, TO the "pomp, pride, and
circumstance" which surround the monarchs Of
the Old World, and he naturally supposed that
these were necessary adjuncts TO favorable
impression upon the people. To this cause
attribute the unnecessary display Of uniforms
ard sabres, which gave 10 quiet hotel in thin
city much the appearance Of the head quarters
of a commanding general In a conquered coun
| try. To this cause, also, attribute the baC
taste which brought an armed guard into thi'
| Hall on the day Of his reception here when, fo
the first time since their erection, these wall,
echoed The jingle Of arms. Lot us hope that I
| 10 no omen Of scenes which are 10 follow. Blu
when remembered the peaceful purposes fo
which this building grew under the hands Of the
architect; when remembered that, 10 this body
above all other, the people are accustomed Il
| look, 10 check rashness, 20 rebnke violence anC
to frown down all schemes CT extravaganza AnC
excitement confess ! felt something like
shudder ut the unwonted rattling Of foreign "a
bres in the Utmost temple Of American liberty
i There is another circumstance ! must no
omit 10 mention. IfKossuth bad been ih,
ardent republican which he is represented Their,
is one spot In this vicinity no difficulty would
have deferred him from visiting. Neither storu
nor tempest-the summers heat nor winter
snow should have.preyented him from making
a pilgrimage 10 Mount Vernon, and kneeling a
the tomb Of the wiscst, the noblest, and IN,
| purest Of all those who have done battle in IN,
cause Of mankind. But that great name seem,
to have awakened in him no enthusiasm, anc
the spot where the remains OF Washington ar,
Inferred, has been undisturbed by the tread o.
Hungarian feet. doubt IL there is n monarch
in Europe who would have been guilty Of SINH
lar neglect; who wonld have manifested so little
reverence for the dcad--so little regard for III,
hottest feelings ofthe living.
Mr. President,I hive now done with the in
dividual. Il Is V his mission that shall nd
dress myself His FIRST proposition il, that eve
i ry nation has the right 70 regulate its own af
| fairs In its ovn vav. and TO this I shall inter