The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-23


in General CAss's history in relation to inter
venlion, and We submit that they are evidence
first, that the General is sometimes opposed 10
himself; secondly, that he is opposed to Kos
sUTH on a fundamental point, Notwithstanding
the declaration of the Detroit Free Press--the
Generals home organ-that 'those who have
spoken these two men have spoken" ''can-
not be far apart in feeling" This was said
some weeks ago, we admit; but that only rem
ders it more conclusive evidence of the change
ON General CAss's part.
Our contemporary goes on to say:
awe ask the Republic TO explain why it was that
the President recommended Congress. in his
sage. to consider what reception due to Kos
suth having first taken great pains TO create the
public impression that national honors were due TO
the great Magyar, the hero Of liberty. And next
would suggest that if the conduct Of the Presi
dent was not sufficiently explicit on this subject
the activity ofMr. Webster. in urging and shaping
the resolutions offered by General Foote in the
Senate, leaves not doubt that the Administration
outstripped all competition in the race for that po-
litica capital which it is now alleged is the cause
Of this sympathy with the fate of Hungary
Both points admit of straightforward answers
Neither the President any one in his be
half took great pains 10 create the public i'm
preston that national honors were due to the
great Magyar" and in his message to Con-
gress the PRESIDENT referred to kossUTH IN
no other light than as an exile, brought TO this
country in pursuance of resolution which
contemplated him only in that character, and
entitled to our sympathy as an exile, and moth
ing else. Mr.. WEBsTER's participation in the
resolutions offered by Mr.. FooTE must be
viewed in the same light. On referring to the
debate in the Senate on the 18th Of December,
the Union will discover that Mr.. FooTE dis
tinctly admitted, in reply to Mr.. BADGER, that
Mr.. WEBsrER's share Sin urging and shaping
the resolutions" was performed while the belief
prevailed that kossUTH came as an exile, and
that no motion would have been suggested if
1t could have been supposed TO bear a consruc-
ton favorable to kossUTH's idea Of inerven-
ton The national honors" which Mr. FILL
MORE and Mr.. WEBSTER had in view were
regarded by them .'due" 10 a great man
who had endured misfortune in his country's
cause; and the Union may rest assured that
they would have been bestowed more sparingly
could it have been foreseen that KossUTH,
from the moment Of landing, would devote
himself to a task at variance with the policy
and peace of this Republic The honors were
awarded to him as fugitive from suffering.
not the busy propagator of strife; and, with
this distinction in view, the PRESIDENT and
the SECRETARY OF STATE cannot in fairness
be held TO approve General CAss's proceedings.
The Union asks:
"Who has changed L. il consistent for the
President and his chief minister TO take tho lead in
saying everywhere that too much honor cannot be
given to kossuth and for their chief organ then TO
turn round and charge General Cass with making
the kossuth question u Presidential toy because
as member Of Congross, he proposed to have Con.
gress respond fifty and respectfully to tho Erecu-
tive recommendation 20
We do not like irrelevant disputes, or we
might respond that our contemporary having
changed, and changed largely, during the pro.
gress of the kossUTH question, is not specially
entitled 10 insist upon the consistency of others
But waving that, we reply, that Mr.. FILL
MORE maintains to-day the ground which he as
sumed on the first of December; his consisten-
cy Is unlmpeachable, and, 50 far from sanction
ing, rebukes the course adopted by General
CAS-. The Generals proposal, instead Of re-.
spending "ftly and respectfully TO the EIecu
tive recommendation. )" is directly at variance
with it.
The difference in the positions occupied by
Mr.. FILLMORE and General CAss is as marked
a. that between the latter and Mr.. CLAY. Gen
eral CAss loses every thing by the comparison,
aud we are surprised that the Union, with
remembrance of Its own files, yentured to sug-
gest II. Our contemporary cannot have forgot
ten It's own remarks on the occasion Of the
PREsIDKNT's interview with KossUrH The
kossuth star was then a little more in the a..
cendant than II now is, and the Democratic
organ fancied that something could be gained
by dwelling on the alleged lukewamne,s Of
the PRuHDIrT The Union said that his re-
ply to the Magyar was "not sufficient re
spOnse, that it had "fallen Short Of popular
expectations and requirements, and so on; and
yet, with that complaint on record. the Union
insists on the opinion that Mr.. FILLMORE and
General Cas- occupy the same ground!
ne Uuln j., lhdt beneTal tASs has com
mtted great blunder on Thu. Intervention
question. lie went into it early and strongly.
and when there was prospect that kos.UTr
would carry all before him. Intervention for
non intervention" then seemed likely to 10
quite an important element in the Presidential
contest; and General CAss, running against adj
yenturous spirits, had no alternative but TO bid
high for the prize. A mighty change has
'cOme o'sr the spirit" Of tho public dream
since then. The boldest political spectators
find themselves at fault. They thought that.
with skilful pilotsge and good luck. the Kos
sUTH flood would bear them on to the highest
point Of fortune; instead Of which the tide has
ebbed even faster than it flowed, and sfi
them high and dry, stranded on rock. APP
peals for help are natural enough in this pre-
dlcsment; but the Union ought 10 remember
that appeals, under any circumstances, arc not
likely to be listened to when coupled with