Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-04-05
Speech of Gen. Gass
NoN-INTERyENTION.,

/ NON-INTERvENTION.,
Delivered in the United States Senate Feb
10th, 1852 s'f =
coNTiNuEp
During the progress Of the Hungarian
straggle, and while its aspect was mos
Ethrealening, the Austrian Emperor granted
/ a constitution to his State to satisfy ane
conciliate them, by which their condition
was sensibly meliorated. Blu. the danger
has passed away, and with il the sense o
justice, while power has resumed lis natu,
raj instincts; and the following document
issued January4l, 1852, tells the tale o
treachefy,to to the everlasting disgtace d
| the Austrian Governments:
"We, Francis Joseph, by the grace ol
God Emperor Of Austria, in consequence
Of our ordinance Of the 20th Of Angus. last
i our Council Of Ministers, and our Council
of the Empire, have applied themselves to
a thorough examination Of the Constitution
of March 4th ls49, and seeing that it re-
suits, from the deliberations which have
taken place, that this Constitution is no,
adapted 10 the position Of the Austrian Em-
1 pire, and cannot be executed in its entire
arrangements, we consider it our duty, as
The sovereign, after having well considered
all these reasons, to abrogate The said Con.
stitulion Of March 4, ls49."
/ Pnnic fnith was the by word of antiquity
for any political treachery sianding prom
inenily forward in the his Tory Of human
deception. Austrian faith will hereafter be
entitled to the same unenyiuble distinction
"Put not your trust in Princess says the
book Of inspiration, and wo betide the peo>
pie, says the book of history, whose rights
depend upon The pleasure or the passions
of sovereign, instead of being dependant
on their own energy and intelligence.
Although in the retrospect of the Hun
garian revolution our indignation is height-
ened by the oppression of the struggling
people and the justice of their cause, still
were these doubtful, instead Of. being palpa-
BILE, 10 oil The world, the conduct Of The for.
! eign aggressor would scarcely be the less
culpable nor the less in violation Of the
law OF nations, which says to the Powers of
the earth, when an internal attempt is
made 10 change or to throw off Governs
mont, let the parties alone, the question
belongs to them.
Undoubtedly in the progress of these in
ternal contests every natiun must Judge for
itself when it will recognize the independ.
ence Of the party claiming it, and this judg-
ment will depend on tho circumstances Of
the case. Formerly such recognition,
before on acknowledgment by the pre>ex>
istiDg Government, was considered an act
Of war; and even in our own Revolutions.
ry contest such was the view Of England
in relation TO the conduct Of France; but
in this, as in many other cases, q decided
melioration has taken place, and such an
act now gives no just cause Of cffsnce.
Well, Russia interviewed with an iron
hand, aud why9 All the world knows,
and already history has written it upon
pages that neither Princes nor their adhe.
rents can .obli,era,e.. If ever words were
used 10 conceal thoughts, they are so used
in Russian diplomacy. Her armies march
ed 10 crush the efforts Of an oppressed pso'
Pile; 10 put down the struggles Of almost
despalring men, who sought, in the Ian
euage of Mr.. Jefferson, "lhrougb blood and
slaughter their long lost freedom;" they
marched, not merely to propagate the prin.
ciples of despotism, but TO establish its
power, lest rumor might cross the Carpa.
THAN mountains, and tell the bearded Mus
coyite that there was such thing as lib
erty in the world, and men who periled life
and fortune To- obtain it. Civilized men
every where feel and know that such
were The objects; and public opinion in
France, in England and in this country,
and wherever else lhetongue or the press
was free enough to- proclaim It, has
announced and condemned this dagrant
usurpution, boldly conceived and execu,>
ed, but hypocr.ieally defended by false
representations. Never could there be
more palpable illustration Of the remark
Of Grolius that s.some wars are founded
upon real motives and others only upon
colorado pretex.s." as especially if he had
added, some upon pretext without color
AS do not intend to argue with any man
who believes. after the facts have referred
TO, that Russia had other motive in this
crusade than to prevent the establishment
Of free Government 10 her neighborhood,
shall assume, with every obser.e ers of her
policy, that such was her reason Tor pass
ing the frontier and for restoring the Aus
trian sway.
Here was gross infraction Of the law
Of nations, striking not only at personal
liberty, but at public independence, and es
peciaIiy offensive 10 the free States Of the
world, both by the violation Of a great prin,
ciple, dear to them, and by the example of
an armed Intervention - put down all per-
sonal fresdom in Hung ary, and to threaten
it wherever else. its manifestations might
be near enough 10 be unweicome to the
Russian Gar Under these Circumstances,
what nigh, The other Powers Of the earth
say or do, by which their opinions or in 4
tentions might be made known in this grave
conjunction? Was it their duty to look
on, not only the witnesses Of injustice,
without the means Of redressing it, but ac-
quiescing by their silence in this monstrous
outrage, and in the pre,ensions which lei
10 it, ;lll the despotic soyefeigns might in>