Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-12-01
The Refugees i'm inLondou--Letter GrcfH
KOssr1fh.

e '"o ioreign Refugees at present IN the Me-
tropolis.
Alr. Bronterte o'Brien, the chairman, explained
the object OF the meeting, and read the following
letter IRON Louis Kossuth, who was invited to at
tend the meeting:
mo. l, kENsINGToN PARK TERRACE,
- NoTTING- Hill, Oct. 30, 1859,
"Sir:-Itis but this evening that your favor of
the 18th came to hand, inviting me to attend pub-
lie meeting out of the National Reform League,
on Monday Nov. l, and to address it on the pres
ent state and future prospects of European de-
mo cracy.
| feel very much obliged for that attention of
the Council Of the National Reform League, but
tits precisely the expectation to see me address the
meeting which prevent me from the honor and
qualification of attending it
Since first landed on England's shores, year
ago, have spoken some six hundred times pub4
icly here and in America; it is therefore, upon
calm reflection, based on practical experience,
came to the resolution that nothing short or an
extraordinary emergency, promising some practi-
cal result shall induce me to devlate from the
chosen rule, never to speak any more in Eng
land publicly. My firm opinion is, that we
European Democrats have quite enough other
things to do than to speak. The advice of Solo
mon is wise, 'to everything there is season, and
time to every purpose under heaven, a time to
keep silence, and time to speak" Therefore,
| have weighed my duties, and am done with
oratory. am a Democrat, sir; a Democrat must
be true, and truth has the right to be plain and
frank. The council of the National Reform
League will, therefore, not feel offended, when |
say, that in my opinion, European Democracy has
scarcely anything to take from England.
The moneyed classes have in general not much
sympathy for the triumph of Democracy; they are
well as they are, therefore they Wish everything
to remain as it is. The working classes have too
much to do to get on tivir,, daz-lo-
have any time left to exert their energies practi-
caliy to forward the triumphof European Democ-
racy; and thus England altogether seems to be
decided to let 90 on the untowafd world just as it
may. These words are not words Of reproach,
sir; but words of compassion and sorrow. Look
to your own prosperous Great Britain and Ire
land, sir: you thousands bidding an eternal
farewell to their native land emgrating to the re-
motest parts of the world, in search Of some hand
full of gold more than they can get at home.
Well, sir, there is only one thing by which
countrys future can feel sure, andt is,''love
of home, patriotism of the greatest number pos
sibie." And there is a miraculous power in that
love of home, in that fond affection to our native
] land Wherever even this affection, this beRev-
olent source of civic virtue, is not strong enough
to prevent hundreds from wandering to distant
| foreign shores, with the intention, never to sec
more the land of their cradles their fathers
graves, wherever emigration is considered as poll
itical expediency, then there must be something
rotten in the state of Denmark; at least il is
strange illusion to believe that such a: a:country
has realized the idea which your own Rentham
has set down the only reasonable aim sof hu-
man society: viz. the greatest posslb le welfare to
the greatest possible number, 'sof al.p i would
say contentment instead of '.welfare." Welfare
is too material, and materialism is the curse of
our age. -, ss 3. q, -,al 4rsl ssl t.ifz,5 4
We see Ireland going over America, and q
thousands and thousands from England and Scot
land to Australia for the sake ofa handful gold
dust, England has never experienced such a
dearth of political activity see at the present
y - e5Theze is one thing more which | g.
am sure Eaglandis prepared to- do, saud that is.
/ that when the Democracy of Europe once moro
rise to settle an memorable domestic account
with the aggressors of freedom and of right, and
foreign powers once more would dare to inter-
fere with this soveregnright OF every nation, to d
which England itself is owing its political organ
ization, and Her Majesty, the Queen of Great 4
Britain and Ireland, her Throne, i know, sir, that
the peoples of England will not wait till its Cow
ernment may learn out ofa journal of Vienna that
Russia has interfered in Hungary, or Gefmany,or e
Italy (to France she viii not come;} bat the peo-
pie of England wilirise like enc man to protest
with all the power ofpubic opinion against such g
renewed violation of international law. This
am sure of. That is achieved. More do not
hope from England. tits, therefore, beg leave
to decline the honor of addressing yours, or any
other meeting in England publicly, and beg to
be left, under the protection of your country's
laws, to my noiseless, but not idle, privacy; more
useful, l dare say, legitimate cause of Eupropean
Democracy, than any tme-absorbing shower of
words could be. Sir, / have done with oratory.
| AS to tile present state of European Democracy,
say it is best not to talk much about it, eThere
is no good fowling by beating the drum!'' s.
As to our future prospects; Our cause is right,
and we have the will to have our rights; therefore
the future is ours. With us, the Democrats OF
Europe, put to us in scale all the hidden gold
of Australia and all the comfort and luxury of your
palaces, and in another scale most laborious ex-
istence in our free fatherland, we will scorn your
gold, your comfort and luxury, and take 'siree=.s
DOM" Put in one scale life with every pleasure,
but coupled with the disgrace of slavery; in the,
other scale death, but our country free, we will