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

States into one State, the Irish in another tn
French in another, although each might speal
its own language and be governed by its owl
local laws, they would no more be entitled /,
the appellation OF nations than now. when the,
are dlffnsed throughout the whole republic
Mere difference of language, and Of local laws
is no evidence Of nationality. Something NOR,
is needed; and it would be easy 10 show that
in enunciatlng his first proposition, kossuth hal
made case against himself
But sir 40 not wish to pursue the inquiry
1t is immaterlal whether or not any such RICH
is to be found in the law Of nations Indeed i
is somewhat difficult for any one 1t all convers
ant with the history of the world to suppress ,
smile while listening to learned dissertations il
favor of rights founded on the law of nations
| That nation does not exist which has not disre
garded all such laws whenever prompted by in
terest to do so. To take care of its own inter
est, to provide for its own security, is and always
has been the ruling principle of every nation
irrespective of any public law. So universa
has been this practice, that recollect but ore
instance in all history to the contrary, and thai
was when Themistocles wished to burn the
| ships OF the other Grecian States, and was pre-.
vented by the report of Ar.stides TO the Atheni
ans, that though nothing could be more advant.
ageous to Athers, nothing could be more unjust
England pursued a different course at Copenha.
gen and by so doing, struck one of the heavies Il
blows ever dealt at the power of Napoleon. ]
make no comment upon the different degrees of
morality exhibited by the ancient and the mod
ern, the heather and the christian. merely
state historical facts, and from them draw the
deduction, that right without the means OF
making it respected is mockery. 1t is admit,
ted that Hungary has no such means. The
question, then, arises, shall we furnish them ?
This is the point, the whole gist of the matter.
Let me begin by supposing that it is in our
power to do so--that we have the ability to
punish Russian interference and repe Russian
invasion--how are we to be benefited? What
portion Of the fruits Of victory is to nure TO us?
do not address this question to dinner orators.
brimfull philanthropy and champagne, nor to
vainglorious militia colonies, who are exceeding
ly anxious to march to Hungary tomorrow, but
who could not make it convenient to march to
Mexico when our country toas engaged in war
address it to grave Senators, who are charged
with the interests Of twenty FIVE millions Of
people, and who are responsible to the present
and the future for the manner in which they dis
charge the duties assigned them
General Washington has said
There can be no greater error than to eX.
pect or calculate upon any real favors from ma
ton to nation. Itis an illusion which expert.
ence must cure, and which just pride ought to
discard"
There is deep wisdom in this paragraph,
and he who dsregards or treats it lightly wants
the highest attribute of a statesman. We can
expect nothing as favor from other nations,
and none have right to expect favors from us.
Our interference, it we interfere at all, must be
dictated by interest; and therefore ask in what
possible manner can we be benefited! Russia
has done US no injury; we have, therefore, no
wrongs to avenge Russia has no territory Of
which we wish to deprive her, and from her
there is no danger against which it is necessary
to guard. Enlightened selfinterest does not
offer single argument in favor Of embroiing
ourselves in quarrel with her. So obvious, so
indisputabe il this truth, that the advocates of
" Intervention" have based their speeches almost
solely on the ground that we have divine mis-
sion to perform, and that Is TO strike the mana.
cles from the hands ofall mankind. Ii may be,
Mr.. President, that We have such a mission; but,
if so, the " time Of its fulfllment is not yeti
And, for one, prefer waiting for some clearer
manifestation Of the Divine Will BY attempt
ing to fulfill il now, we employ the surest means
Of Disappointing that manifest destiny" Of
which we have heard SO much. We have before
US The certainty Of inflicting deep injury upon
ourselves, without The slightest prospect OF ben
citing others. According TO Kossuth's own
admission, Russia can precipitate upon Hunga.
~ one hundred thousand men in thirty days
Austria, at the lowest calculation, can bring as
many more into the field. If we give them no.
tce, in advance, that we intend TO interfere ia
the affairs Of Hungary, not only these troops,
but all the disposabe forces Of both empires
will be collected at the most convenient points,
and an attempted revolution would be crushed
before we heard IL had begun. need not dc.
| pict the unenviable attitude in which we would
then be placed. Involved in war without an
object, our ally vanquished, the very chains we
sought TO loosen riyeted with tenlod strength,
the miserable victims Of their own and our folly
| pling curses upon US, with the sneerng taunts
OF The yictors adding the last modification TO
| the q UlKOtism Of America. Sir, IL / had but one
prayer TO offer for my country, Il would be.
May God avert this deep disgrace :" Mi,for.
tunes may come upon US all dishonor attaches
only 10 the unworthy. nation may be con.
quered, fodden down her living sons in chains.
her dead The prey Of vultures, and still leave a
bright cxample--a glorious history 10 after
times. But when folly and wickedness have
ruled the hour; when disaster is the legitimate
child Of error and weakness, the page that re.
cords il is but record of infamy, and pity for
misfortune becomes a crime against justice
Sir, do not love that o-d destiny 80 man.
fest" or not manifest" Men and nations
make their own destinies
"our acts, our angels are, or good or ILL
Our fatal shadows that walk by us STILL"
The future Of this republic is in our hands
and IL is for US TO determine whether we will
launch the ship Of State upon wild and stormy
sea, above whose blackened waters no sunshine
beams, no star shines out, where not ray Is
seen but what Is caught from the lurid lightning
as il trcads its fiery path. This, Senators, Is
the mighty question we have 10 solve, and LEI
me add, that II the freedom Of one continent and
the hopes Of four shall sink beneath that inky
food, ours will be the guilt, ours the deep dam.
nation il deserves.
Shall be told these are Idle fesrsl That in
war with Russia, no matter for what cause
\ waged, we must be The victors! That, in short
all Europe combined could not blot this Union
from the map Of nations! All, sir, that is mol
/ all that fear | fear success even more than