The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-08
LETTERS FROM THE CAPITAL.
WASHINGTON, Janu

WASHINGTON, January 5, 1852
The first day of the year was with us, beau
tiful beyond compare-an Gmende honorable
for the detestable weather we had So long been
enduring. Ar, the. 1dstlf Y \ Ae. wv ~
p. 1850. -, tsss.ss::.s- '.,Ssl, ~ , .
,s,,,n,.p, ,,..fg o6seryed and New Years Day
eS,psci9iiv pay ami agreeable. We saw ali our
friends, and IN kindly greetings and lively
chattings the hours flew by and bore away
their sunlight, and it was night ere we were
aware. God grant that the glory of sunshine
the light on the brow of the New Year, may be
sure promise, a prophecy of good cheer for
us all
We visited the House on Friday, to listen to
the debate on the Kossuth resolution This
was sufficiently spirited on both sides but was
conducted with most bitterness by the adverse
and factional minority. Among this party |
was surprised to find Mr. Stanly, of North
Carolina, whom | had before supposed too
liberal in sentiment and too chivalrous in feel
ing for such a course of action. But this is a
day of wonders-the colleague of Mr. Stanly,
Mr.. Clingman, has on this question taken the
liberal side "Saul also among the prophets"
OF all the fve-minutc speeches which we list
ened to, opposing the resolution but two dis
played ability and none exhibited large and
patriotic spirit. They contained the essence of
demagogueism in mean appeals to the jealousy,
envy and narrow prejudiccs of the people.
p M.-We have just returned from the
Capitol, where we witnessed Kossuths intro
duction to the Senate, and heard of the passage
of the resolution welcoming him TO the House.
The great Hungarian was presented by Gen.
Shields to the President and briefly but cour-
teously welcomed by him. The Senate, as a
body, did not rise to greet their ilustrious Wis
tier Only here and there a member paid that
silent, dignifed, and most fitting tribute of re-
spect The whole affair struck me as too hur-
ried and unceremonious. A Senator near us
explained his own want of courtesy in u man
ner quite satisfactory He surely intended tC
rise, he said; but when Kossuth entered, he
utterly forgot, in looking at him, his own r6l,
as Senator. Pray Heaven none present had q
less honorable excuse for keeping their arm
chairs in face OF their glorious guest
heard Kossuth on Saturday in brief bu
hearty and beautiful reply to an address pre-
sented by the Ohio delegation. This address.
boldly and distinctly disclaimed for Ohio the
doctrine of neutrality. The paper was alto
gether too long, though ably written, and read
with evident feeling. But you should have
seen KOssuth's face when the pth, the marrow,
the heart of it, came Out-INTERvENTIoN A
morning-light of hope dawned in his deep,
Swallowed eyes and played about his lps-he
seemed to hail with a chastened exultation the
echo Of his own brave and thrilling words.
Heaven grant that Ohio may fulfil her noble
pledges, and not mock with loud but empty
promise the too-often betrayed faith of that he
rOic heart.
A friend from that State-one whose gener-
Gus and poetic soul fraternzes with all great
and beautiful thngs-thus writes: "What a
glorious tremor of liberty the electric eloquence
of Kossuth is sending through our landl" Yes;
and it shall thrill on and on till the whole
moral being of the nation answers TO it in the
fulness of life and power His is not that elo-
quence which appeals to the prejudices, and
rouses the passions of the multitude, swaying
their will like a tempest and dazzling their
reason with a sudden, intense flame. He speaks
" as never man spake,O save our Divine Master,
to the hearts and souls of men-to all that is
highest and deepest in their natures He
awakens that pure and primal spirit of human
ity-that inmost diyinest sympathy binding
man to man From the East-the "mornng
land "-camc the first great prophets and lead
ers of the world; and it would seem that the
oriental richness, the solemn splendor, the He
brew fervor of kossuths genius are the seal Of
Heaven on his high calling" as the Messiah
of the Gospel of freedom.
GRACE GREENWOOD