The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-17
Kossuth and Mr.. Clay.

principal NEW oItduS JouiHaiS oN"'"'' NV
sUTH in the light of an assaiant OF Mr. CLAY,
under circumstances growing out OF the inter-
view which took place at the National Hotel IN
this city. The attack was made by kossuTH
in speech to a Louisville association, and,
though the versions in the New Orleans pa
pers differ slightly, they concur in representing
the terms of the attack as in the highest degree
offensive. The Picawme represents the Hun
gariaA orator to have ''made direct personal
: issue with Mr.. CLAY on the doctrines eX
pressed by that venerable statesman" ''and
held them and their author mp TO ridic,he to
: Kentucky audience The Bee says che
denounced Mr.. CLAY, and treated him acilh
8 sneers and ridieule." The Bulletin reports
him as having charged MIR. CLAY "wlth
breach Of contid snce and Of gentlemonly co,~-
tesy in having his speech published that was
delivered on the occasion of their interview IN
$ Washington, in which Mr.. CLAY took strong
grounds against intervention"
On turning to the Louisville Journal, which
we may without dsrespect call the kossUTiI
organ in Kentucky, we find that the authorized
"official" version of the speech in question
contains a reference to words used by Mr..
CLAY coupled with the remark that he Kos
sUTH) was "provoked" by the "unlooked for
publicity given to the proceedings that took
place at the interview. The non-appearance in
the Journals report of the precise words attri-
buted to him by the Geographic reporters is easily
explained by the circumstance that, throughout
his whole tour, KossUTH has carefully revised
his speeches, not allowing one to appear, Ii
its appearance could be prevented, until it had
undergone this revision. In this instance that
process was probably exercised in its Senatorial
sense, as the New Orleans dispatches describe
the prevalence of a strong feeling of indigna
ton at Louisville, in consequence OF the man
ner in which Kentucky's illustrous orator,
statesman, and patriot, had been traduced by a
stranger political refugee, enjoying hospi
tality and consideration at the hands of our
countrymen.
Unless we are mistaken, KossUTH will dis
cover that this last piece of presumption will
remove all doubts from the minds of Americans
as to his character, and will do more to excite
hostility to his mission than any step he had
previously taken. For time he was regarded
as a patriotic enthusiast, whose errors were
attributable to an over-zealous love of his coun-
try and her cause He fell one step when
he-a foreigner just landed on our shores
presumed to pronounce the time -honored max
inns Of WAsHINGToN mere obsolete ideas. and
announced his intention Of appealing from the
Government of America to its people,, From
that time till now he has descended rapidly,
each succeeding week serving to evince
more clearly his want ofproPriety as stranger,
his want of respect towards the principles and
policy of those whose hospitality he enjoyed,
and his want of every thing like gratitude for
the favors which our Government and people
had showered upon him. But one step more
was needed to remove all misapprehension,
and that step he has taken. From the perver-
sion of the dead he has advanced to the SLAM
der of the living. Having exhausted his logic
against WASHINGTON, he has thought fit TO
turn the current of his rdicule on CLAY, to
ny thc ooithH waning VI thc 'cutIdult
statesman as the worthless words of dotage
and to heap on the head OF him whose career
has extorted love from his staunchest oppo-
nents, accusations Of plighted faith and breaches
of "gentlemasly courtesy"
The country felt grateful to Mr.. CLAY for
availing himself Of a personal visit to his sick
chamber, to send forth his eloquent and heart
felt appeal to Americans to resist the seductive
Establishments of the visitor, and TO stand firm
in the faith through which they have advanced
to honor and greatness. The country received
Mr.. CLAWS brief speech as the almost sacred
admonition of one of its truest counsellors, and
as proof that in his heaviest hours its interests
and destiny were uppermost in his heart. 1t
was reserved for KossUTH, albeit stranger
and refugee, to do what no American would
presume to do-to sheer at the convictions, and
to assail the honor, of one from whom he is
separated by an unreasonable distance in all
that pertains to loftiness If purpose, purity Of
soul, and the public services Of wel-spent
life.