New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-05
u The Commercial Advertiser has an
article on Kossuth, Hungary, and our duty
in relation to them, which is pretty fairly

in relation to them, which is pretty fairly
summed up in the following paragraph
"Itisnot for this Republic to become a laughing
,.ock for the world. by maxim vain ana empty de-
clarsiions of wkat Hrs d. for me nafoHs o. haTpe
IL NAV and ought 70 have. ana mas an AMIN GIVE
policy of Its own. bui when the INTEL Staies as
snmes TO declare chat shall ne the poiicy IF otssr
European nations It must sand ready to enforce, as
we'll declare lis purpose, ana neither say tue TAN.
without eahiBg IT, nor leave an opening iof IoIea'
by not declaring lis meaning
You may see in this paragraph the essen
tial meanness and dishonesty of the anti
Kossuth line of argument We do not
blame The Commercial the vice which it
betrays is inherent in the line of policy 1t
seeks to commend. That paper processes
to be replying to The Tribune's stri:tures
on Mr.. Clay's speech to Kossuth; yet no
candid reader of those structures has found
therein any recommendation that this Re-
public" should put forth "vain and empty
for any otherl declarations of tchat It 'ciH
do for the Nations of Europe" All this
is coinage of our censor's brain, and Is
most unfairly put forth as if it were quoted
from these columns. Nor have we pro-
posed to "declare what shall be the
policy of other European Nations" whatever
that may mean. We have proposed only a
simple and manly declaration by Congress
of what is the Law of Nations, or of Eternal
Right, with regard to the Interference Of one
Despot in behalf Of another to crush Peo-
ple who are not even claimed to owe their
enslaver any allegiance, or to have done him
any harm. Such interference clearly strikes
at the basis of our Independence and Ma
tional existence. Had the British tyraht,
who undertook to Dragon our Revolu-
tionary forefathers into unqualified sub
mission to his will, been aided by France
and Spain, as the Austrian was against
Hungary by the Gar, we should have been
subdued Though not butchered) as the
patriot heroes of Hungary were. We owe
our present Liberties, under Heaven, to the
fact that the European Despots of 1862,
acted on very different principles from
those which have secured the present su-
premacy Of Despotism throughout Cont
mental Europe. How, then, can any true
hearted American fail to sympathize with
temporarily PROSTATE Hungary. and con-
denim the conspiracy Of Despots which
crushed her? How can a heart which
truly beats for Universal Freedom, oppose
temperate and naked assertion (such as is
contained in Gov. Stewards substitute for
Mr.. Clarkes resolution, for example,) of
the Law of Nations on this subject, and
our earnest desire that it shall henceforth
be respected
This is very far short of declaring what
shaHJ be the policy of other nations"-it is
merely affirming what it ought to- be. We
should be no more committed to war in case
Russia should disregard it than the Quaker
who mildly reproves the ruflian whom he
sees beating child or cripple is bound to
fight the bully in case his remonstrance is
defed or laughed at.
The truth is just here, and may as
well be plainly stated Those who are now
so fearful of a war with Russia if we raise
our voice in behalf of the crushed Democ-
racies of Europe have at no time evinced
disposition to sacrifice or risk anything
for the cause Of Human Liberty in the Old
World. They cavil as'to the means be-
cause they have none or the least possible
sympathy with the end. To the Millions
pining in slavery and wretchedness in Hun
gary and GermaRy-to the tens of thou
sands dying by slow fortunes in Italian dun
geons they are willing to proffer the ben
eft of our example which the tyrants take
good care, by vigorously muzzling the
Press and all but interdicting Postal Inter-
course and Travel, to render virtually pow
eress. How much longer must we look
tsmely on and see the Laws of Nations
Systematically outraged whenever Despot-
ism finds its interest therein, without even
daring to say what these Laws of Nations
are?