Butte record., 1853-11-26
BI TIE kECORD.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 90, 1853.
THE KOSTZA AFFAIR.

barous nations of the earth but Rome was a
nation of soldiers, and her victorious eagles
had taught to the world obedience to Roman
mandates. Now, new era has arrived, and
the name, AMERICAN CITIZEN, is a more sa-
cred Egis than was the name Roman. Yet
the United States is not a nation of soldiers.
as such, nor does she boast of but compara-
lively few conquests beyond her own borders
She exists amid nations centuries older than
herself, whose fleets outnumber hers two to
one, and whose standing armies outnumber
hers a thousand to one, and which are gov
erned by monarchs who can trace their geneo-
logical tree back to the beginning of the Chris
tan era But amid their greatest power, in
scorn of their insensate rage, Citizen Presi-
dent dares boldly extend the shield of the Re-
public over one claiming its protection, and
bear him away from tyranny and slavery to
liberty and happiness. And she sbrinks not
from the responsibility incurred, but vindi-
Gates her action to the world and challenges
its censure. And the nation sanctions the
conduct of its ruler, and one universal shout
of appreciation is heard through the length
and breadth of the land. We allude to the
rescue of Kostza by the gallant Capt. Ingra
ham, of the sloop of war st. Louis, from an
Austrian dungeon or an Austrian death, and
the vndication of his conduct by the United
States government when redress was deman-
ded by Chevalier Hulseman, on the part of
his Imperial Majesty of Austria. We con-
slider, then, both worthy of remembrance by
Americans The fearlesness of Capt. Ingra-
ham in daring to protect one claiming the pro-
lection of the Republic, in the face of far
! superior force, and the signal ability dis
played by Secretary Marcy in vindicaton of
his conduct. In the review of a few years of
our past history, the one, conviction forces it
self upon the mind, that the United States has
at length taken its proper position among the
nations of the earth and fearlessly deter
mines to maintain it. The war with the Mex
lean government-the general tone of the off
cial correspondence with the Cuban author
ties concerning the difficulties which have aris-
en- there; the correspondence of Secretary
Everett, with Lord John Russell on the sub
ject of the Tripartite Treaty, in regard to the
annexation of Cuba, and now the acknowledge
ment and vndication by the government of
the liberation of Kostza, by Capt. Ingraham,
all speaking in that high, calen tone of con-
scious power, convince u.s. and should convince
every citizen of the Republic, that our Ma
tional Government has, at last fully awaken
ed to the dignity and responsibility of her
station as a nation, and that it has shown both
the desire and ability to reason for the ma
| tion's rights, so long as reason can avail-but
that it will maintain them by force, should
force become necessary
From the high and noble position taken by
Secretary Marcy in his reply to Chevalier
Hulseman, in regard to the protection due
persons clothed with the nationality of the
Republic, we have seen but one dissent. The
National MteHigencer says, ''To assert that
the inchoate act of mere declaration of in |
tention to become citizen, at once clothes an
alien with the rights and privileges of natu-
fralization, at home and abroad, is, in our opin-
ion, not borne out by the law, and is contra /
dicted by the construction given to the law
by the decisions of the Supreme Court of the
United States'
So far as regards the case under considera
ton, should any farther authority be.required
to substantiate it, beyond that cited by Mr. /
Marcy, plenty easily be found, and if we
remember rightly, precedents equally strong
can be found in the history of other nations.
But the IntelHgencer places the Secretary in
broader field than there really is. Mr.. Mar
ey does not claim ''that the inchoat acte of
mere declaration of intention, at once clothes
an alien with all the rights and privileges of
naturalization at home and abroad fo1 he
well knows that such is not the case Mr. NJ
is lawyer, and he argues like lawyer.
In his reply to chevalier Hulseman, he was
proving, that Koszta, under the peculiar cir
cumstances in which he was placed, and in
consideration of all those circumstances, was
entitled to the protection of this Government.
The safe conduct granted to Koszta by the
American Consul at Smyrna whether rightly
or wrongfully granted by that Officer, enters
largely into the merits of the vindication of
Capt Ingraham, and the position taken by the
Secretary. The violation of that safe conduct
given as it was by an accredited agent of this
government. and even without taking into
consideration to whom it was granted, was
direct and positive insult to the Republican