The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-05-04
Is M. Kos.uth Guilty or Innocent.


this country friendly to this parsonage and his
political and military designs, are triumphantly
rejoicing over what they regard as the eviden-
ces of his innocence of the charge brough,
against him by the London police, and pub
lished to the world through the columns of the
London Times. They assent, firstly, on what
they regard as satisfactory authority, that he
did not occupy the house in which the NUM-
tons of war were recently found; and, Sec
ondly, that it had been for some six years used
as rocket mandatory by responsible per
son engaged in that department of industry,
Of late discovered.
! The Times, in replying to the English jour
nails quoted by the papers above alluded to, ex-
plains that the house in question was not occu-
pied by M. Kossuth as his abiding place, Blu,
very plainly indicates that there exist proofs
of the fact that he is its occupant for the pur.
poses to which it has been devoted. The
Times, quoting the words of Lord Palmersto
| says:
Upon the entry of the police on these premises
near Rotherhithe they found upwards of 10 cases
| closely packed, and containing, apparently for
| transmission to a distance, seveTa tho.sGnd sca,
rockets, besides a considerable number of rockets
in state of preparation 1900 shells not as ye'
loaded, and 500 lbs of gunpowder."
The Times further remarks:
"By the common law an indictment will lie
against persons keeping gunpowder or combus.
tbles to the endangerng of the lives of the Queens
subjects; and by the statute 18th George III. nc
manufacture of the kind can be carried on within
three miles of London or Westminster; no dealer
in gunpowder can keep more than so lbs. of it in
one place; and it is especially provided that not
more than Is lbs. of gunpowder shall be brought up
the Thames above Blackwell.
ssBut what was the destination of these deadly
projectles? Ftom the spot on which this manu-
factory was carried on, it must have conducted ta
operations with secrecy to avoid penalties that
ry common informer could enforce, and Rother.
hithe was selected for the facility of embarking
these goods on the river
Thousands of rockets of war, packed up in chests
for transport, can hardly be legitimate object OF
private commerce between man and man. They
can only be employed for purposes of destruction
on the most extensive scale If any foreign gov
eminent had given such an order in London there
would be difficulty in tracing it to its origin,
at once have been dispelled."
Whether M. KossUTH is guilty or innocent
is not to us question of much importance;
but why the journals in his interest are anxious
to defend him in this country from such a
charge is more than we can understand, since
his exculpation will only tend to prove that he
has not the temerity to do in England those
things of which he was most boastful in this
country. Here his purchase of cavalry saddles
and two dollar muskets, inasmuch as it served
to some extent as evidence of the fact that he
was not pocketing for good and all the whole
being thing done in corner. Yet the same
common law which forbids such acts in Eng
land, forbids them here also. The exultant
boast of the commission of such deeds in
this country, made by American newspapers
and the indignant denial of their perpe
tration in England, made by the same Anne
rican newspapers, affords but another instance
in point to manifest the little respect that Is
here entertained for the established laws, and
the total disregard of some of our citizens fol
the preservation of the good faith and unsul
lied reputation of our country.
The privilege of sympathising is common 10
the people of both countries; and the sympathies
Of people may be expressed in either words OF
money. A few centuries ago it was the custom
with many nations to carry it further, but .
safer and better usage now prevails, and must
prevail, or all the wholesome restraints OF
government soon must perish, and freedom can
no longer be protected from the aggressions Of
tyranny, when the sacredness of solemn laws
and wholesome and time honored usages is dis
regarded and forgotten.