Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-29
THE KossUrH LETTERS IN THE N. Y. TIMES.
Correspondence Of Boston Traveller.

l
above The Kossuth Letters. do not haoa who is their
author, but much internal evidence that il is Kos
suh himself though this is matter of secondary i'm
portance The letters themselves very American,
and think very incendiary. How much influence they
are likely to have that portion Of population
fashionably called young America" l do not know
but far their influence goes it must be deleterous
am myself politician and think have party pre-
udce, certainly not in this matter and yet proud
of being American and love my countrys free nst
utions and admire the wisdom of Washington in regard
to not meddling in the affairs of other nations These
letters have but object Their whole aim is, Kos
suh's was to stir up Americans to interfere in the
politics Of Europe do not thank this foreigner, who
he is, for his efforts in this cause. do thank
him for his ungracious at country for what
consider its wise policy Of nonnterference for all
the reproach he unoourteonsy attempts to cast upon
the present Administration But what had particularly
in view in taking up my pen at the present time was to
cite instances of his great unscrupulosty in the
statement Of facts and the sophstica manner in which
he attempts to twist every thing to make it suit his
side and establish the point at which he is aiming
In letter number ve published in the Times Of July 30
he asserts that g the Cumberland frgate, Commodore
Stringham, which brought Mr. Marsh Constantnople,
with surprising and wholly needless ostentaon fired The
guns Of ag ship Of The american Reuac a. honor afnnd
salute the austrian iatsraucio." 1t happens that the
stantinope but the corvette Levant though this is
unimportant point The statement that the Cunber
land frgac fred salute in honor Of the Austrian Minis
ter entirely FALSE though in certain other circumstances
it might have been true and yet not of the evils re-
suit from it he preten1s. The Austrian Minister
brought to Constantinope by steamer of war; and
naval etiquette requires that the arrival of
ofwar in poSt where similar vessels of other nations
lying they should FIRE salute, which of is
alol.1
Commodore stringham saluted the Austrian flag the
arrival of this vessel in this port This salute had
ference the Ambassador and would have been equally
called for if there had been board And what
great political meaning bearing had in the eyes Of
the Turks or other classes of people here Why, just
at ALL The Turks infer from it that the American
Government had instructed Mr. Marsh to evince mark
ed regard for Austria"
| There greater piece of nonsense in the
world than such suppostion; and what is more, the
writer of the letter in question must have known it was
nonsense when he penned it but it subserved his pur
poe and he hoped to gain capital by it, and he put it
forth in this letter. Every man. woman, and child in
Constantinope knows what the meaning of such salute
is 1t has nothing in the world to do with politics;
is it the least indication of what the real state of feeling
is between the two nations. 1t is form of ETH
quette, like touching lifting the hat, which custom
demands should be scrupulousy observed unless dplo
matte relations actually suspended. Had Mr.. De
Bruck the Austrian Minister actually gone board the
Cumberland to make visit then at his leaving he would
have been entitled salute according to his rank. But
such thing occurred and if it had the disastrous
results that the author of these letters enghy and
lugubriousy deplores could have followed One
would suppose that the sound Of the booming guns Of the
Cumberland had been heard all Europe and that it
the death kneH Of European liberty! This is to
the veriest bombas and fully believe it nothing
less to the person himself who wrote it.
The famous Kcsza case occurredi Smyrna during
last days of june and when the fourth of July the
AuAoisa ST. Louie ana an Austrian brig
in the harbor of Smyrna drawn in battle array
almost ready for fight, aud yet diplomatic elatons
having been suspended the Austrian midday of the
fourth, in duty bound, raised the American flag at
mst-head and salued it with twenty guns in honor
Of great national feast. Now, the Turks and the
Democrats of Europe consider Austria by this act
fully committed to republican Institutions; far more
So indeed, by sauting the day of national ndepen-
dence than Com. Stringham committed Government
to the despots Of Europe by the common everyday
currence of exchanging salute with Austrian vessel of
In the harbor Of Constantinope such saues are so
frequent to attract attention and excite inquiry
SO this foreign correspondent Of the Times has made
great ado about nothing lie has written very wordy
letter. but it is all smoke.
But must call your attention very singular reve
ation made by the author Of this letter He says that
certain known and recognised Democratic leaders in
Europe made. specific proposals to the Porte design
ed in Of war; to open field for their activity -
and the Porte assured by them that her acceptance
Of offers Of The Democracy woud be precisely the surest
Of gaining The dctDe support and assistance oe Unit
ed States" That is, in Of war with Russia the
Turks assured Of the active support and
Of the United States provided they would into
arrangement with these selfconsttued Democratic lead
ers And the Turks seemed to have been just on the
point Of being greatly eated with the prospect of having
so powerful an ally the United States when behold
the guns of Commodore stringham being charged only
with powder and wadding, for harmless salute, in
instant blew their hopes all off in smoke and scattered
4 them to the winds.
i And who these Democratic leaders who come to
the Porte clothed with authority to offer the active sup
port and assistance" Of our Government? Why, sup
pose the writer Of this letter may be onepcrhaps the
chief himself And did he not know he telling the
Turks impudent lie when he gave them assurance
SO ridiculous? Did he sobery suppose that he tho
authorized mouth of the United States Government, and
that his pledge without his pledge, America
really going support Turkey actively against Russia
in the event of struggle If he did, should say he is
fit candidate for unatc asylum. If he did not he is
false and unprncpled intriguer. In either case his
communications in the Times unworthy of the aten
ton and confidence Of American patriots This is the
point to which wish to come and farewell. U. s. A.
STATISTICS OF BrrTHs, MARRIAGES, AND DEATHs-The