Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-24
DEBATE IN CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TUESDAY, DEcEMBER 90 1858.

Inc House DelnS III Commlttee OF the w hole,
and having under considerable series of resou-
tons proposing to refer the Pres dents Message
Mr.. GERRITT SMITH, of New York, said II is ma
tura stray, is wel-nigh sssary from the differ
ence in temperamsnt educ Atom pursuits and cir
cumstancesthst should take different views many
subjects that before but different views if
We are kind and patient regard them should
be, will do very little harm the contrary, they may
be the occasion Of great good.
As this is the first time have had the floor it may be
well for me to confess in dvance that am in the habit
OF mpung errors to mel gery freely Perhaps upon this
occasion, sir shall fall into this habit 1t may be
bad habit but is it not counerpose 10 this habit (if
abad one that claim no exemption from errors myself?
acknowledge, the contrary, that abound in them,
and am very willing ut all times that gentlemen should
make reprisals upon hope sir, whilst am allow
ed seat in this body to hold my spirit in eacha
BILE posture and to be ready throw away
ms honorable gentlemen around shall convince of
them.
haverisen to make remarks that part of the
message referred to the Committee Foreign Affairs.
The Presidents message fully and warmly endorses the
conduct of the Administration in the Of Martin
Koszta Now sir, am prepared to bestow unquali-
fed praise upon the part of the Administration in that
matter. very ready to accord great credit to Capt
Ingraham for his brave and Just determination
Koszta and yet would that Capt Ingraham had gone
step further l would that he had insisted Koszta
being set at absolute liberty would have had him leave
nothing at that point the discretion of the French
consul or of any other consuo the discretion q tho
French Government, any otbor Government. would
have had him hold terms and enter into treaty
whatever with kidnappers Koszta American sub
ject--a Kidnapped American subject. As such, sir the
American bound set him ueonditioa-
ally free But Capt Ingraham represented the American
Government that occasonnay for that occasion, he
scas the American Government.
Perhaps sir, saying what have said may appear
inconsistent the eyes of some of peace loving friends
who know my opposition to all And yet justify
Capt Ingraham. believe in the proprety of national
halle tbath ara
using it. But this is not to believe in Captain In
graham not ready to make war upon Austria. Capt
Ingraham did not threaten Austria with war Capt In
graham properly had nothing at oil do with Austria
or with the Austrian consul 1t would have been an in
suit to Austria and to her authorities had Capt ngraham
charged Austria her authorities with authorizing kid
mapping. Capt. Ingraham had to do only with kduap-
pers, who were restraining Koszta of his liberty and all
he had to do with them compel them to Kosza
Internationally fre-was to compel them TO make i'm
mediate and unconditional surrender of their prey say
nothing Of Minister Mr. Marsh for the that
do certainly know whether he is justly represented
or how the Administration view his conduct
know sir, it is said that kosza not American
subect But able Secretary Of State has argued tr
umphantly that in the light international law he was
American subject wish Secretary had gone fur
ther and argued this truth in other lights also wish
he had gone say that, if international law is the
contrary nevertheless by the superior law Of and
right, koszta American subject wish he had
gone say that when foreigner finds his home in
country and abures allegiance the Government he
Government; wish he had gone say that if inter
nat onal law will suffice justify in aordng him
protection American law shall 1t is high time Mr. |
Chairman, that America had based her justification in
such something more substantial and GER
tain than the convenonalties and codes of
Europe 1t is high time she had placed it on the ever
lasting and immutable laws Of justice.
may be asked sir whether in case foreigner charg-
ed with offence should escape TO country would
allow him shelter himself under oath allegiance
10 our Government? answer sir that would not al
hp had IN
allow any to kidnap him. l would have that Govern
ment make respectful appeal u this Government for
his extradition And add that would have
Government the sole Judge Of the fact whether he
charged with offence and also the sole Judge Of the
fact whether, If charged with offence the offence is
real and essential crime instead Of merely conventional
and nominal one.
But, sir, it is said that Capt Ingraham invaded the
rights Of neutral State have always regretted that
our Secretary did not positively deny this admit that
denial not needu TO his argument but yet the denial
would have done good No, sir Capt Ingraham did
violate the rights of Turkey America is charg
ed with violating the rights Of Turkey but Turkey did
violate the rights of America She did this because she
did afford to Koza the protection due from her. If
Turkey is not fairly chargeabe with permitting Kosrta to
be kidnapped nevertheless she is fairly chargeabe with
permitting him remain kidnapped 1t is all nonsense
talk Of Capt Iugraham having invaded the rights Of
Turkey lie did invade them if for ne other reason
than that Turkey bad rights the case TO be invaded
hold that the only ground upon which neutral Power
claim respect at the hands Of begerents Is that the
rights Of such belgerents far that neutral Power
is concerned protected Turkey had rights in the
case, because she suffered her laws to be silent.
Now, hold that when n neutral State shall forbear to
do justice to begerent that beigerent may upon the
soil Of that neutral State do justice itself hold that
when neutral State omit. TO her law protect the
rights Of begeren that belligerent may take the law
into his hands and trust if Turkey shall hereafter
be guilty Of suspendng her laws in such this
that she will find some brave Capt Ingraham stepping
forward TO supply her lack Of laws.
But may be asked whether would have had Capt
lngraham fire into the Austrian ship answer that
would have had Capt Ingraham Koszta uncondtion
ally free at whatever expense peril But here will
be frank enough to admit that had the Of Kosza
cost single life there would have been blame and blame
would have rested, not upon the Turks and Austrans
only out upon our own countrymen also; for let be
honest WIN ourselves and make the confession that
our own country any other country the face OF
the earth is identified with justice in the eyes Of the
world as to make its character for Justice an efectua
substitute oT olence ms to make its character for
hce, IN word sufficient power for obtaining Justice
were our country and our Government proverba for wis
dom and goodness the world over were our love 10 God
and man known and read Of all were All the world
10 that Government acts upon Christian princinle
both at home and abroad then no nation would wrong
and nation would consent to see US wronped In
that case if Of suhe should DO kidnapped
Kosza was he would speedily he surrendered for in
that case title the individual would not be pa.ed
upon scrunousy and jealousy, but confdngy and gen
erouslv In that moral character, in other
words moral force would superede the necessity Of
resortng physical force. Sir assert that had plys
cal force been needed koszta it would have
been needed for the simple that nation had
not moral character moral force adequate to his de-
verance And in this respect other nations def
moral force refer to, would have been