Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-05-03
From the London Times April Is.
THE SEARCH OF KOSSUTH'S HOUSE
nv THE LONDON POLICE &c.


for an opportunity OF proving to all the world the
sincerity of its resolution to put the law rigor
ously in force against such foreign refugees
residing in this country as have abused the
tolerant hospitality of England, by carrying
conspiracies against other States. We be-
lieve that we correctly Informed when we
state that, upon intelligence received by the
Secretary of State Cor the Home Department
aud the Commissioners of Police for the metro
polls, active measures have been taken to sub
stantiate the charges, which have long been
vaguely preferred against M. kossuth aod his
adherents. Upon this legal Information. Il house
in the occupation of NJ kossuth was searched
yesterday morning, at an early hour by the COM
petent authorities. acting, we presume. under
the Secretary of STATES warrant, aud the result
of this investigation was the discovery of large
store of arms, ammunition, and materials of war,
which may be the stock in trade of political
incendary, but certainly from part of the
households goods of private gentleman living
in pacific retirement. Indeed, there is no easou
to believe, that these preparations have been
going upon scale entirely inconsistent with
the notion of any mere private speculation,
and must have had in view hostilites or iusur>
rectionary movements of very destructive
character. We know not how long the attention
of the Home Office has been directed to the
suspicious proceedings of the persons engaged
in these lawless undertakings, but Lord Palmer
ston has shown his usual energy and skill in
tracing the evil to its root and it is extremely
satisfactory that the minister who has been
so often identified with these adventures
by the ignorance passion of foreign govern
ments should now have it in his power to show,
by conspicuous example, that tue good order
of society and the friendly relations of this coun-
try with foreign States are not to be violated with
impunity under his administration. Ii M. Kos
suth comes to this country for the purpose Of To-
vying war against foreign nations on his own ac-
count, and if he the resources he may have
at his disposal to prepare means of destruction
against nei ghbors, he violates the laws of
England as we'll the law of nations. we as
sert as stouty as we have ever done the right
OF this country to protect those who seek shelter
in the Queens dominions from their political
enemies. The English government has declared
that it will never deviate from these maxims OF
our forefathers; and so strongly was this deter
mination expressed that the governments of the
Continent desisted from their demands on the
subject of the refugees, without having formally
presented to Lord Clarendon a request which
could ouy be met by refusal. But the more
this country is resolved to maintain inviolate it's
right of protection to foreigners the more it is
bound to keep them within the bounds of the
law, and punish those infractions of it which
are dangerous to other nations. 1t is to the
last degree disgraceful to these persons that they
the claims this country has their gratitude and
respect as to use the liberty conceded to them
for the preparation Of crimes against the peace of
| the world. They would not hesitate to embroil
us, it they could, with any other nation. and the
only trade which they have attempted to carry on
| in this commercial community is manufacture
of destructive projectes for foreign expectation.
| That is a shameful purpose, and a most
dishonest livelihood. 1t is piracy in the heart of
| nd III
ever punishment the law may inf1ict on such a
misdemeanor, public opinion will not only ratify
the sentence but increase the rigor of it by gems
eral aversion and contempt. All that we have
hitherto learnt of NJ Kossuth's character, of
his conspiracies and of his absurd decisions, had
prepared US to believe that if any plot was ever
detected, he would be found to be engaged ia
| 1t. We trust that the evidence which is in the
hands of the authorities this occasion is such
| that no doubt will remain as to the true nature
OF these schemes, and that the persons prnci-
| pay engaged in them will receive the punish
! mont they deserve. Our readers will do US the
justice to remember that when certain portion
of our felow-citizens thought NJ. Kossuth per-
son deserving of all honor. and when Lord
| Dudley Stuart, MIR. Golden. and the corporation
| OF London took him to their hearts, we describ-
ed him as he is, and as he will be yetmore clear
+! ~ proved to be-. Guildha is, after ALL not very
| far from the Old Bailey.
| The personal offences of those who may here
after be proved to be engaged in these transact
lions, are, however, of very secondary importance
to the political effect OF measures which show that
such offences are not to be committed here with
| impunity. lis dsreputabe that such attempts
should have been made. but they have been to
some extent encouraged by the habitual conf
dence of British Ministers in the people they
| govern. and by oul reluctance to give weight and
! importance, even full credit to these mischie
vous designs. The refugees will learn that though
we do not interfere with their manner of life, or
with the free expression of their opinions, as
| long as they respect the law, the government is
able to check the abuse of that liberty. And
though il is long since anything like the seizure
of clandestine mandatory of arms and mis-
siles OF war has occurred in England, this coun-
| try will be the less disposed to allow these
sanguinary schemes of foreign conspirators to
be matured on British soil One of the circum-
| stances which adds, if possible, to the danger of
these illicit armaments is the impossibility OF
determining beforehand against whom, or for
what purposes, they to be used. The revos
lutionary party all over the continent is more or
less connected together, because they have rea.
son to hope that successful blow struck in one
country would reverberate through all the rest;
but they are taught to look to England as their
arsenal and their place of refuge, and it is time
that England should be prepared to call them to
account Tor preparations OF war which private
citizens can be suffered to carry on with i'm punity
We do not enter at present upon the particulars
of the discoveries already made, because they
may yet be more complete, and they will ere
long come before the public Ia more authentic
form. But we entertain no doubt that seizures
have actually been made which justify the terms
we have employ ed, and hope that there will be
ample legal evidence to establish the case against
the parties, of whose moral guilt no doubt can
be entertained.
The publication of the foregoing article caused
considerable sensation in the House of Commons
on the evening of the 18th, as will be seen by
the following synopsis of the debate:-