Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-01
SATURDAY, OCTOBER /, 1858.
REPLY OF OUR GovERNMENT TO AUSTRIA

| Austria against the conduct or Capt. lNGRAHAM IN
the case Of Martin Koszta, and we lose no time in
placing the document before our readers.
The space occupied by the correspondence leaves
us room, even if there were time, to-day for any
extended examination Of the argument of the Sec
rotary of State. A cursory perusal Of it discloscs
points for commentator and some for dissent; but
the respect due to SO important paper requires
that it should not be treated lightly or hastily, and
we defer any formal comment Oh its merits or de-
fects until our readers shall have had an opportu-
nifty to read and digest it, We will only say to-
day that the subject is treated with the ability
which distinguishes the Secretary as controver-
sal writer, and in calm but firm Tone and that its
chief defect lies in the extent to which he goes in
defending Koszta's right to the immunity of citi-
zenshp and to the protection due only to citizen of
the United States. To assert that the inchoate act
Of mere declaration of intention to become citi-
zen, at once clothes an alien with the rights and
privileges of naturalization, at home abroad, is,
in our opinion, not borne out by the law, and is
contradicted by the construction given to the law
by the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United
States. We think, further, that such doctrine is
at variance with the feelings and convictions of the
great body of the American people, of whatever
party, and that they place too high value the
boon of citizenship willingly to concede it on terms
slight and cheap, even with the and rapidty
with which letters are stamped in the post office.
Thus much we feel bound to say now, though with
great Difference to the judicial experience and abb
lily of the learned Secretary
So much to-day for the Letter.
There is, however, prefxed to the correspondence
in the Jaaion an Introductory article which, being
evidently semi-ofcial, it is due to the Government
that we should also give with the documents, so
far at least it goes to elucidate the history of
to it. The article is as follows:
FROM UNION
We have received from the Department of State for
publication and lay before readers this morning the
correspondence between the Austrian Government and
that of the United States in relation the of Kosz
1t embraces the despatch of Mr. Hulsemann the Aus
trian Charge dAflaires near this Government, setting
forth the views and claims Of the Austrian Government
in regard to that transaction and the reply addressed to
Mr. Hulsemann under the direction of the President by
the Secretary Of State
1t will be remembered that the Austrian Government
several weeks ago. and Immediately after the
of the Koszta affair permitted itself give to that trans
action and to all the negotiations consequent upon it,
very unusual aspect by addressing to the principal Euro
pean Cabinets in of any communication to the
Government Of the United States, circular letter ofcom
plant and protest against the adopted by the
American authorities. The speedy publication appa-
renty unintentiona of this circular in the leading
European journals from which, of course it widely
copied in this country msnitesty calculated If not
designed invoke from other Governments and nations
Immediately interested in the transaction premature
judgment in regard to it. which, as resting upon
er dre statement could not be considered fair free
from undue bias 1t is to be regretted that this depar
by the Government of Austria from the established
usages and propreties Of diplomatic intercourse should
have been far counenanced by the Cabinets Of ST. Pc
tersburgh and Berlin to induce those Governments
the position of voluntary parties to the contro
versy by instucng their representatives in Washington
intimate to the President their general in
the view taken by Austria Of the proceedings in the case
of Koszta. 1t is gratifying to state, however, that the
Governments of France and Great Britain which the
Austrian circular equally addressed have deemed it
proper to proceed in the premises with far praise
worthy crcumspecton. 1t is understood, indeed that
the Cabinet of Paris has not failed to make known that
Of Vienna its dsapprobation of the proceedings of the
Austrian functionaries in regard to Kosza at Smyrna
upon the Austrian statement Of those proceedings
and that the view il takes of the transaction looks rather
to the maintenance OF the rights and territorial sove
regny Turkey than to the interests pretensions Of
Austria. The Government Of Great Britain though it
has made known that Of the United States the that
its attention has been drawn to the subject has yet given
inmaon that it regards the Of the American
functionares in the transaction open to
Under these circumstances il is evident that Austria
advance Of any claim upon satisfaction and in
manner wholly unwarranabe has arraigned the Govern
ITn;ta
great Of the world for the conduct Of its agents
in the affair Of Koszta This extraordinary proceeding
has left the President other than once to
give the world the upon which he rests the
vndcaon Of the American functionaries and the views
applicable to this case upon which his policy is based
TO the end that just and impartial Judgment may be
formed upon the whole controversy il deemed proper
the time publish the Austrian view Of the
transaction set forth in the despatch Of Mr. Hulse
mann
The material points in this article, and in which
arc to be found, we presume, the chief motive for
preparing it at all are those which relate to the
extent to which the French and British Ministers
participated in the action of the Ministers Of Rus
STA and Prussia. let We find in this branch Of the
article obscurity which makes it difficult to un-
derstand clearly the precise nature of the transac
tons which it seems designed to explain When
it became known a short time ago. through letters
to the New York papers, that the Ministers of Rus
STA and Prussia had, by order Of their Governments
presented some views, or some opinions to the Sc
cretary of State respecting the Koszta case and