The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-02
SEATTEE. H0SDAI. APRIL ..
xns LIMITATIONS or kossUrH

1H1 LIMITATIONS or kossUrH.
The late Louis Kossuth was . msn Of
genius in the sense that he was great
orator: . man with the imagination OF .
poet and the fine sense OF form Of an artist.
He knew EngiIsh thoroughly. for he had
studied II from Shakespeare, and from
ehakspears be obtained that rich vocaba-
larry of splendid English that so aston
ished his audiences both in England and
America, and completely carried off his
feet even so great . lawyer as Rufus
Choate, who In his address before tho
University OF Vermont eloquentiy de-
clarsd In favor Of intervention by Amer
Sea In behalf Of European peoples strug.
Cling TO replace absolutism with free insti-
tutions.
Choats wss great lawyer: great ora
Cor, who resembled Kossuth- in the or
isntai quality Of his Imagination, but
Choats alone Of great Americans accepted
Aossath's plan for intervention. The
rest Of America chesred him. admired him.
pympathixsd with him. but stood fast by
Washington's solemn warning to keep
clear Of foreign sntanglsmsnts. The sym
patty with Kossuth was like the sympa-
thy felt for Ireland In 1913; It never
blossomsd into any disposition TO violate
the neutrality laws. America cheers to-
day the principle Of home rule for Ireland
~ sxpoandsd BY Gladstone. but our gov
eminent did not hesitate to arrest the
Fsuisn invaders Of Canada ~ promptly ~
President Martin Van Buren,, in 1887. did
the Americans who were disposed 10 in
wade Canada.
The singular thing II thst Kossuth.
with his genius and his knowledge Of our
language. should have come to this coun-
try with the expectation that his eloquent
etates to revive the struggle for indepen-
dsnos In Hungary would be granted. He
must have been profoundly ignorant of
our htstory and our conservative policy OF
non-intsrfersnce with the affairs of foreign
nations TO have seriously expected that
ths United States would openly and
actively aid in another movement for
Hungarian Independence. George Wash
sngton. in his farewell address. solemniy
urged this conservative policy of non-in-
reference with the affairs Of foreign
nations upon our people. and even 30
erratic . man as John Randolph warned
Us against tho folly OF initiating England,
whom no described ss tho game
cock Of Europe" In the Napoleonic wars
both England and France in vain tried
20 drag the United States into the con diet.
but Adams and Jefferson both avoided
taking sides with either France or En-.
gland, and our war with England IN lsi2
was forced upon US by highlands tyran.
nical tasistence upon the right OF search
Of American vessels. Daring tho Greek
revolution Of 1894 both Webster and Clay
spoke sloquen,ly and alphabetically o.
the cause of Greece, but there Was no stet
taken toward Intervention, and Grsees
owed her victory at Navarino 10 the ALI
ance OF Russia. France aud England. JUS,
es Turkey owe3 her salvation from Ma
homst All In 1879 TO the intervention o.
England.
OF course kossuth could not hav,
known our historical policy OF non-inse
vention. or he wouid net have made IN,
speeches he did in America When h.
reached New York he heard cl0auen
speeches concerning the right Of Hungas,
so Independence. just as Americans toda,
spsak a. Irish home rule meetings with
cut . thought Of armed interference be
tween England aud ireland. kossutl
strangely mistook an expression Of SYM
psthy for his cause for a determination I,
grant his prayer Tor practical intervention
and assistance. lie did not eompFehea,
that an irresponsible American aaiienc
h one thing while the responsible AmeFi
can government 10 quite another. so la hi
New York speeches he boldly called 20
intsrventiea. By the time be rsache,
Washington City and conferred with IA.
leaders OF congress his mind began TO b
disahased Of his error and ssoss assarpss
hepsGon OF the character % our peonls
lie scon found cut THAI y hile an Ame,
lean audience would cheer 10 the echo hi
famous phrase. the solidarity Of the rec
Pies" that the American eosesmsss,sf voui,
not give hungary = singis sword, soldie
or cannon. would net vote {, single dol
lar. Congress. the president aud the rec
ple o! Washington Caty treated him will
dis,ins aished honor as the gaesi ~ the n
public, iasi as England al treated him. ba
his Intervention Campaign fell HAt IN
Warrington Gay. Ali tho leaders Of hosl
parties denounced this Mia proposi
ton. and he returned IA Europe = greAI
dsarpoinsed man. The government pAt
him snrh henors 80 is hAi never Paid A.
other foYsignes save lafayette; tAs peopl
had hung npon his eloquent aas even =
shs Athesians did apoa those % For.eis
upon whicts persuasion sss. hat Ansrics
semssen sense esteemed his plea for iussI
ssatsen a. utterly impractseasIs aa1 8
ssrjAaes siih the meat vsnsfsisa iEs4
i.easi policy Of ear republic. sssy arg
sam 81 money AS raised by private els
tens for ths cause Of Hungary. just a
Eaonsy 10 subscribed by private esnsss'