The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09
His Interesting Personal Remi-
niscences of the Great Hun
garian Patriot.
COMPARED HIM TO LINCOLN.
Hungarian Citizens of New York
Are Ardently Engaged in
Raising Funds for the
BOer Cause.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. March s.-Many of the Hum
garian residents of New York are ardently
engaged in raising funds for the Boer
cause. For the benefit OF this Boer fund
General James Grant Wilson delivered an
interesting address on Louis Kossuth at a
meeting of the Hungarians recently. at
which $1,000 was raised for the fund.
General Wilson was intimately acousint-
ed with kossuth. and his personal remi.
hiscences of the great Hungarian patriot
We're OF exceptional interest. even To his
compatriots.
When 1 first became acquainted with
LOUIS kossuth. years ago." General Wilson
said, Il had some difficulty in recognizing
the gifted orator. 'graced as he was with
all the power of words to whom. as a
youth. / had listened with delight during
the winter Of ls5l-52. He was still erect
with somewhat OF a military bearing wear
ing a suit Of black. his well-ftting coat
puttoned TO the throat and a small velvet
skuiicap. which he raised in relating an
ahecdote OF his younger days. showing
that he was quite bald. His slight fringe
OF hair was snowy white. as was the full.
moving beard, and not unlike that of the
poet Bryant in his declining days.
As Sad as Lincoln.
lace NdS the SaddeSt / ever
saw, with the possible exception of Presi-
dent Lincoln's. Later on in or. 10 me
memorable first interview. when deeply in
terested In describing his country's woes
MS countenance changed. and the sad ex-
preston was replaced by one of righteous
Indignation. as the old man eloquent. TO
iated IN burning words. with the slightest
possible foreign accent. and with a voice as
me as Gladstone'S the story Of the op-
prsssor's WRONGS.
Some slight service which I had rendered
to the son Of his sister, Louisa Ruttkay an
peared to commend me to the attention OF
hossuth. when presented to him by her. in
addition to the letter OF introduction from
ex-Mayor Kingsland OF New York. The
exile had recently. he said, celebrated the
eighty-seventh anniversary OF his birth and
death as a traitor to the hated Hapsburss.
10 whom he proudly exclaimed: With you.
and through you. II YOU will; without you
and against you, IL 1t must be- AT the
time OF my visit the venerable patriot was
overwhelmed with hundreds OF birthday sd-
portions OF the Old and New World. ~
To answer these kind and congratula-
tory addresses from my troops of friends
is no light labor Kossuth said, for 1 can
not duplicate them like Falstaff's love let
ters'
His Warrior Maxim.
which his nephew. Captain Ruttkay. and
many Hungarian friends took part on the
National side the patriot said: The re;
then spoke in q discriminating manner OF
Lincoln and Grant Convers'ng concerning
Sherman and Sheridan and Admiral Faara.
gut. he expressed regret that there seemed
TO be SO much corruption among our public
to secure civil service reform would be sue.
cessful On another occasion he remarked.
in nnS z severe and sareastic tone, I hear that
and at all times. among the Americans
adding. with emphasis: The wealth OF a
t dsson ar was empty 1nss In an my e ssnas' but TO-DAY
had to choose my place in the forces Of
nature. do you know what 1 would choose
lentiy and invisibly oyer the face OF natuTs.
trampled under foot and unconsidered, but
blessing. refreshing all forms of
NO one he added. knows me here in
Italy: no one raises his hat to me. | never
enter an italian house. l left my country
beg from door to door for Hungary, but 1
never would accept a penny for myself. To
De under obligations to others IS the prime
self Is the prime good. The greatest joy IL !
to be found in the sense Of achievement.
R nixs done have navy duty co to my native live land; and
| shall have nothing more to live for, I
have fought a good fight. I have finished |
my course. 1 have kept my faith
Webster and Kossuth. |
Daniel Webster. the Secretary Of State
under Fillmore. thwarted Kossuth's philan- ,
thropic effort to enlist the United States in |
a foreign complication in behalf Of Hum !
gary. But Kossuth was the cause of Web |
ster writing the immortal letter to HuIse-
man. the Austrian representative. which /.
the attention of every cabinet in
suth. and truly said Of this grand old man. |
He is a royal fellow
Except Gladstone. nc other illustrious |
person that | have enjoyed the privilege of
knowing, can for a moment be compared
to the Hungarian patriot as an energetic 1
and eloquent coIversationalist. AS a pub ,
lie speaker he possessed n wonderful dignity
Of diction. His address to the United
Senate. full Of inspiration of genius. |
perhaps never surpassed for eloIuence !
In that body, and his speech on Bunker
Hill displayed the power OF a master spirit. |
its close he paused. and then, as II sud
denly awakening from the spirit of a vision, |
he exclaimed TO the thousands present:
Pardon the emotion. gentlemen, the
shades Of our martyrs passed before my
eyes, and I heard the millions Of my coun-
once more shouting, Liberty or
the age of fourscore and eight, when
[ last saw Kossuth. his natural force |
seemed undated. and the oldtime charm !
Of e~loquence fingered in the cadences OF an
voice. 1t was on this occasion