The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-26

ne inherited and serve as a warning to
him to use his powers with prudence.
His father was accustomed 10 say that
his own fidelity 10 principle was seed
for the future. That seed had been
planted in his native soil with the NOR
tai remains OF Louis kossuth, and he
his son. had come 10 help IL bear fruit
For more than twenty years he had
recognized that his father by merely
holding fast 20 his ideal was unable TO
bring Hungary any nearer the inde-
pendence for which he strove. A law
full basis was necessary for the attain
ment OF that object, and he must seek
a peaceful method within the limits OF
the law by means of which he and his
countrymen could achieve that inde-
pendence. Such was the aim OF his life
and his activity as citizen.
So much for the son of Kossuth, a
"chip of the old block" but more amen
able 10 reason than his famous sire,
who after he had all but achieved the
independence OF Hungary In ls49 was
compelled to leave the country and flee
10 q foreign land. Since the elder Kos
suth is but a memory TO the present
generation Il Is well 10 recall some OF
the leading events of his career. Born
In 1902, the dedication of his statue this
month marks the centennial OF that
event. His family was Slavic, OF noble
rank and the Lutheran faith. Educated
as an advocate. Louis Kossuth entered
the upper house of the Hungarian diet
in 1882. became noted for his liberal
Views and was imprisoned as political
offender lS37-40. AS leader OF the Lib
erals i'm 1s49 he demanded the complete
independence OF Hungary and rose to
| be virtual dictator for brief period,
during which he directed the military
operations OF ls49. fighting bravely in
several battles and only giving up the
struggle when convinced OF its utter
| hopelessness. He escaped TO Turkey,
where he was taken on board the Unit
ed States steamer Mississippi and
brought TO this country. He made a
tour OF the United States, as they then
existed, in 1S5l-52 and awoke general
enthusiasm by his eloquence. A nat
ural linguist, Kossuth had added Eng
lsh to the six or seven languages he
spoke with fiuency while an exile in
Turkey.
Few are alive today who remember
the greatest OF all Hungarians, but
there was present at the recent recep'
ton rendered the nag reputation IL
New York venerable Hungarian, Gen
eral FIgyelmesy, who was on Kossuth''
staff in the short lived revolution. he
is now a resident of Philadelphia, hav'
ing come to this country and fought
through our civil war.
Kossuths tour of the United States
was a triumphant one. his reception RI
valing that given TO Lafayette in 1874
II was one continuous ovation, the
great Daniel Webster welcoming him
and Ralph Waldo Emerson having him
as an angel of freedom" The fact Is
that Kossuth' stood for a sentiment
that of freedom. In the name OF free
dom he was honored then and is re-
yered today. After 1852 Kossuth lived
in London. going in 1863 to Turin. where
4 he died in 1894 at the age of ninety-two
He never returned TO his own land
though he might have done so. but L
the end remained "the great irrecon
cilable." On his ninetieth birthday h
said: II was turned out of my countr,
with my sons. Ii would be ridiculous {
let them appear for mere vanity's SAX
in Hungary"
WALLACE wILCOXSON.