The Washington herald., 1916-08-29
AFTER-DINNER POLITICS.
When Ko.suth Visited the Senate.
BY DIR. r. j. EDWARDS.

The late Henry &. Stanton, whose ac-
quaintance with public men and whose
observation Of great events extended
from the year ls25-when he met La Fay
ette-to lSSj, was fortunate enough TO be
witness to a scene in the United States
Senate Which for dramatic interest. bril-
liant display and excitement matched and
overmatched any other event in that
body OF which he was an observer.
It was in January, 1851. The Senate
at that time contained as brilliant body
OF men as ever occupied seats upon the
floor of that chamber. Webster was not
there because he was serving his coun-
try at the other end Of the Avenue as
Secretary OF State. CsIhoun's seat was
UcC upied by his successor. or Calhoun
had passed away. But TIL. were mem
ocrs Of that body who we're TO gain dis
iIncuOn and one who had been the can
oldate OF his party for President Of the
LiiCd States-LUuis Cass, ul Michigan
Abraham Lincoln's sensational and
dramatic antagonist at the time Of the
Black Hawk war General Shields was
member Of the body and Seward, who.
ten years later, was TO become Secretary
Of State under Lincoln, was also present
Louis kossuth. the Hungarian Nber-
ator. so-called, had. a few weeks earlier,
arrived in tn" United States. He came TO
plead the case OF free and independent
Hungary and to raise funds TO assist her
in securing her freedom. Not even the
visit OF La Fayettc. twenty-siX years
earlier. caused greater national excite
ment than did the coming OF Kossuth.
'kossuth visited Washington and was
a!ly-alIhough Of course, informally
received by President Fillmore Both
Houses Of Congress yielded to the ex-
citement occasioned by this visit Both
Houses Were anxious to receive General
kossuth formally, and January was
fixed upon as the day for his reception
by the Senate.
'Kossuth made a wonderful impression
upon the Senators when he entered the
Senate chamber" said Mr. Stanton The
galleries were filled and at one o'clock
every eye was fixed on the door TO the
Senate chamber. As the hand OF the
clock pointed to one. the door opened
and kossuth. escorted by Louis Cass,
himself man OF great dignity and i'm
pressive personal appearance entered ,
Senator Shields, still vigorous in his ad-
vanCed age and William H. Seward
sandy-haired. slender. but Of great VI
vacIty OF feature. But It was not upon
the csCOrting Senators that the throng
looked. Kossuth would have attra cted
attention even though he had not been
known. He was Of commanding per-
a
very handsome man in the sense that
strength combined with regularity Of fea-
ture make a man handsome His figure
was superb and was admirably set on
by a fur coat Of Hungarian cut and
make. He seemed not at all embarrassed
when the Senate rose and when he was
welcomed b. the president pro TEN The
committee escorted him 10 a seat and
then the Senate adjourned so that Sen
ators one by one could be brought up
and introduced to him. Everyone Vas
charmed by the personality and dig
nifty Of the Hungarian patriot I OBJ
served that hossuth seemed to be es-
peCially impressed by Stephen A Doug
las, Notwithstanding the remarkable con-
trast in their personalities. for Douglas
was so short that he could have walked
easily under Kossuth's extended arm"
rC"pyT1ght .E6)