Norwich bulletin., 1921-06-27
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
TME MARrlN KoszrA cAsE.

During the administration of Franklin Pearce an incident occurred which brought our country very close to the verge of war with Austria. Martin Koszta, a Hungarian, who had taken part in the unsuccessful revolution of 1S4S in 70 country, escaped to Turkey and was confined there for while and then csSne to the United States. where he declared under oath and before proper officer his intentions to become & citizen of this country.
 After residing in the United States for nearly two years he returned to Smy-- ns, Turkey, upon business of tempor ary nature. and placed himself under the protection of the American consul. The Austrian consul tried to get au- thority from Turkish governor for his arrest, but, failing in this, instigated some desperadoes to kidnap him.
 koszts was taken on board the Aus trian bris-of-war, the Huszar, and put in irons. Tho American representatives made the proper protest, but the demand for his release was unsuccessful. Mean while there arrived in the harbor. of Smyrna the United States sloop-of-war Saint Louis, under tbe command of Capt 1ngraham, who, becoming con- l vinced that design was set on foot by l the Austrian officials to remove Koszta | clandestinely to Trieste, an Austrian 1 port, demanded his release, and to en- | force it brought the guns of the Saint | Louis to bear upon the Huszsr. A com promise, however, was effected by vir- l tue of which the prisoner was delivered | to the custody of the French consul general until the two governments should agree in regard to his disposal ] The Austrian government addressed 1 to var:--Is courts a protest against tho 1 action of Capt. Ingraham. and instruct | ed the Austrian imperial charge dat | faires at Washington to ask the govern ment of the United States not to inter pose any obstacles to the extradition oi | Koszta to Austria to disavow the conduct of it's agents and "to call then to severe account and tender to Aus trla a satisfaction proportionate to thu i magnitude of the outrage"
 The incident gave Hon. William L i Marcy, the secretary of state unde
 Pierce. an opportunity to be reckonec
 as a great statesman, which was mos
 desirable to him, as he had presidehtia
 aspirations. The manifesto addressed b,
 him to the Austrian charge had a re
 nnarkable reception, and for a mornen
 Marcy was the most popular man in tn
 United States
 From the careful and precise state
 ment of the facts, the secretary of stat | shows that @Koszta was seized withou any rightful authority" And althoug
 he had not yet become a naturalize
 citizen. he had established his domicil in the United States and become thereb
 clothed with the national character. an
 acquired the right to claim protection
 from the United States. and they ha
 the right to extend 1t to him.
 The course of Capt. Ingraham wa
 fully justified, the dissyowai of the act of American agents refused the satis } faction asked for by Austria respectful iy declined. and the request to put n l; obstacles in the way of the delivery ( !, Zoszta to the Austrian consul general s
 Smyrna was denied.
 Marcy made one declaration which hs
 the flavor of the stump speech. but 2 was of nature to thrill the America ' heart with delight. for never had th
 national aGgressiveness been so stron 1 as at this time. Whenever" he wrot , "by thef opera ton of the law of nation
 an individual becomes clothed with ol
 national character. be he . native-boI . or a raturalized citizen. an exile drivs :; from his early home by political ol T pression Or an emigrant enticed from
 by the hopes of a better fortune for hin g self and his posterity. he can claim Il l. protection of this government, and 1T may respond to that claim without b e ing obliged to explain it's conduct