American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Public attention, during the month, has been mainly fixed upon Kossuth, in
his addresses to the various portions of the people of the United States
with whom he is brought in contact. After the banquet given to him,
December 16th, by the New York Press, noticed in our last Record, Kossuth
remained in New York until Tuesday, the 23d. The Bar of New York gave him
a public reception and banquet on the 18th, at which he made a speech
devoted mainly to the position, that the intervention of Russia in the
affairs of Hungary was a gross violation of the law of nations, deserving
the name of piracy; and that the United States was bound alike in interest
and in duty, to protest against it. He conceded fully that if such a
protest should be made, and treated with contempt, the United States would
be bound in honor to enforce it by war. At the same time he declared his
conviction that there was not the slightest danger of war, and entered
into some historical details to show that Russia would never interfere in
Hungarian affairs, until she was assured that England and the United
States would not resist her.—At the dinner, speeches were made by several
prominent members of the bar. Judge Duer, after a long and very eloquent
eulogy of Kossuth and his cause, was going on to reply to his argument in
favor of the interference of this country for the protection of
international law, but the company refused to allow him to proceed.—On the
20th, in the afternoon, Kossuth addressed a large company of ladies
assembled to meet him, in a speech of exquisite beauty and touching
eloquence. He also delivered an address at the church of the Rev. H. W.
Beecher, in Brooklyn, in which he spoke of the question of religious
liberty, as it is involved in the Hungarian struggle.—During his stay in
New York he was waited on by a great number of deputations from different
sections of the country, and from different classes of the community, who
all made formal addresses to him which were answered with wonderful
pertinence and tact.
On the 23d he left for Philadelphia, and had a public reception the next
day in the old Hall where independence was declared in 1776. His speech
was merely one of thanks. He was entertained at a public dinner in the
evening, and at another on the evening of Friday, the 26th. His speech on
the latter occasion was devoted mainly to the usurpation of Louis
Napoleon, which he regarded as having been dictated by the absolute powers
of Europe, and as certain to end in his destruction. The struggle in
Europe between the principles of freedom and despotism would only be
hastened by this act, and he appealed earnestly to the United States for a
decision, as to whether they would protest against Russian intervention in
Hungarian affairs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account