Kossuth suffered greatly in his political aims and endeavours from lack of funds. Indeed, from his first journey to England until he finally gave up coming over here, he was terribly hampered by want of money. Newman, too, was out of pocket owing to his efforts to push forward the Hungarian cause. I have before me now a letter from Kossuth written in January, 1854, from 21 Alpha Road, Regent's Park, to E. Sieveking and Son, members of my family, who were keenly interested in Hungarian politics, and who transacted many business arrangements for Kossuth from time to time while he was in England. The letter is on behalf of a friend of his, a Mr. Ernest Poenisch, and is written in German:-- "Honoured Sir, "Would you not do me the kindness to give a favourable reference about the honourability [_sic_] of Mr. Ernest G. Poenisch if anyone should happen to make enquiries of you about him? "Mr. Ernest Poenisch is a merchant in the city, a German by birth, and was a merchant of importance, and as he often has commercial business of importance to look after for me, you will be doing to me myself, a kindness if you would give him a good reference in a general way, should opportunity occur. "Renewing my request to you, I sign myself, "Respectfully yours, "L. Kossuth. "To E. Sieveking and Son." In June, 1855, Francis Newman writes to Dr. Martineau, in answer to a letter from him:-- "I do not write in support of the oppressed nations _because_ 'I have confidence in the stability and morality of a continental democracy,' but because the _foreign_ kings who now trample nations down _neither have nor pretend to have_ any right but that of armies; it is a pure avowed robber- rule, essentially in morals, and all will extol the nations as patriotic whenever they throw it off. ... Certainly I maintain that Hungary and Poland are nations; so in fact is Italy: but Austria is only a Court and Army, not a nation. We have had public relations with Hungary as a nation; we violated our duty to Hungary in 1848-9; and complain we are still allowing Austria to get the benefit of our wrong. So also to Poland, I feel we have grossly neglected our duty, and still neglect it.... We know that Hungary (Poland, Italy) is in the right; but though called on to say so, we will not say it; nor even mediate, _for_ it will lead to republicanism. Again, I call it immoral to argue: 'We know that Austria is giving Turkey just cause of war; but we must _not allow_ the Sultan to resent it by declaring war; _for_ it will give the nationalities an opportunity of throwing off the Austrian yoke.'... Then, my dear friend, do you forget that I approved of the _French_, and disapproved of the _Austrian_ alliance?... Not to ally with Louis Napoleon is not to join him _against the French nation_; while to ally with Francis Joseph was to join him _against the French nation_, which his armies are trampling down. Again, we did not catch Louis Napoleon engaged in a scheme with Nicholas