bine the letting him stay there with your opinion of the cause of Hungary, I really don't know; but so much I know, that the present absolutistical atmosphere of Europe is not very propitious to American principles. I know a man who could tell some curious facts about this matter. But as to Mr. Hulsemann, really I don't believe that he would be so ready to leave Washington. He has extremely well digested the caustic pills which Mr. Webster has administered to him so gloriously; but after all I know enough of the public spirit of the sovereign people of the United States, that it would never admit, to whatever responsible depository of the executive power should he even be willing to do so, which, to be sure, your high-minded government is not willing to do, to be regulated in its policy by all the Hulsemanns or all the Francis Josephs in the world. So I confidently hope that the sovereign of this country-the people-will make the declaration of independence of Hungary soon formally recognized, and that it will care not a bit for it if Mr. Hulsemann takes to-morrow his passports-bon voyage to him. But it is also my agreeable duty to profess that I am entirely convinced that the government of the United States shares warmly the sentiments of the people in that respect. It has proved it by executing, in a ready and dignified manner, the resolution of Congress on behalf of my liberation. It has proved it by calling on the Congress to consider how I shall be treated and received, and even this morning I was honored, by the express order of the government, by an official salute from the batteries of the United States in such a manner in which, according to the military rules, only a public, high official capacity can be greeted. Having thus expounded my aim, I beg leave to state that I came not to your glorious shores to enjoy a happy rest-I came not with the intention to gather triumphs of personal distinction, but because a humble petitioner, in my country's name, as its freely chosen constitutional chief, humbly to entreat your generous aid; and then it is to this aim that I will devote every moment of my time, with the more assiduity, with the more restlessness, as every moment may bring a report of events which may call me to hasten to my place on the battlefield, where the great, and I hope, the last battle will be fought between Liberty and Despotism. A moment marked by the finger of God to be so near that every hour of delay of your generous aid may prove fatally disastrous to oppressed humanity; and, thus having stated my position to be that of a humble petitioner in the name of my oppressed country, let me respectfully ask, Do you not regret to have bestowed upon me the high honor of this glorious reception, unparalleled in history? I say unparalleled in history, though I know that your fathers have welcomed Lafayette in a similar way; but Lafayette had mighty claims to your country's gratitude; he had fought in your ranks for your freedom and independence; and, what still was more, in the hour of your need he was the link of your friendly connection with France, a connection the results of which were two French fleets of more than thirty-eight men-of-war and three thousand gallant men, who fought side by side with you against Cornwallis, before Yorktown; the precious gift of twenty-four thousand muskets, a loan of nineteen millions of dollars; and even the preliminary treaties of your glorious. peace negotiated at Paris by your immortal Franklin. I hope the people of the United States, now itself in the happy condition to aid those who are in need of aid, as itself was once in need, will kindly remember these facts; and you, citizens of New York, and you will yourselves become the La fayettes of Hungary. Lafayette had great claims to your love and sympathy, but I have none. I came a humble petitioner, with no other claims than those which the oppressed have to the sympathy of freemen who have the power to help, with the claim which the unfortunate has to the happy, and the down-trodden has to the protection of eternal justice and of human rights. In a word, I'have no other claims than those which the oppressed principle of freedom has to the aid of victorious liberty. Then, I would humbly ask, are these claims sufficient to insure you generous protectors, not to myself, but to the cause of my native land,—not to my native land only, but to the principle of freedom in Europe's continent, of which the independence of Hungary is the indispensable keystone. If you consider these claims not sufficient to your active and operative sympathy, then let me know at once that the hopes have failed with which Europe's oppressed 'nations have looked to your great, mighty, and glorious Republic; let me know at once the'failure of our hopes, that I may hasten back and tell Europe's oppressed nations, "Let us fight, forsaken and single-handed the battle of Leonidas; let us trust to God, to our right, and to our good sword; there is no other help for the oppressed nations on earth." But 'if your generous republican hearts are animated 'by the high principle of freedom and of the solidarity in the destinies of humanity; if you have the will, as, 'to be sure, you have the power, to support the cause of freedom against the sacrilegious league of despotism, then give me some days of calm reflection to become acquainted with the ground upon which I stand; let me take the kind'advice of some active friends on the most practical course I have to adopt; let me see if there be any preparatory steps 'taken in favor of that cause which I have the honor to represent; and then let me have a new opportunity to expound before you my humble requests in a practical way. I confidently hope, Mr. Mayor, the corporation and citizens of the Empire 'City will grant me the second opportunity. If this be your generous will, then let me take this for a boon of happier days; and let me add, with a sigh of thanksgiving to the Almighty God, that it is your glorious country which Providence has selected 'to be the pillar of freedom as it is already the asylum to oppressed humanity. I am told that I will have the high honor to review your patriotic militia. Oh, God! how my heart throbs at the idea to see this gallant army enlisted on the side of freedom against despotism; the world would be free, and you the saviors of humanity. And why not? These gallant men take part in the mighty demonstration of the day, proving that I was right when I said that now-a-days even the bayonets think. LACORDAIRE EAN BAPTISTE HENRI LACORDAIRE is celebrated for his eloquence point of the Catholic creed, he endeavored to meet modern rationalism on its own grounds. Born near Dijon, May 12, 1802, he was educated for the law. He abandoned th law for theology in 1824, and was ordained a priest in 1827. Becoming one of the leaders of Catholic Liberalism in France, in 1830 he was made associate editor of the Progressivist paper "L'Avenir." Retiring from journalism through inability to please both himself and the Pontifical Court at Rome, he became famous by his sermons at Notre Dame, and by philosophical works, and was elected to the Academy in 1860. He died November 22, 1861. PANEGYRIC OF DANIEL O'CONNELL THE FOLLOWING IS A PORTION OF THE FAMOUS ADDRESS UDDENLY the lakes of Ireland held upon their waves the breezes which ruffled them; her forests stood still and trembling; her mountains seemed as in expectation. Ireland heard free and Christian speech, full of God and country, skilful in maintaining the rights of the weak, calling to account the abuses of authority, conscious of its strength, and imparting it to the whole people. Truly it is a happy day when a woman brings her firstborn into the world; it is a happy day when the captive sees again the full light of heaven; it is a happy day also when the exile returns to his country; but none of these delights-the greatest which man enjoys-produces or equals the thrilling of a people who, after long centuries, hears, for the first time, human and divine language in the plenitude of their liberty; and Ireland owed that unspeakable joy to this young man of five-andtwenty, whose name was Daniel O'Connell. (5843) |