Centralization, absolutism, destroys commerce.  The policy of Russia diminishes production and limits markets.  Whenever she adds a new State to her dominions the commerce of the world is diminished.  Great Britain and the United States, which possess three-fourths of the commercial marine of the globe, are interested to prevent it.  Our commerce at this moment with despotic States is of very little importance, and its history shows that in every age it has flourished in proportion to the freedom of the people.

These, gentlemen, are poor words and barren thoughts upon the great European question of the time.  A question which America in her own name, and for herself, must meet at some future day, if now she shall fail to meet it firmly, upon well settled principles of national law, for the protection and assistance of other States.

I have done.  The exiled patriot shall speak for himself.  Not for himself only, nor for the land and people of Hungary he loves so well, but for Europe, and America even, he speaks.  Before you he pleads your own cause.  It is to a just tribunal I present a noble advocate.  And to him it shall be a bright spot in the dreary waste of the exile’s life, that to-night he pleads the cause of Hungary and humanity, where once Otis and Adams, and Hancock and Quincy, pleaded the cause of America and liberty.

I present to you Governor Kossuth of Hungary.

In reply to Governor Boutwell, when the tumultuous applause had subsided, Kossuth spoke, in substance as follows:—­

He apologized for profaning Shakespeare’s language in Faneuil Hall, the cradle of American liberty.  Yet he ventured to criticize that very phrase; for liberty ought not to be American, but human; else it is no longer a right, but a privilege; and privilege can nowhere be permanent.  The nature of a privilege (said he) is exclusiveness, that of a principle is communicative.  Liberty is a principle:  its community is its security; exclusiveness is its doom.

What is aristocracy?  It is exclusive liberty; it is privilege; and aristocracy is doomed, because it is contrary to the destiny of men.  As aristocracy should vanish within each nation, so should no nation be an aristocrat among nations.  Until that ceases, liberty will nowhere be lasting on earth.  It is equally fatal to individuals as to nations, to believe themselves beyond the reach of vicissitudes.  By this proud reliance, and the isolation resulting therefrom, more victims have fallen than by immediate adversities.  You have grown prodigiously by your freedom of seventy-five years; but what is seventy-five years as a charter of immortality?  No, no, my humble tongue tells the records of eternal truth.  A privilege never can be lasting.  Liberty restricted to one nation never can be sure.  You may say, “We are the prophets of God;” but you shall not say, “God is only our God.”  The Jews said so, and their pride, old Jerusalem, lies in the dust.  Our Saviour taught all humanity to say, “Our Father in heaven,” and his Jerusalem is lasting to the end of days.