Part 10 (1/2)

”The character of Kossuth needed not the able and unanswerable defences which Captain Mayne Reid, a popular author as well as gallant officer, published in the columns of this journal on Thursday Least of all was it necessary to vindicate the Hungarian chief froe The entire conduct of Kossuth, during the le for the national independence of his country, proved hie, of heroisard of all considerations of personal safety, as his civil adary showed him to be a statesman of consummate capacity

”Afterwards came the other, and, in some respects, still nobler display of lofty heroism, which Kossuth made when a prisoner in Turkey Those are indeed heartless caluuilt of cowardice one of the bravest of men, overwhelmed with sorrow and an exile from his country--a country dearer to hilish journalism be it spoken, there is only one paper amidst the entire press of this country of which he can complain

We need not name that journal Every one knoe allude to _The Times_--a journal whose naarded as synonyenerous

”Since the above was in the printer's hands, we have received another co a letter from Kossuth hied proclaarian without blushi+ng to think that he should be systee rossest calu to itself the title of 'the leading journal of Europe' Captain Mayne Reid deserves, and will receive, the thanks of every lover of justice for his spirited and triumphant defence of the character of Kossuth”

_The Ti arms at Rotherhithe In the issue of that journal on April 18th, 1853, appeared the following editorial note:

”We have received another highly complimentary letter from Mr Mayne Reid--weas we continue e are, and Mr Mayne Reid continues what he is, we shall consider his abuse the greatest praise it is in his power to bestow A feeling of regard for the English language induces us, however, to refrain fro publicity to Mr Mayne Reid's balderdash, which we dare say may be read in another place”

A copy of this letter had been forwarded to the _Morning Advertiser_, and appeared in full in its columns on April 18th It is as follows:

”To the Editor of _The Times_

”Sir,--It is written--'Whom the Gods would destroy, him they make mad'

Your doom then seems inevitable; for if an utter abandonard of the laws of honour, a desperate determination to court the contempt of your countrymen--if these be symptoms of madness, then are you mad indeed--uiltless of the act The demons have done it Your own vile passions have crazed you

”Once more you have assailed M Kossuth; once lancing back froentleman's honour, your poisoned arrow has recoiled upon yourself

Unscathed stands he His escutcheon is unstained Even your foul ink has not soiled it It is pure as ever; spotless as the pinions of the swan, as the wing of the ashed albatross

”You have created an abyss of infaned to drive M Kossuth You essayed to push hi you rushed upon him; but, blinded by bad passions, you ered over yourself; and your intended victim stands triuentlee of facts, I pronounce your whole state M

Kossuth and his Rotherhithe arsenal a web of wicked falsehoods But the cold-blooded audacity, the harlotic _abandon_, hich you have uttered these falsehoods, and co It is difficult to believe you in earnest; and one is inclined to fancy you the dupe of souides your pen will not periving you even the benefit of a doubt We have no alternative but to believe you guilty, with deliberate forethought, with 'malice _prepense_'

”But, sir, if you are to be suffered to drag innocent inary cries with not a shadow of evidence, but, upon the contrary, to substitute coarse calueful vituperation--if all this be permitted you with ilish freedoovernments There is the tyranny of a licentious press; and, for my part, I would rather submit me to the rule of the sabre and the knout, than live at the mercy of a conclave of dissipated adventurers who sneak around the purlieus of Printing House Square

”I shall not condescend to repeat the slanders you have lately uttered

I aue have already accoher names than mine have endorsed the refutation In the House of Coht and Dudley Stuart, have nailed the lie to the wall

”I know not what course M Kossuth may pursue towards you Doubtless he nified silence he has hitherto observed He can well afford it He need not fear to be silent He shall not lack defenders

”You may double your staff of facile scribes, and ar of the Austrian eagle You will find a the champions of truth, brains as clear and pens as clever as your own; and though you may stuff your columns ordy sophistry, it will be scattered like chaff before the heaven-born wind

”I repeat it, M Kossuth can afford to treat you with subliifted neither with the divine endurance nor Christian forbearance of that nobleyou the contee to express it, and I doubt not but that every Englishet over that by borrowing a little from your vocabulary, but I shall not condescend to do so Even now I feel that I a thus forward a second time to call you to account

”But as the citizen of a country by you disgraced--as the friend of a man by you injured--I cannot sube M Kossuth and other Hungarian leaders with a violation of our hospitality, I cannot do otherwise than pronounce your statements false

You perhaps do not kno h respect which these gentlelish hospitality

But for that, sir, I can assure you that you would long since have been dragged fronito, and treated in a h I for one should not approve of such a proceeding, I could not deny that you have done all in your power to deserve it But if the laws of our country protect you, they also protect the stranger frouest, and may equally violate the laws of hospitality You, sir, have been guilty of that violation

”I call upon you, then, to ise to the ed, to your countryence you have insulted