once more over virtue and right, you resumed the wandering exile's staff
and did not despair. Many among you, who were young when they last saw the
sun rise over Poland's mountains and plains, have your hair whitened and
your strength broken with age, anguish, and misery; but the patriotic heart
kept the freshness of its youth; it is young in love for Poland, young in
aspirations for freedom, young in hope, and youthfully fresh in
determination to break Poland's chains.

What a rich source of noble deeds patriotism must be, that has given you
strength to suffer so much and never to despair! You have given a noble
example to all of us,--your younger brother in the family of exiles. When
the battle of Canna was lost, and Hannibal was measuring by bushels the
rings of the fallen Roman knights, the Senate of Rome voted thanks to
Consul Terentius Varro for "not having despaired of the Commonwealth."
Proscribed patriots of Poland! I thank you that you have not despaired of
resurrection and of liberty. The time draws nigh when the oppressed nations
will call their aggressors to a last account; and the millions of freemen,
in the fulness of their right, and their self-conscious strength, will
class judgment on arrogant conquerors, privileged murderers, and perjured
kings. In that supreme trial, the oppressed nations will stand one for all,
and all for one.
L. Kossuth.


LXXVIII.

KOSSUTH ON HIS CREDENTIALS.

Let ambitious fools,--let the pigmies who live on the scanty food of
personal envy, when the very earth quakes beneath their feet; let even the