Dubiosa

Kossuth and the London "Times"

New-York Daily Tribune.
Nr.3757, 2. Mai 1853

Kossuth and the London Times.

The London Times, which during the Hungarian contest, was distinguished for its
Austro-Russian articles, has not intermitted its malignity toward Kossuth, as appears
from the following incident noticed in our columns on Friday:

In its number of the 15th April The Times stated that "the house in the occupation
of M. Kossuth" had been searched by the authorities, in virtue of an order from the
Home Secretary, and that a great quantity of arms, munitions, and other warlike
materials had been found. And thereupon The Times proceeded to read a long homily
to Kossuth, including such sentences as this: "All that we have learned hitherto of
the character of M.Kossuth, of his conspiracies and ridiculous juggleries," and so
forth, in an equivalent strain of ridicule and obloquy.

Now it appears that no such house in the occupation of M. Kossuth has any
existence, but the following are the facts: Mr. Hale, the inventor of a certain rocket,
(used in our Mexican war, by the way,) at Rotherhithe, had been visited by Kossuth
before and after he came to America. On his first visit he had suggested certain
improvements to Mr. Hale, and after his return to England Mr. Hale called on him
and stated that his suggestion had been applied with success. Subsequently, according
to The Daily News,

"A Hungarian soldier, a deserter from the Austrian army, called on him seeking

charity. M. Kossuth having ascertained that the man had had some experience in the

Austrian artillery, and subsequently in the chemical department of the sanitary
establishment, thought that he might be suited to the work of Mr. Hale's factory, and
accordingly recommended him to that gentleman for employment. The man was taken
on, but, in consequence either of his inattention or misconduct, was shortly afterward
dismissed; and it is just possible, that out of revenge, he rushed to the Home Office,
and hoaxed its astute chief with the cock-and-bull story of the Old House at Rotherhithe,' and M. Kossuth's mysterious manufacture and accumulation of projectiles.
It must be repeated that this is only conjecture, and may possibly involve an unjust
accusation against a true-hearted Hungarian."

Mr. Hale has written a letter protesting against the police entry of his premises,
stating that "no gunpowder and not an arm of any kind was found except the rockets ;
Lord Palmerston boldly asserting that arms were found, and 500lbs. of powder, which
is a gross fabrication."

Notwithstanding these facts The Times has a second article in the same accusatory
spirit as the first, commencing as follows:

"In spite of the strenuous and repeated efforts of Sir Joshua Walmsley, Mr. Thomas
Duncombe, Mr. Bright, Lord Dudley Stuart, and the friends and patrons of M. Kossuth, to elicit from Lord Palmerston a disavowal or contradiction of the statement
published by this journal on Friday last, the Secretary for the Home Department said
nothing to shake, in any important particular, the accuracy of our information. In
using the expression, 'a house in the occupation of M. Kossuth,' we never intended
to describe his dwelling-house, because we were aware that this seizure had been
made at a manufactory in or near Rotherhithe, while M. Kossuth lives at Bayswater... Whatever may hereafter be proved on behalf of M. Kossuth, the essential facts
of this case remain unexplained, and very much in need of explanation. It is undoubtedly true, that upon the entry of the police on these premises near Rotherhithe they
found upwards of 70 cases closely packed, and containing, apparently for transmission to a distance, several thousand war rockets, besides a considerable number
of rockets in a state of preparation, 2,000 shells not as yet loaded, and 500 Ibs. of
gunpowder. These are Lord Palmerston's own words in describing the seizure effected by the police ; and it will not be denied that these particulars establish the existence
of an extraordinary case, which fully justifies the curiosity of the public and the
interference of the Government."

When The Times was about to turn its memorable and historical somerset on the
free trade question, there was a meeting of the proprietors, and the question was
discussed as to the reason or apology which it should give therefor. After a flood
of discussion, the chief proprietor rose and said: The Times never retracts or explains ;

and, accordingly, the next day it appeared on the other side in politics, without a word 25

of explanation. So goes the story. The persistence in its original view of the rockets
is in keeping with the above.