the cause of humanity before you.  My warrant hereto is written in the sympathy and confidence of all who are oppressed, and of all who, as your elder sister the British nation, sympathize with the oppressed.  It is written in the hopes and expectations you have entitled the world to entertain, by liberating me out of my prison.  But it has pleased the Almighty to make out of my humble self yet another opportunity for a thing which may prove a happy turning-point in the destinies of the world.  I bring you a brotherly greeting from the people of Great Britain.  I speak not in an official character, imparted by diplomacy whose secrecy is the curse of the world, but I am the harbinger of the public spirit of the people, which I witnessed pronouncing itself in the most decided manner, openly—­that the people of England, united to you with enlightened brotherly love, as it is united in blood—­conscious of your strength as it is conscious of its own, has for ever abandoned every sentiment of irritation and rivalry, and desires the brotherly alliance of the United States to secure to every nation the sovereign right to dispose of itself, and to protect that right against encroaching arrogance.  It desires to league with you against the league of despots, and with you to stand sponsor at the approaching baptism of European liberty.

Now, gentlemen, I have stated my position.  I am a straightforward man.  I am a republican.  I have avowed it openly in monarchical but free England; and am happy to state that I have lost nothing by this avowal there.  I hope I shall not lose here, in republican America, by that frankness, which must be one of the chief qualities of every republican.  So I beg leave openly to state the following points:  FIRST that I take it to be duty of honour and principle not to meddle with any party-question of your own domestic affairs.  SECONDLY, I profess my admiration for the glorious principle of union, on which stands the mighty pyramid of your greatness.  Taking my ground on this constitutional fact, it is not to a party, but to your united people that I will confidently address my humble requests.  Within the limits of your laws I will use every honest exertion to gain your effectual sympathy, and your financial material and political aid for my country’s freedom and independence, and entreat the realization of the hopes which your generosity has raised.  And, therefore, THIRDLY, I frankly state that my aim is to restore my fatherland to the full enjoyment of her own independence, which has been legitimately declared, and cannot have lost its rightfulness by the violent invasion of foreign Russian arms.  What can be opposed to it?  The frown of Mr. Hulsemann—­the anger of that satellite of the Czar, called Francis-Joseph of Austria! and the immense danger (with which some European and American papers threaten you), lest your minister at Vienna receive his passports, and Mr. Hulsemann leave Washington, should I be received in