Jánossy Dénes: A Kossuth-emigráció Angliában és Amerikában 1851-1852, I. kötet (Budapest, 1940)

Okirattár

79. Lisszabon, 1851 október 18. Kossuth közli Websterrel azon okokat, melyek Gibraltárban amerikai útjának megszakítására késztették. Eredeti levél. Miscell. Letters. St. Dept. Washington. Having had the high and estimable honor to be the guest of the U. S. on board their Steam Frigate Mississippi I most fervently wished to be conducted by this very Frigate to the hospitally shores of your free and glorious land. But after a long captivity rendered to liberty and by liberty to the duties of activity the most imperious considerations obliged me not to leave Europe for the 2—3 months I intend to stay in the U. S. without having previously arranged my public and private affairs and provided for those sacred interests which divine providence assigned to my charge. To this purpose it became to me an imperious necessity to touch England and to stay there some few days. Those who had to decide about having not judged it convenient to let the Mississippi Frigate touch England on our passage to the U. S. I had the honor to communicate with Commodore Morgan and Captain Long commanding the Mississippi about the most appropriate course to adopt that I might not neglect my own most imperious duties and still not loose the invaluable honor to procede to the U. S. on board that very Frigate which according to the very generous resolution of the Congress was sent up precisely to me and to my associates this unparalleled honor and high benefit. So we arranged matter this way that I should land in Marseilles, pass rapidly through France and after some days stay in England return to Gibraltar; where the Mississippi taking in the meantime the necessary provisions would wait 20 days from my departure from Marseilles. I felt infinitely content with this arrangement because I saw my most warm wishes of my heart combined with the accomplishment of my duties.