The Express.
London, England, 1849-10-03 00:00:00

THE WRONGS OF HUNGARY.

The following document haa beta leaned by the
Loudon Hungarum Committee:
1. Hungary m an ancient amsdhaticeal monarehy, which
used to elect its kings. Every new king was solemnly
crowned with the crown of fit. litephen, after taking the
coronation oath on Hungrrian ate, In which he swore to
spbuld the c.nstitution. In the year 1687 the royalty wee
made hereditary in the family of Hapsburg; but, so far was
Hungary from becoming a province of Austria, to this year
not a single Austrian has been allowed to hold office in the
Hungarian kingdom. An Monti= is a foreigner in Hun.
garias law sad practice.
2. The kings of the house of Hapsburg have, notwithstand-
ing, made various attempts to overthrow the liberties of
Hungary. After repeated attempts to fuss Hungary into
Austria, and repeated insurrections' a long struggle begun
by Leopold I. was ended in 1711 by Joseph 1., who wee con-
strained to cinfirm the old constitution. Again, by the
efforts of Joseph It. to enforce the German linguae, and
suppress the municipalities, a revolt was kindled, which his
suoceseur Leonld IL finally pacified (in 1790) only by with-
drawing all his brother's innovations, and by making a pecu-
liarly distinct avowal, that (Art, 10) " Hungary with her
appanage. is a free kingdom, and in regard to her whole
legal form of governmsnt (including an the tribunals) inde-
pendent ; that is, entangled with no other kingdom or
people; but having her own peculiar oonsistenoe and
constitution, accordingly to be governed by her legitimately
crowned king after her peculiar law and customs." Nem-
theless Francis I. dared to violate hie coronation oath by
not assembling the Diet from 1811 to 1825. At last he was
compelled to give way by the panne resistance to ell go-
vernment From that year onward the Hungarians have
struggled successfally for internal reforms by conatitational
metlu.ds, though perpetually thwarted by the bigotry, ig-
norance, and perverse ambition of the Austrian cabinet or
Crown.

3. The internal reforms which they desired were chiefly
the following : —To remove or lessen the distinctions be-
tween the privileged and unprivileged classes; and improve
the principles of taxation and of the tenure of land.—Next,
to extend perfect toleration of religious creed to all. Tin
high Magyar nobility are generally Roman Catholics; yet
they have been as willing to concede toleration as the lower
nobility and middle dusts, who are generally protestants.—
Thirdly, to establish free trade with all nations. Foe the
Austrian Cabinet choose to confine this great country to
Austria for its market, while treaties Hungarian prodace is
tereign.—Fourthly to maintain • free pews and the right
especially of publishing the debates and proceedings M the
Diet.—Fifthly, in inner d to develops the greet moonset, of
Hungary by all sorts of material improvement in agriculture,
in roads, in bridges. To this of late has been added a
struggle for gannet education.
4. One mode of resistance applied by Austria, wee to ex-
tinguish parliamentary bills by the solo of the crown ; the
fear of which paralysed the upper home,—a body always
naturally disposed to lean to Austria. Against this the lien-
garians had no adequate constitutional weapon to use, since
the Austrian cabinet was not responsible to the Hungarian
Diet. The often repeated legal declaration of their indepein
deuce, and in particular the distinct compact of Leopold It.
in 1;90.91, justified them in desiring by peaceful and mop,
stitutioual means to attain an independent ministry directly
responsible to their own parliament.
6. Sock a ministry had been long talked of and claimed
is the Diet. In fact the conservative party and the opposi-
tion bad differed little as to the objects at which they aimed, '
but chiefly as to the vehemence with which they should press
them; the conservatives pleading to "give time" to the
Austrian cabinet. But in March, 1848, the conservatives,
as a separate party, vanished, by the great mama of them at.
ceding to the opposition. Kossuth carried a unanimous vote,
that the coustitunon of Ilunguy could never be frill from;
Ithe eternal machinations of the Austrieut ablest, until con-
stitutional government was established in the foreign posses.
dons of the crown, so as to restore the legal status of the
Iperiod at which the Diet freely sonferred the royalty on the
house of Hapsburg. This vote_ paralysed the Austrian audio-
rides. Vienna roes against Metternich, and a revolution
took place there. A constitution and a national guard were
i enacted. The Hungarian Diet immediately claimed for it
self also a responsible ministry. This wee granted without
delay, and Count Louis Besthyany wee made premier.
Bat on the very same de y, Harsh 15, Joilachich
-as appointed Ban of Croatia. In • letter to
Vienna, dated Much 2/, 1848, the Archduke Stephen
' viceroy of Human, is found to have suggested three modes
oldestroying the Hungarian Constitution ; either to excite
the peasants against the nobles, as in Gillian, and stand by
whin the ponies slaughter each other ; or, to tamper with
Hatthyany's honesty ; or, to invade and overpower Hungary
by military force. A transcript of this letter in the arch-
duke's handwriting was afterwards found among his papers
when he fied from Yeeth, and was officially published with
all the necessary truncations. The Austrians have not
dared to disown
Before March ended, a deputation of all the leading mem-
ben of both houses from Unwary append in Vienna,
eanyiag to the King their unsaisnme Males that he would
consent to various bilis In them** semtlealkmal
change was the restoration of the vii mien between the
Diets of Hungary and of TraraylomiL But socially the
most important laws were the equalising of all climes gal
creeds, and the noble enactment whisk manned the per
▪ into freeholders of the soil, quit dell the old feudal
burdens. This bill had passed both the bosses by Feb. 4,
1843, before the French revolution bad broken out ; so little
had thst great event to do with the relormdeg efforts of the
Hungarians. The Austrisambinet, eseingtheir overwhelm
inr unanimity, felt that resistance was impossible. Accord-
ingly Ferdinand proceeded with the court to Freeburg, and
ratified the laws by oath. This is the reform of April 11,
1813, which all patriotic Iltregarians fondly Poked upon Si
their chatter of constitutiosal rights, opening to them the
promise cf a career in which they should emulate Great
Britain, as a pattern of a united, legal, tolerant, free, end
loyal country.
6. Croatia is a province of the Hungarian crown; and
Mere Jelleohnh, as goverser, openly organised revolt
wenst Hungary, by military terrorism, end by _promising
Munk supremacy. On Bstthyany's urgency, King Fer-
dinand declared Jellsohich a rebel, and exhorted the Diet
to raise an army against him; but always avoided finally to
mention their bills. Meanwhile Radetskl debated Charles
Albert. Jellschich dropped the mask of Croatianism, and
announced to Battlnany that there should be no peace,
mail • ministry at Vienna ruled over Hungary. In Sep-
tember, as the king would neither allow troops to be raised
in Hungary, nor the Hungarian mimesis to be recalled from
Italy for home defence, a Hungarian deputation was seat
te the Austrian Diet ; but it was denied admittance
lay aid of the Slavonic party. To catch stray votes
(st seems). Latour, Austrian minister at war, in the Diet,
Sept. 2, solemnly disavowed any connection with Jellachich's
movement yet on Sept. 4, a royal ordinance (officially
published in Croatia only), reinstated jellashich in all his
dignities; who, soon after, muted the Drive to invade
Hungary, with a well-appleff army 05,000 string. As he
openly showed the kinensemeabiiim, Betthyany resigned,
Sept. it, since he did not know Mew to set by the king's com-
mand against the king's 'comma& successor was sp-
rinted; and the Hungarian Dist had no choice but to form
• committee of safety. To embusses them in this, the
king renegued negotiation with , Sept. 14, but
still eluded any practical result by to put down
Jellachi*. Meanwhile, Sept._l6, deellebileliwoco lalarce9trde
In which Jellechich thanked I,Membesugyins efseoney and
material of war. Tke Hard= Dist rabble& ens offi-
cially, sad dilanalled thegeley_thliniembi. Bel Hungary
was still smarmed, sal loUesidet woo banks, plied/dm,
•Istlebtoviaff- 25, Lemberg was mat to Penh,
in the Meru ekaskete of Imperial Commigesseof Hungary,
but was immediately murdered by the rev of the portent..
Mauve of volunteers were trissmbled by
_the eloquence of
Kossuth, which. Tries the aid of only 3,000 ?smear mope,
act sad reptesed Jellachieh at &ikons, Sept. 29, and chard
hint out of their onntry. But Looming far too deep in
guilt fa • re, .:(17. A royal runlet or October 3 dissolved th:
Heaps. iaa Diet, forbade ell municipal action, supereend

the judicial unloads, declared Hungary wader martial law,
and appointed Jelitchi& civil and military governor of that
country, with discretionary power of life and death, and an
expressly unlimited despotism. It likewise distinctly an-
Inman' the determination of the crown to incorporate
Hungary into Austria. Troops from Vienna were pu)licly
ordered by Latour (Oat. 6) is march against the Hungarians.
This order, coupled with alarm, inspired by the approach of
Jellashiets (whose defeat was kept secret), led to the enteuts
in Vienna, in which Latour was murdered, a murder which
was made a pretext for bombarding Vienna, and destroying
Me newly eanedoned constitution. Windischstrats, the
agent in fish work, Joined his forces to those of Aureperg,
who meanwhile had sheltered Jellachich.
At angels the Hungarians were so infuriated that, after de-
posing Me (who were believed traitorously to have
I to escape), with inferior artillery, and
with rist half of the Austrians, who were 76,000'
eigenglissiibe *sir reservekthey fought end lost the battle
ef iftwostrat, Ostsbar 30. This was the first and last battle
=ti by. the Hungarians MI soil, fought only
those who were • ruthless enemy, who
had desolated Hungary bjmwailer outrages : yet this ft
trumpeted by the Austrians Hungarian ugreaston.—lel-
haft& (Nov. 2.) entered Vienna in triumph, and wee en-
larged with a great army in the course of the whole war
that followed. It is then impanels to doubt that the Aus-
trime had supplied him with arms, money, and authority
bus the beginning, and that they began this bloody war by
combined violence and treachery, while Hungary was in:pro-
7. lretbiust now tried to obtain from Ferdinand a
direct permission to carry into detail the reseript of Oat. 3
and belie Hungary by right of conquest. Bat as Ferdinand
began to be troubled with religious scruples, they resolved to
depose him, and put his nephew on the throne--• youth of
eighteen, eduated by the Jesuits, and ascustemed to obey
his mother the Archduchies Sophia, who was so identified
by the Viennese with the cabinet as to be called the Lady
Camarillo.

_
By intrigue of some sort they induced the half-witted
emperor to 6.ga the set for his own abdication, and at once
seated Francis Joseph in his pine., who, not having token'
the coronation oath, might be assured by his directors
that he committed no wrong in invading the laws and
constitution of Hungary ! Aa Austrian army marched into
the country, and in the course of January and February
overran and occupied it es far as the Theism eastward and as
high as the Nemeth northward: the Russians meanwhile
into Transylvania. The usurpation of the arch-
=ata
kerestud id cabinet seemed to have triumphed.
8. On March 4th, 1849, Count Stadion published his new
ocreatituti7n for fusion down Hungary into a part of the
Marian empire. If previously- Hungary had been
under Russian despotism, this constitution would
have sesmisd highly liberal; and from an Austrian
point of view, such it war: but to the Hun-
garians it wee an intolerable slavery. Fint, it virtually
annihilated their municipalities, and subjected their police
to Vienna. Next, it would have enabled the Austrian
cabinet to put in Austrian civil and military officers every-
where in Hungary—an innovation es odious to the Hun-
garians, as would French poike magistrates, excisemen,
overseers, colonels and lord-lieutenants, be to the English
Latina. Thirdly, it swamped their piuliamant among a
host of foreigners, ignorant of Hungary and its wants, and
incapable of legislating well for at. Fourthly, it was
enacted without the pretence of law, by the mere stroke of
Count Stadion'. pen. It the Hungarian constitution, four-
teen times solemnly MOTS to by kings of the hostas of Haps-
burg, was to be thus violated, what possible security could
the nation have for this new fanglad constitution of Stadion,
it it were ever so good in itself ? If they admitted suck a
right in the Austrian crown, in six months a new ordinals°e
might reduce them under a pun despotism. In the fats of
wrong so intense, it is not worth while to name secondary
grievances; but it was most bitteriy felt that such was tie
reward of the constant loyalty of Hungary to the house of
Hapsburg, and such the sequel of that solemn act by which
Ferdinand had so happily ratified their recent gloriou re-
forms

On reviewing the constitutional question, it was clear to the
Hungarians, &et, that Ferdinand had no legal power to ab-
dicate without lease of the Diet, which leave it was int-
poesihle to grant, since, in the course of nature, Ferdinand
might yet have direct heirs; eecondly, that if he became in-
capacitated, it was the right of the diet to appoint a regent ;
thirdly, that if Ferdinand had died, Francis Joseph Cu not
the heir to the Hungarian crown, but his father, Ferdinand's
brother; fonrtbly, that allegiance Is not fully due to the
true heir, until he has been gowned; fifthly, that if
Frowns Joseph had been ever so much the true heir, and had
been ever so law:ally crowned, the ordinances would be a
I breach of his oath, essentially null and void, and equivalent
to a renunciation of his compact with the pen le ; sixthle,
that even to Austria the ministry of Stadion—or, ra•
thee, the Archduchess—wasno better than a knot
of intriguers, which had practised on the clouded
intellect of the sovereign to grasp a despotism for itself;
while over Hungary it had no more ostensible right than
had that of Prussia or Feiss*. All Hungary therefore rose
to resist, Slovache and Magyar, Germans and Wallachs,
catholic. and proteetante, Greeks and Jews, nobles, traders,
and peasants, rich and pour, progressioniate aid conserva-
tives. Ferdinand was still regarded as their legitimate, but
not' wfully d posed King.
9. Between the Theirs and the Munich, Kossuth had or-
ganised the means of fabricating nuns and money ; and in
the course of March and April a series of tremendous battles
took place, in which the Austrians were some fifteen
times defeated, and without a single change of fortune
their &emits, 130,000 strong, were swept out of Hungary
with immense slaughter. Only certain fortresses remained
in their pallor, and those were sure to fall by mere lapse of
time. The Austrien cabinet was desperate at losing a game
in which it had risked so much. Its more scrupulous mem-
bers had retired, including Stadion himself. Bloodier gene-
rals were brought forward, and the intervention o Russia
(long promised, and granted as early u February in Transyl-
vania), was publicly avowed. This act finally alienated from
Austria every patriotic Hungarian.
10. Upon the entrance of the Russians w;th the consent
of Francis Joseph, the Hungarian parliament, on the 14th
of April, after reciting_ the sots of perfidy and atrocity by
which the house of Haptburg had destroyed Its compaou
with the nation, solemnly pronounced that house to have
for ever forfeited the crown. During the existing crisis,
Kossuth, according to constitutional precedent, was made
governor of the country.
11. We all know how Hungary—deprived of her ports,
taken by surprise, isolated, and abandoned—has been over-
whelmed by the combined hosts of her unscrupulous foes.
But has England nothing to say to this ?
For three centuries at least Hungary has been a prominent
number of the European family of nations. Her constitutional
union to the house of Hapsburg has been a notorious public
fact; and in the Emperor of Austria, as King of Hungary,
Europe has long seen a powerful barrier against Russian en-
crotchm nt. Tnat Hungary is not Anstria,—that the Empe-
ror of Austria has no right in Hungry except as its consti-
tutional king,—is as public a fact in Europe as that Hanover
was never part of England. When Hungary proclsimod to
us that the Emperor of Austria was no Lager her king,—
that she had found the house of Hapsburg traitorous, and
had legally deposed it ; and when the Hungarian nation had
by a unanimous effort actually expelled her invaders,—there
was the very same reason for our acknowledging the
independence, of Hungary, as we ever had for recognis-
ing the Emperor of Austria as King of Hungary at all.
We have grievously neglected our duty by supineness; but
the Emperor of nalleithas perpetrated a breach of inter-
national law, most cruel end dreadful; only less wicked
than the outrage of Austria, t Vallee it was not also
treacherous an 4 ungrateful. Indignation and pity for the
Hungarians is for a moment swallowed up by admiration,
when we contrast their humane generosity towards prisoners
of war with the ferocious cruelty of the Austrians towards
the aimed and unarmed of both sexes.

12. The English crown is peculiarly affected by these
events; became they destroy the oonfidence of rations in
the oaths of princes ; especially considering that Hungary
was the only great community on the continent, whose
ancient liberties bad not been violently aid treacherously
annihilated by its king. No guarantees of right any longer
exist, except those which have been wrested out by popular
violence, and established on some doctrinal,. has's. The
erietomacy of England are deeply concerned, when the only
' reml,ining continental aristocracy possessed of constitutional
rights and taking the lead of a willing nation, is remorse-
lesely trampled under foot. Our commonalty is concerned,
when deprived of commercial intercourse with fourteen mil-
lions of agriculturists. Our religious feelings are shacked,
when Hungarian zeal for universal toleration is overridden
by the Romanist bigotry of Austria. Our liberties are en-
dangered by the spectacle of two sovereigns tearing in pieces
a noble nation from pure hatred of its constitutionalism
which nine centuries have not made marred in their eyes,
Ike security of all Europe is endangered by the virtual
vaasalage of Austria to Russia. which this milamitous out-
rage has entailed ; for Austria is now so abhorred in Hun-
gary that she cannot keep her conquest except by Russian
aid. Every one foresaw this from the beginning the go-
vernment of Vienna knew it, as well as that of St. Peters-
burg. Such are the results of the conspiracy of an Auetrian
cabinet against their emperor, against hie kingdom of Hun-
gary, sgainst the newborn liberties of Vienna, and against
the balance of power in Europe.
13. What remains for England to do, but firmly to declare
to Austria :—" Until we see the constitution as it was before
October, 1849, reestablished in Hungary, we do not sclusow-
ledge your position in Lombardy ; for Hungary had a far
better right to her national ex/stenos and independence,
than you to your empire over the foreign Lombards ?"
A military tyrant may at any moment commit an act of
rapine with summary speed; sage and modt ram bystanders
need time to learn and judge of the cue. If we extend the
doctrine of faits accomplis to the high-handed crime under
which Hungary still lies bleeding, we proclaim impunity
and recognition to every unprincipled marauder.

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN'S EXPRDITION.—The cylinder
(referred to in the Express of yesterday) picked
up and sent to the Admiralty only contained
information to the 30th June, 1845, from Sic John
Franklin's ships, which had been heard of subsequent
to that date.—Admiralty, Oct. 2, 1819.

THE UNITED STATES AND THE BRITISH CONSUL
AT GrATAXALA•—A pawienger In the ship Bogota, from
New York, states that the government of the United StiVes
had entered into some arrangemesta with tto Guatemalans
for the performanee of certain nail service, against which the
British eisesel en bet Mot his government has entered his
protest, it being contrary to some existing treaty between the
two nations.

THE CZAR AND THE HUNGARIAN REFU-
GEES IN TURKEY.

TO TRH EDITOR OP TIM EXPRESS.
BM—Many thousands in England, and millions, I
will venture to say, in Europe, ate waiting anxiously
to see whether the noble conduct of the Sultan in
refusing to deliver up the defender, of Hungarian
liberty to the crowned employers of the scourger, of
women, the butchers of \Varsaw and Pesth, is to
have the rapport of England or not.
We are told that our enormous naval force is and
most be kept up on account of the state of the Conti-
nent. If we ever could be called upon to use that
force by any occurrence on the Continent, it is now.
Wait not for the support of Pram*. France, in a
moment of insanity, has given herself up foe four
years toj the discretion of the relative (by mar-
nage), and servile tool of the Emperor of Russia, by
whose help he hopes to be made Emperor of Fromm.
But France must follow, if England at once takes the
lead.

The Czar ought instantly to be told that the first
movement of troops aerate the frontiers of Turkey in
this quarrel will be a signal for the blockading of all
his ports in the Baltic and the Black Sea, to be fol-
loarsen wed, if needful, by the destruction of his naval
al&

Any trifle is thought sufficient cause for summoning
a public meeting. Shall there be no meeting to save
Ragland from the infamy of standing. by while men
and women, who ought to be carried in triumph
through every city in Europe, are torn prince
forte from the protection of the Mussulman
who dares defy a power ten times stronger and ten
times more barbarous than his own, rather than de-
liver up fugitive victims to the slaughterer?
A month ago it would have seemed quite needless
that a public demonstration should warn a liberal
ministry of each a duty. But since we have a Colo-
nial Secretary and a Prime Minister either so base, or
so infantinely weak and credulous, as to be capable,
the one of sanctioning, the other of defending, the
conduct of More O'Ferrall, it is quite time that the
public should rouse itself, and give strength to tho
only member of the government who stands between
us and the Aberdeen policy, between us and a mean
complicity with the new " Holy° Alliance.
Ist October.