The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-03 00:00:00

A SCENE IN ME AUSTRIAN FINANCE

CONIifITIEE.

A Viennese letter of the 27th gives a few amusing parti-
culars about a recent disturbance in the Finance Com-
mittee :

" As regards its origin, I have only to add the words of
Herr Giskra, that proved the immediate cause of the uproar.
Enlarging upon the diffidence he felt in the Constitutional
character of Austrian liberties, the speaker, among other
expressions of similar bearing, advised the members to risk
the existence of the Imperial diploma rather than allow the
debate on the Budget to be any longer degraded to the level
of a farce. Upon this one of the members present, a
Czechian by birth, and an enemy of the common institutions
by virtue of the nationality principle, at once broke into a
loud guffaw, crying—' That's what I have said all along.
The whole thing is nonsense. Let us go to our homes.' If
this was an introduction that could have occurred nowhere
but in Austria, the sequel of the pt oceedings is even
more deeply impregnated with the essential character
of Hapsburg Parliamentarism. Among the strangers that
happened to be in the room—and this I add in correction
of my former statement to the eontrary—there was also Dr.
Hein, the president of the house, though not a member of
the committee. His position as imperial policeman to the
Assembly, over which he presides by special appointment of
the Crown, I had occasion to mention yesterday; and as he
is promised the portefeuille of justice on the satisfactory
fulfilment of his Parliamentary duties, the man has long
been prominent for a kind of military and dictatorial beha-
viour that mocked at Parliamentary reforms. This worthy,
then, on hearing the triumphant exclamation of Herr
Daubek, the Czechian member, rose in violent haste from
his seat outside the bar, and, with features swollen with
anger broke out into a most unfortunate confession of his
real calling in the house. No, you will not go home
of your own accord,' he cried ; we shall take care to
send you home ourselves.' Hardly had the word escaped
the lips of the ill-tempered overseer, than Dr. Herbst, a
professor of the University of Prague and a member of the
committee then sitting, reprimanded the President for his
unseasonable interruption, letting him know at the same
time that, as a stranger in the room, he had no right to in-
terfere in the proceedings, or to speak at all. But the Pre-
sident, standing upon his dignity as a servant of the Kaiser,
and a Minister in spe of all the Austrians, was not so easily
to be cowed by a mere regard to Parliamentary
And who are you, Sir, to silence the President of the
house ?' said Dr. Hein, with the calm assurance of official
hauteur. I'll tell you what you are. You are an arro-
gant fellow; and as an employe of his Majesty—referring
to the professorship of the offender—' you are the last man
in the world to have the right of belonging to the opposi-
tion. These words were pronounced amid the deepest
silence of the assembly, the members being literally petri-
fied, between their indignation at the affront offered to
them, and their fear of the official character of the intruder.
But their natural feelings gaining the better of their timi-
dity; no sooner had he finished his objurgatory lecture than
the storm broke forth. ' Turn him out !" Hit him I'
' Knock him down I' were some of the suggestions offered
at the expense of the insolent President. The fellow
thinks he is already. a Minister, and can treat us as such.'
Who the devil is he, we should like to know I' and other
amiable expressions of a like nature, were hurled at the
head of the Emperor's representative. Our member, a Herr
Skene, a wealthy manufacturer from Moravia, is even as-
serted to have brought part of his gigantic frame into vio-
lent contact with the head that had just been guilty of such
intolerable impertinence. But some of the friends of their
Moravian brother interposing, the effects of the accident
were not prolonged, and the collision came to an end long
before the wishes of one at least of the parties concerned
were half fulfilled. The sitting was, of course, instantly
suspended. Of the Ministers, Heron von Splener and
Lasser had been lent spectators of the scene; Herr von
Schmerling, who was just entering the room in the height
of the tumult, being warned back by a friend, effected a
timely retreat."