The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-07 00:00:00

SUNDAYS.

Hungary had risen to establish a red republic, and that
I did not care whether they were in favour of a red re-
public or not.—(" Why should you?") Now, that was a
total misrepresentation; because I never :aid that the
people of Hungary had risen for any such purpose, and
.uch is not the fact; but what I did say was, that the
people of Hungary happened to have had for eight cen-
urics institutions very similar to our own—(Cheers)—
qma they had lived under a King, a House of Lords, and
t House of Commons; that they were not struggling
for a red republic, nor for any republic ; but I added,
that if they were striving for a .republic, that
,would be
to reason why I should withhold my sympathy from
.hem.—(Loud cheers.) That is entirely in harmony
with what I have said just now—that every
seople have the right to determine by what institutions
hey will be ruled.'s--(Cheers.) But our enemies thought
,:hat it would do them good to put an untruth into my
mouth, and to say that the struggle of the Hungarians
.vas for a purpose for which it never was.—(Hear, hear.)
£heir Government is very like ours, and very like us
(Cheers.) Their Government in times past has not
been so liberal as it ought to have been—(Hear, hear)
—and, very like ourselves, the Hungarians in later times
nave determined, they having lived under a constitution
elto which abuses had crop', to get rid of those abuses
and and to establish a reform—(Hear)—and to do awe withes
those blots which have previously defaced theaY•• Ins •-
utions.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I think that- the' Holni
gentleman who moved the first resolution, in a speech
replete with ability and information, fell into' a
light error, which, I am sure, he will for
'eve my endeavouring to correct, or rather
should say into an anachronism, when he spoke to you
if the privileges which are now possessed by the nobles
if Hungary. It is perfectly true that those nobles did
iossess privileges; that they alone who were called
;tittles, bat who were much more like the class which
se know as freeholders than any other—that they alone
tad a right to vote for Members of Parliament; but
liat was in times past, and in later times, under the in-
spiration and direction of the noble Koseuth—(Loud
leeering)—those privileges have been done away with;
,he suffrage has been thrown open—(Cheers)---and if
t has not been made altogether universal, it yet is more
,xtended now than it is in this country—([fear, hear)
(pore than it has been in any other country in Europe.
—(Cheers.) The Hungarians have had the sense to see
chat faults there were in their constitution, and the
eisulution to reform them; and no doubt this has been one
great reason why the despotic powers—jest the same
,s they interfered to partition Poland, when they saw
~he Poles determined to do away with exclusive privi-
mges and to establish a really free constitution—
ECheers)—this no doubt is one great reason why the
lespotic Emperor of Austria has thought proper to act
towards Hungary the oppressive part which he has
elayed.—(Cheers.) But the Hungarians, attached to
:heir liberty—attached not only to political, but also to
religious liberty—of which the house of Hapsburg has
,ver been the greatest enemy—(Hear)—but to which
he Hungarians have always tenaciously adhered—
;hese Hungarians were not going to allow the despot to
save his own way.—(Cheers.) The Hungarians, at-
etched as I have explained to you, as they have always
been according to the times to political liberty, have
also carried religious liberty to a further extent than
my other nation.—(Cheers.) Religious liberty
flourishes in Hungary under the rule of K 0.3-
+Util to a greater extent than even it does
,n this country.—(Loud cheering.) We boast of
cur advancement in civilization, we boast of our tolerant
r,rinciples, but we have not that complete religious
iberty which now prevails in Hungary.—(llear, hear.)
tVe have, at the best, but religious toleration.—(flear,
sear.) There are persons at this day still excluded from
rue highest offices and the most distinguished posts in
he state on account of their religion ; but in
ilungary there is no difference of creed.—(Cheers.)
fie the Ministry itself there are men of all per-
,u2sions. There are Protestants, there are Greeks,
hero are Catholics, there are all sorts, and no man is
-xcluded from any advantage on account of the faith
vhieh he may nureue.—(Cheers.) This was so for
many years in Hungary with regard to all Christian
sects; Kossuth has put the crown to this noble career,
,nd under him it has been decreed that everything
should be thrown open as well as to the Jew as to the
Jhristian.— (Loud cheers.) Another characteristic
n the history of Hungary is the attachment
if the people to free trade.—(Hear, and cheers.)
Choy have always been anxious that commerce should be
enrestricted, and over and over again their petitions
have been addressed to the Cabinet of Vienna, only to
•te rejected, praying that the restrictions which were
eepoeed upon commerce might be limited, and might be
removed.—(Cheerer) If Hungary acquired her inde-
pendence, as, please God, with the help of their own
right hands she will obtain it—(Renewed cheering)—
the advantage to the merchants and the commercial
world of this country still be incalculable.—(Prolonged
cheering.) I know that some gentlemen, animated by
noble and elevated feelings, say that to speak of com-
mercial advantages is to take low ground; and with that
,1/4;eliug t euidiety agree.—mers.) tt coinmerciat ae-
vantages were the only reasons to captivate our interest
in Hungary, and if they militated against civil or religi-
atm liberty, I would soy, fling yorr commercial advan•
cages to the wind.—(Loud cheers.) But when
you see that in addition to civil and religions
liberty the independence of Hungary is likely to result
in great commercial advantages to this country and to
Hungary also; and that there is likely to spring immense
fenetit to both countries; so that in a short time we shall
have as large a trade going on between England and
Hungary as now goes on between England and the
United States—(Cheers)—why then, I say, that this
is a sound and a proper reason why our sympathies and
our interest ought to be enlisted in the cause.—(Cheers.)
And I must say, also, that if there 'are reasons why we
ought to take an interest in Hungary, why we ought to
love the Hungarians, why we ought to wish well to the
Hungarians, why we ought to resolve to do every thing
that lies in our power, every man according to his ability,
in whatever station he may move, there are many reasons
on the other side which ought to make us, and which must
make all those who are acquainted with facts, detest the
enemies of Hungary.—(Cheers.) I think that there is no
Government more detestable and more obnoxious to
every body than the Government of Austria.—(Hear,
hear.) I think there is no Government more abhorred
by any body than the Government of Austria. What
has the house of Hapsburg, which is so much vaunted, and
which occupies so large a space in the page of history,
been doing? Examine the acts of that family—you
will find that it has always been engaged from time im-
memorial in putting down civil liberty end in prostitut-
ing religion.—(Hear, hear.) In the 16th century reli-
gion); liberty was all but triumphant, and it would have
been so but for the machinations of this house of Haps-
burg aided by the Jesuits. They put down religious
liberty in Bohemia, which was then Protestant. One
Emperor in 15 years converted the whole of the people
from Protestants into Catholics—that is to say in appear-
ance, for you may well believe that a people cannot be
well converted by any such arguments as that Emperor
addressed to them.—(Hear, hear.) The Jesuits
were boasting before the Pepe of that day of what they
had accomplished in Bohemia when they had converted
the whole nation, a Capuchin friar who was present
exclaimed, " Give me as many soldiers as were given to
the Jesuits, I will undertake to convert the whole
world." And if the same thing was not accomplished in
Hungary—if the same conversion from Protestantism to
Catholicism was not achieved, it was not for want of
similar atrocity; but they found in the Hungarians a
imnsotruendceeteinrmhinisetcolrpyeoinpleet—he(Clh7etehas.,),ootlurw:,.ll
Therernen is mention
iana
town in Hungary which has been the scene of war and
nofumbahtetrle
oaft ttlios
icloahya,haintadnctsald
pleetitEiopneeres.
dithe lnra atghnaattteoswannda
the chief people for assistance in order to establish a
school. A more reasonable or innocent request could
not well be imagined, but these magnates saw in that
innocent request, as they imagined, a deep conspiracy.
The principal persons who had come forward with the
request, 23 of the most influential and most respectable
inhabitants, were immediately seized, tried, and con-
demned to death.—(Shame.) They were offered their
lives upon one condition, that they would abjure the
Protestant faith. Not one of them would consent, and
they were all executed with the most horrible tortures.—
(Sensation, and cries of " Shame.") Now, it may be
said, these are old grievances, these things happened 150
years ago. But are not the descendants of that family,
ere not those of the house of Hapsburg of the present
day, treading still in those bloody footsteps?—(Hear,
hear.) Are they not now shooting their prisoners of
war in cold blood?—(Hear, hear.) Are they not
scourging women?—(Hear, hear.) Aro they not hang-
ing ministers of religion—(Hear, hear)—and to show
their perfect impartiality they take care to hang a Ca-
tholic priest and a Protestant clergyman on the same
gallows.—(Shame.) This is the way in which this
house of Hapsburg, or those generals and princes and
chiefs who are employed for it, carry on the war at this
present day. And it makes one's blood curdle to think
of the scenes which are at this very moment perhaps
practising in that unfortunate Hungary—that country
whose whose only crime is to demand those rights which
to
Emperor himself has bound himself by a solemn oath
of
preserve.—(Hear.) Have you read tho.epsroofc,,
Shame.")
General Ilaynau?—
add even the Secretary of Stat
It was mentioned las(t"Yweese'leyeis;ft'oharen:ll,ocroreulisgenoAf
all the diplo-
matic Lord Palmerston,ficaoimrsmboiwas:
,he iis„ eisghorror at it.—(CUere.)
notwithstanding)lii ed toeven ho could
nrefrainx h
ett ie caution
fromwh,i3c ho
o .hheousepeoofollo aposfburrestthhis
thatGe-
ttohe-fl,-1,3g2n0 matter what—no matter
aibnest
thleiimsex,orwhahtis
mafoyrcehse—tnhoo
nWe rhayt
if
they tshil
gsadhyotn minion_a oa ,
how
matter what may
age of the offender—e vi)ae yl
tTi
document
ofec na
ttuh
phe
ume t
ni
csoudto
mistakeodme bde deliberately
in-
stantul
yt
iTs(l2 agfiec.
"Doomed to death is every one
obt lyt'.ayat .uo
ltdih,T;ahrtillata without. ( Hreeaair)i
idu
attot.a r
without. regard to sex,
ceu'llitdcsoeas afanlystehir
nugmour, vd,nhins‘uuls,ctrien pof wen whocir-
-0 that, supposing any little child' one of
do
oy
anything soldiers;
towards one of these ruffians which he may be displeased
j
with, he being the lid of his' own case, being arrested
under that proclamation, will be put to death.—(Shame.)
If this is the mode in which the Austrians act, do they
not, hy these means, shew their impotence ? They have
met the Hungarians in the field of battle.—(Cheers.)
They ire Tery prowl Of having overcome the Italians On

plaini of Lombardy, under R'adetzky, whentheir
rawfrrty: ew d thatr t Oi undisciplinedmwtaallse,
aars, opposed11r immeasurably t o
superior,
a
andlevieswhenthere of
Italians,
were
lians, tinac-
ewhat
// was worse, generals tainted with treachery.—
Tea:, hear.) Let them boast of the achievements, of'-
I d tzky obtained in such a meaner; \h whatibieW:e',l--
they to boast of when they encounter! ilite,ll.eri 'NI of ;
Hungary ?—(Cheers.) What have thelsc Atd• s aqt
even when aided by their Russian allies?—(CLei6o4
When they have the audacity to come forward for a moel.l-=
ment to meet the gallant Dembinski—(Cheers)—the
intrepid Bem—(Cheers)—or the victorious Georeey— •
(Cheers)—they are immediately put to flight and driven
ignominiously, routed the minute that they meet those
forces.—(Loud cheers.) Again and again has
Bem beaten them. Ile has beaten them in every
encounter—(Cheers)—and the last news that we have
in the second edition of the newsnepers this day is that
he has driven them out of Transylvania.—(Voci-
ferous cheering.) Now, gentlemen, having spoken
to you of the horrors perpetrated by the Austrians,
and their allies the Russians, let us just
consider for a moment how these things are met by the
Hungarians.—(Hear, hear.) Oh what a contrast is
there! While Austrians and Russians butcher and hang
their prie tiers, scourge women, and put clergy-
men to death, the Hungarians carry. on the
war with all the courage of patriots, but
with all the humanity of Christians.—(Cheers.) By
them is no prisoner put to death. Those that fall into
their hands, however ageravating the circumstances may
be, are still treated with leniency and with forbearance.
—(Chcers.) I have had letters from the British Consul
at Bucharest, on the confines of Hungary, telling me of
the kindness, the consideration, end the courtesy with
which General Bern has behaved to some English per-
sons who have fallen into his hands, for sorry I am to
think that there are, or have been, in the Austrian army,
some of our coun:rymere A deal is 3ci 1, and I take this
opportunity of adverting to it, of the Hungarians being
assisted by foreigners, and it is made constantly a matter
of reproach to the Poles that they have entered the
army of the Huregarians ; they have not only entered it,
hut, I am proud to say, they have led it—(Cheers)—
and led it to victory. But why, when there is nothing
wrong, nothing shameful in Englishmen, or persons of
any other country entering the service of the despotic Em-
perors of Austria and Russia, why is it wrong or not
noble for Poles to go and aid their brother Hungarians
in their struggle for liberty ? Some of our countrymen
and countrywomen have fallen into the hands of General
Bern ; amongst others, a Captain Weston and his lady,
Lady Horatia Weston were taken prisoners. I
haveul
atletters,
Bucharest, asl
telling
m mentionedevoenr,t
setting
efttri oßn mguGehheeantrrheearesat
tl
oCtnoco
Ben
thees
at
chaarde of the Csoennstulthoef hleaPn'atei
liberty, and that she could not find terms to express her
gratitude for the kindness she had received at his hands.
—(Cheers.) Again, the town of Ofen was besieged by
the Hungarians. It was defended by the Austrians
with courage certainly worthy of a better cause. The
fortress of Ofen commands the town of Pesth,
immediately below, and the commander of the
fortress being besieged opened a cannonade
upon the defenceless town below. General
Georgey sent a message to him that it was perfectly
useless for him to attempt to defend himself, that the
Hungarian force was overwhelming, that the result must
be that he would surrender in a short time, and it war;
useless to prolong the contest; above all, he called upon
him not to bombard a defenceless town, which could do
him no good, and which would produce so much misery and
bloodshed. But the Austrian commander—who, by the
hy, was not an Austrian, but a Swiss, and, therefore,
ought to he exposed to as much rebuke by the enemies
of Austrian domination—would not listen to reason, but
continued to bombard the town, and laid a great part of
it in ashes. Georgey sent word that, if he persevered,
when he took the fortress he would put every man
to the sword. In a short time he succeeded in
taking the place. Did he execute his threat,
which ho might have done ? He did not.—
, (Loud cheers.) Not one person was slain, not one
man was put to the sword, and I have this day seen an
English gentleman, who but for affliction would have
come here to tell you the story himself, who has re-
ceived letters from his nephew, an officer in the Austrian
service, who was taken in that fortress, and who bore
witness to the great kindess which he received at the
hands of General Georgey. There are two letters—
the first was written immediately after he was captured.
Ile says " We have all been treated with the greatest
kindness. I have taken upon myself, hearing that
General Georgey was a humane man, to write a letter
and state that I am an Englishman, and express a hope
that he would have some consideration for me; that I
could have ne part in the contest further than to do my
duty as an officer." lie had not then got the answer.
He has since written another letter, dated from Vienna,
and that second letter says " As soon as General Georgey
received my letter, and found that I was an Englishman,
and what my circumstances were, be immediately sent
me a passport, and told me I was free to depart."
(Cheers). (Cheers). That is the mode in which the Hungarian
Chiefs reply to the barbarous cruelty of the Austrians
and Russians ; and summing up the whole when
they are contending for rights not only natural but
but legal, when they they are contending for a wise and
a reasonable constitution, when their watchwords are
" Civil liberty," " Religious liberty," and " Free trade,"
and when they defend these principles in the noble and
gallant way in which they have done—in a way worthy
of freedom, worthy of civilized men, worthy of Christians
—with indomit tole courage but without barbarity, how-
ever provoked—l say that these men are worthy to
~‘,lO, oar sympathies—that they are worthy to engage
the interests of the British nation, foremost amongst the
free, and that we ought, one and all to do everything in
our power to forward the noble Hungarian cause.—(Loud
cheers.) I think, therefore, gentlemen, that you will
affirm the resolution which it is now my duty to read to
you :—" That this meeting views with detestation and
horror the barbarous manner in which the Austrian and
e
• ptlbhirr
out
rtsbiss,
aeti3ta,iiinoc
nouGnnoedgfnus ecrartil aI are
al
ns
civilizedsdeservinge p ro
ioeifac considersuttihi,nne sg.
just
,ul_t the
rc
[jab::a
sdu brutal
indignant
a n and
againstLordshipbl o
rthodree
sumed his seat amidst enthusiastic plaudits and cheering,
which continued for several minutes.
Mr. J. A. ST. JOHN seconded the resolution, remark-
ing that it would be a waste of time to detain the meeting
after the, eloquent speeches they had just heard ; but he
thought it right to express his belief that too narrow a
view was taken of the Hungarian cause.—(Hear, hear.)
The movement in llungary, if successful, would not
benefit Hungary alone, but it would give an impetus to
democracy throughout the whole of Europe, and secure
freedom to the people of every oppressed nation.—(Hear,
hear.) Hungary, therefore, must not be allowed to fall;
and if peaceful sympathy rendered her no substantial
help, then must the people of England call upon the
Government to go to war on her behalf.—(Hear, hear.)
The resolution was then put and carried.
Mr. NICIIOLAY moved the third resolution as fol-
lows:—" That this meeting considers the military inter-
vention of Russia in the affairs of Hungary wholly un-
justifiable, and a gross violation of the law of nations,
the indefasible right of Hungary, and perilous to the
peace, the freedom, and the general welfare of Europe."
He was of opinion that Lord Palmerston was not op-
posed to Hungarian independence, but he was waiting
for the people to speak out, and then he would recognise
her independence. If, however, English sympathy
would have no effect upon Austria or Russia, he .had
sufficient confidence in his countrymen to believe that
thousands of them were, like himself, ready to enter the
battle- fieldin support of the Hungarian cause.—(Cheers.)
Mr. LING seconded the resolution, which was
_carried
unanimously,
United States, moved the next resolution,
and announced himself to be at the head of a band of
bold Americans who bad arrived in this metropolis on
their way to Hungary, to place their swords and lives at
the disposal of her people. The resolution ho moved was
as follows :—" That the immediate recognition of the
Government de facto of the kingdom of Hungary by
this country is no less demanded by considerations of
justice and policy, and the commercial interests of Re
too states, than with a view of putting
a stop to the effusion of human blood,
and of terminating the fearful and bloody atrocities
which mark the progress of the Austrian and Russian
armies.
The resolution having been seconded, was put and
carried unanimously, after which three lusty rounds of
cheers were given for the Colonel and his gallant com-
panions.
Mr. BIaRBECK—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, if
the resolutions which have been proposed to you have
required but little advocacy, that which I shall now
hate the honour to read to you I am sure requires none.
It is-7" That this meeting cannot separate without ex-
pressing their admiration of the high-minded Hunga-
rian patriots—namely, Kossuth, Rem, Gorgey, Bathy-
any, Dembinski, Guyon, and others, and earnestly here
that they will continue their noble exertions in a cause
which has the sympathy of the British nation." Gentle-
men, I believe that if we look for a parallel in history to
Ko(suth, we shall be obliged to seek it in the
lastna and
nation
to
which the gentleman belongs who hase o
so eloquently addressed you.—(Cheers.)
of Washington—(Cheers)— wh
to fill in history.—
same place that Kossuth is destined
not a Hungarian as
though
(Cheers.) Of General Be,ni
cChhleebresii)ev t iLt occupies name
the
by
having conferred up(
his campaign • Transylvania
benefits—l believe that
d by competent judges to have
,thaend resolution, tha tla e
wwiiltlehremhia:d
been not
haed in
is styled in this resolution,
abruyt
the still
greatest
tlelaut ne gs
ta ri a n
possible,
is pronounce
Nobleii)hirED3lieelhEoLl:l:talr:LaniaL;
unworthy of Napoleon himself.—(Loud cheers.) You
rth an
d
know that Dembinski has encountered Paskiewitch with
tired worsted from the encounter.—th(aLutouehcel cthoeoekrsse)ryvricloceue-f
frEoiraigltiislha
Englishmen
service vine e Guard. I think
iliiekeremtiarnedywas an officer
Audstrpiatrchased an estate in
Hungary. When his adoptedan
_country required his ser-
vices he drew his sword in her defence.—(Cheers.) His
gallantry was so great, that with, I think, 2,000 men
alone, he defended a town against five times that number
for several days—(Loud cheers)—and I believe there is
no man in the Hungarian army who is so celebrated for
his daring bravery as Richard Guyon.—(Loud cheers.)
Gentlemen, I will not detain you with detailing the
merits of the other Hungarians who aro mentioned in
this resolution, because what is remarkable in the Hun-
garian nation is, that all classes, from the highest to the
lowest, from the Peer to the peasant, have combined to
do their duty; and I would ask you, how i
find no men comings this to be
explained, that while in Austria you
forward who are remarkable for talent or patriotism, you
find in Hungary a host of efficient men filling every
situation, both civil
and military, with the
greatest credit to
themselves and with the
to their country ? The answer i
greatest advantage
is
easy to be found. It is because Austria does not differ
•
from. Hungary more than this, that Austria is a despotio
Government, and Hungary a liberal one that in this