The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-19 00:00:00

AUSIR.LI AND HUNGA.RY.

A letter from Vienna dated April 15, sayS,--
During the last three days the Moderates in the
Hungarian Diet have been trying to persuade the
Ultras to agree to an Address to the Sovereign in
reply to the Message which was communicated to
the two Houses by the Royal Commissary. Desk,
Eotvos, Gorove, and Szalay, have more than once
spoken in favour of an Address ; but Count II-
Teleky, Nyary, Lonyay, and all the other ad-
vanced Liberals, maintain that there is no necessity
for one. " Let the Diet," say they, " take resolu-
tions, and in the regular way of business communi-
cate them to the Crown." The members of the
Lower Chamber have held none but private con•
ferences since Friday last ; but it is known that the
discussions relative to the Address have been ex-
ceedingly animated. All the members of the Lower
House will insist on the restoration of the laws Of
1848, but the Moderates wish, if possible, to avoid
a rupture with the Government. The Ultras, on
the contrary, who aim at the separation of Hun-
gary from Austria, endeavour to render a com-
promise impossible, During the lost 24 hours I
have discussed Hungarian matters with several
experienced politicians—Magyars as well es
Austrians—and all of them agree with me is
thinking that a civil war is almost inevitable.
The Austrians believe the Hungarians may be
" brought to their senses" by violent measures ;
but I am not of the same opinion. Extreme
severity would lead to rebellion, and, if there
should be a rising in Hungary, Austria would
soon be attacked in Venetia, and possibly on
her eastern and south-eastern frontiers. The Con-
servative party in Hungary exists but in name, and
the Austrian Government is now well aware of the
fact. For the moment Deak and Eotvos are able to
make head against the Ultra-Liberals (Separatists);
it is foreseen that the party of which County L.
Teleky is the acknowledged leader will soon carry
all before it. The Austrians say that the Emperor
ought not to make any further concessions to the
Hungarians, bat it would be well for all parties if
the Government could manage to come to an under-
standing with the moderate Liberals, who still
maintain that the union of Hungary and Austria
is a political necessity. The more Conservative
Magnates are extremely depressed, and one of them
a few days ago told me that the state of things in
Hungary is almost as bad as it was in 1848. He
also spoke of the irresolution of the Emperor, who
gives a promise to his Hungarian subjects on one
day and allows himself to be persuaded to retract
it on the next. Of the 300 persons returned
to the Hungarian Diet 118 are men Who were
in serious difficulties at the close of the war in
1849; 40 of them were either condemned to
death or to prolonged imprisonment, but escaped
the punishment awarded to them by crossing
the frontier into Turkey. There are also twelve
Honved officers and 32 Magnates in the Lower
House. In the Upper House there are four persons
who, for a time, were shut up in a fortress, and
15 or 16 Honved officers. It is said that lg..
Pulssky, as an Hungarian deputy, applied to
Baron Vay for a " safe conduct," but that the
Austrian Government refused to grant it. It is
rumoured that Count L. Teleky will be called to
account for breaking the promise which he gave to
the Emperor. General Benedek has just issued a
"Presidia] Rescript," which cannot fail to produce
a great sensation in Hungary and to make the
Magnates his personal enemies. The document is
long, but the sense of it may be given in a conden-
sed form.
" His Majesty," says the Commander-in-Chief of
the Austrian army in Italy, „has been pleased to
give a Liberal Constitution to his subjects. As ex'.
military men have right of suffrage it may be well
that I should make known my opinions to them.
In fact it is necessary that we soldiers should see
our way clearly.
" All the nationalities will have an opportunity
of developing themselves, but the Reichsrath is to
have the management of all those matters which
concern the empire at large. Notwithstanding
that so much has been given, many persons are dis-
contented, and would fain sow the seeds of doubt
and distrust. Who is it that is opposed to the
realization of the intentions of the Emperor ?
Abroad, certain Governments which have an in-
veterate hatred to Austria, and patronize revolutions.
At home, advocates and physicians who have no
practice, ambitious and avaricious journalists, dis-
contented professors and schoolmasters. To these
may be added all the petty nobles who like to hear
the sound of their own voices, and a few dastard',"
Magnates, who do not see that they will be lost if
they do not cling firmly to the throne. Thus the per-
sons who agitate against the new Constitution are
either traitors or a part of the intelligent mob.
" Our duty, as soldiers, is to act according to the
laws of honour and to obey our Sovereign. The
struggle here, in Venetia, will be violent but deci-
sive, and it is our duty to hold firmly together, in
order that the victory may be ours, The Aionarchy
has to be kept together by the exertions of the
army, and I confidently expect that each individual
will do his duty when the day of trial comes.
" Such arc my opinions and views, and I wish
them to be communicated to the soldiers in their
mother tongue ; but it must be well understood
that the contents of this rescript are only to be
known in military circles.
"Head-quarters at Verona, March 27,"

" Feldnugmeistor BENEDEK.

The publication in the Maitar Zeitung of Bene-
dek's ill-advised address to the army was a gross
breach of confidence, and its evil consequences will
speedily be seen. The Feldzeugmeister speaks Of
" dastardly" Magnates, and one or other of the
high-spirited Hungarian nobles will not fail to call
him to account for the defamatory expression,
In some of the foreign papers it has been said
that the disturbances in Poland are likely to lead
to a close alliance between Russia, Prussia, and
Austria, but the question of an improved military
organization of the German Confederation has
led to a new misunderstanding between the last-
mentioned Powers. The Austrian general, Count
Huyn has been recalled from Berlin, and the nego4
tiations between the Austrian and Prussian Govern-
ments are, for the present, broken off. Prussia is
said to have endeavoured, but in vain, to obtain from
Austria the privilege of alternating with her in the
presidency over the Federal Diet. Another condi-
thin which Prussia wished to make was, that she, in
use of war, should have the supreme command Of
all the North German contingents to the Federal
army. There is now a great ferment in Galliciat
and several measures of precaution have recently
been taken by the Imperial Government. The in-
habitants of the province have received notice that
they will be severely punished if they c irry stick°
with metallic ferules or knobs, and they are not
allowed to have masses read for the repose of the
souls of their fellow-countrymen who were slain al',.
Warsaw. In the evening of the II th inst. there wag
a great tumult at Cracow, but I have not heel
that any one was wounded. Between 4,000 sed
5,000 persons knelt down in front of the Capuchin
church, and began to sing " God of the Poles,''
national anthem. Towards the end of the third

stanza a detachment of soldiers made its appear-
ance, and on seeing it the people quietly retired•
The Cracow correspondent of the Netieste Nach-
ridden says that the loaded guns in the citadel
were turned against the people, but no other writer
for the press mentions the circumstance. The Em-
peror received the Bohemian deputation en Satur-
day. The Minister of State and the Minister
of Finance will leave Vienna fer Prague thi9
evening.