Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-09-14
FACTS IN The HISTORY OF HUNGA


Now that the Hungarians, the valiant defend
ers of the throne of Maria Theresa, are sustain
ing, with such signal bravery and success, their
terrible struggle with the two colossal powers
of Eastern Europe, any authentic details Of their
origin and history will be read with profit We
believe that in their whole national career they
have never before SO completely arrested the at
tention of the entire civilized world.
History first takes special notice of this people
in recounting the extraordinary achievement of
Attila, the scourge of God, as he was accustomed
to term himself, and King of the Huns, as he is
now more generally designated.
Montesquieu gives the following lively sketch
OF this wonderful Imam, which he processes to have
derived from the historians, Jornandes and Pris-
Gus:
"Aua was excessively proud and artful; fierce
in his anger, but capable of Fastening or defer
ring his revenge, according to his interest never
making war when peace would secure his pur-
poses; though waited upon by kings whom he
had subiugatcd, he himself maintained all the an
ccnt simplicity of the Huns. We cannot too
highly praise the bravery of this chief of Il nation
whose young men were excited TO passion by the
recital OF the brave deeds of their fathers, and
whose fathers shed tears at being no longer able
to initiate thei fcidren."
BY this fragment we learn that the vaIor of the
modern Hngarlans Is an inheritance. The Hun
garians have very appropriately given to Louis
kossuth, President OF the Council of Defence.
the surname of Attia, as the iittest representa-
tive of their great national type.
Without pretending to discover any wonderful
resemblance between the barbarous conqueror OF
the fifth century and Louis kossuth. the ardent
promoter and interchangeable defender of Hungari-
an liberty and independence, it deserves to Be re-
/ b,-l
dent temporizing before he engaged in struggle
which too great precipitation would have rendc-
red very unequal, by the invioIable secrecy with
which he veilcd until the decisive moment both
his ends and the means by which he was to at
tain it, kossnth, in many points of view, has ell
titled himself to a name, which implies to the
Hungarian the highest distinction.
The Huns, originally from Asia had establish
ed in that part of the world a vast empire, hich
was overthroWn by the Chinese about the wear
80. Driven from their homes, they wandered
during nearly three centuries in the northern
countries of western Asia and eastern Europe
without remaining any where. About the COM
mencement of the fifth century, under the gui-
dance of Attila, their chief, they spread them
selves like devastating torrent over Germany.
! Italy, and France. After rayaging the countries
over which they had passed. Atia and his savage
hordes found themselves. in ISL, on the plains
of Chalons in the presence of the Frank and
Burgundian warriors, commanded By Mororee
and theodore, and the Roman legions Comman-
ded by Actius. who, in the presence of a common
enemy, had allied themselves to the Frank and
Burgundian forces. The battle was terrible.
Contemporary chronicles speak of the Norm red
rened with waves of blood and crowded with the
bodies of the dead. Atta was vanquished two
hundred thousand barbarans according to the
chronic lers of those times remained dead upon
the battlefield.
After this terrible defeat. the King of the Huns
was obliged to retire into Pannona, from whence,
in the following year, 452, he sailed forth at the
head of new army and threw himself upon the
inviting plains OF Italy. After ravaging the coun-
try, he prepared himself to attack Rome, when
the Pope Leo. came to meet him, und so moved
him by his words and the impressive company
which attended him, that the barbarian formally
relented before the representative of St. Peter.
and withdrew his forces. Soon after Attilla died
from the effects of 4 dPbauch. the night of his
marriage with daughter OF the king Of the Bap-
TRANS.
The children of Attla could not agree and
other Huns or Hungarians. profiting by their di-
visions, burst forth from beyond the Nolga, con-
quered the former subjects OF Attila. and occupi-
ed entirely that part OF Pannonia which they had
taken and which still retains the name OF Hun
gary.
The history of Hungary from this time forth
is very obscure, until towards the year 1000,
when St. Stephen, a descendant from one OF the
Hungarian princes, was named sovereign by cleo