Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-08-31

sympathy in favor of the HGngarlanss that
we think a short sketch of the actual position
of the country previous TO the war. together
with the immediate cause of hostilities be-
tween the Tlungarians and Austrians cannot
be devoid of interest 10 our readers.
The country which is known as Hungary,
is about twice the area of the State of New
York, and is naturally the richest and most
fertile country in Europe. lis whole popula-
ton is computed at twelve millions, nearly
FIVE millions of whom are Magyars, (pronoun-
ced Mod-yars)--or Hungarians, properly so
called. About an equal number are Sclavon-
ians-or Sclaves The balance are Germans
Of these the Magyars are the dominant race,
and their language prevails over all others, as
the Sclavonian inhabitants of Hungary con-
sist OF several tribes, speaking different dia-
lects, and having, in fact, very few points of
resemblance, except their origin The mobiles
and privileged classes were almost exclusively
of the Magyar nation.
In 1912 The statistics of the various religious
denominations in Hungary, were as follows:
Roman Catholics, 6 ,444.41; Greek Church,
1892, TIT; Protestan,s. 2.964,l24; Unitari-
ans. 45,769; Jews, 256,882. There. is pTdss
baby but little change since then. Z 1t should
be remarked that the protestants are mostly
Magyars. .s
The Hungarian nation which was founded
by Arpad, in the ninth century. became
Kingdom in the year 1000. under Stephen,
who received the royal diadem from Pope
Sylvester. At this time the government re-
sembled that of England, about the same time
being a constant struggle between the king
and the mobiles, the body of the people having
no voice in the State. Stephen added Tran
sylvania 10 the Hungarian Kingdom. In the
course of the next two centuries, Sclavonia,
Crotia, Dalmatia, Bosnia, Servia, and Gallacia
were successfully added TO the crown.
In the year 1928, eight years after the Ba-
rons OF England had compelled John 10 grant
the Mag Charta, the Hungarian Maghates
obtained similar charter from Andrews H.
under the title of the Golden Bull. This they
consider the foundation of The constitution
The next remarkable event is the union of the
crown of Poland with that of Hungary in
1913, by the marriage of Louis, King of Hun
gary, with the Princess Elizabeth, daughter
to the King of Poland Shortly afterwards
Hungary was involved in disastrous conflicts
with the Turks, then in the full tide of con.
quest, in the course of which she lost several
provinces, and in 1926, the Turks, under Sui
tan SoIyman, defeated and almost annihilated
the elite of the Magyar chivalry at the battle
of Mohacs. Among the slain was the Hun.
garian King. A civil war now arose for The
succession, which resulted in the choice BY
the diet, of Ferdinand, of Austria, brother O
the Emperor, Charles the V, who was made
King in 1547, from which time dates the con
nection of Hungary with Austria through him
and his descendants, Emperors of Austria ant
Kings Of Hungary.
The history of Hungary since this connec
ton with Austria, presents, on one hand, +;
series CT attempts by the Emperors, TO deprive
her of her national existence, and reduce he
to the position OF an Austrian Province; OF
The other the most heroic resistance, and very
generally a successful assertion of their an
Gent liberty and nationality on the part O
the Hungarians. We pass over these dowi
TO the year 1890. when, in consequence o
, certain attempts by the Emperor, Joseph II
the Hungarian Diet assembled al Presburg
exacted from him an express recognition o
their rights. in article 10 of which he solemn
lr declafed--'' That Hungary is free and in
dependent nation in her entire system of legis
lation and administration, and not subject +
any other Stale CT any other people, but tina
she shall always have her own separate exis
tence and constitutions, and shall be governed
by Kings crowned according TO her nationa
laws and customs 1t is to defend thes
>. fights that the Hungarian nation in this yea
! Of 1849 are now in arms.
So far, we have detailed the history of Hun
q gary chiefly in its relations with other coun
Etries We will now look at the political an
, social condition of the great mass of the PEG
n pee IISNIOuo ~ lhC tCIOitIo W hlSA hdsC We
made in 1s47 8. Up 10 that lime the numbe
of men enjoying political rights Throughout
all Hungary did not exceed two hundred thou
sand the rest were serfs, both socially an
politically. The only free persons in Hunga
ry were those of noble descent, ii led or uni
tied, every other, if not soldier, belonged t
somebody. On the serfs. all the burden {
the Stale were thrown--al lis benefits wer
reaped by the eideIman or noble-the peas
:, ant was forced 10 make roads, and then TO pa
., Toll on them for the benefit of the State, Will
the privileged class, who contributed nothing
!, passed over free; and as late as 1885 ever
= eideman possessed an almost unlimited pow
err of punishment over his peasantry. Neitf
er has there ever been any precise limitatio
either TO the tribute or labor which the mob
might extract from the serfs. The only star
n dard upon the subject seems 10 have been III
II Urbarium,a mere proclamation issued by Mari
Teresa, in 1894. According 10 this, what
II called farm, now consists of twenty fv
II acres, and as much grass as man can NOW
twelve days For this, the tenant was 10 pa
l. one-ninth of all his produce, and give the !;