The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-29

considerable portion Of the people agains,
Austrian power. II was not spectacle
such as the world has often witnessed, Of
trained army following the fortunes Of
some military conqueror, and under his
lead performing prodigies of valor; but il
was the avowed, well understood case OF
a people fighting for themselves. The
Hungarian revolutionists, few or many
whether they were four millions of Mag
vars, as alleged by Mr.. Bowen, or seven
millions of Magyars, Slowacks, and Scla-
vonians, as alleged by the Hungarians
| themselves-rose as one man, and struck
for national Independence. This is the
great fact in the case, and it cannot be
nystified or talked out Of sight. And the
supposition that such movement was
begun and conducted, as our reviewer al
leges, for the purpose Of enslaving more
eaectually the very people engaged, as
well as the rest of the Hungarian popula-
ton, is, on the face of it, a proposition too
absurd TO obtain moments credence.
The original movers Of the Hungarian
rebellion, and the men who led the war,
were undoubtedly men of character and
substance, who did not start with the ideas
of the Chartists Of England, or the Red
Republicans of France or Germany. We
never heard of any body who so believed.
The contest always wore more com
pact, consistent, and national aspect, than
the spontaneous movements of the loose,
undisciplined masses who rose elsewhere in
Europe against their oppressors. And if it
be said, as it is said, that the Hungarians
did not start with the cry Of liberty, equal
ity and fraternity upon their lips; so like
wise it may be alleged that the men Of our
own revolution of 1776 did not originally
move against the expressions of monarchy.
They were in the beginning, indeed, well
content with the monarchical system; and,
in our view, it would be equally just to
impute want of republicanism of spirit
to them, for this reason, as it is to impute
it to the Hungarians because they under
took no more at the outset than simply
resistance to Austrian domination. The
truth is, the end Of great national move
ment is seldom clearly seen from the be
ginning. But when people have gone
so far as to make up their minds 70 resist
arbitrary power by revolution and war,
and have plunged into the contest, sword
in hand, determined to succeed or to per-
ish in the attempt, they have taken long
stride in the direction Of free government,
which entities them to receive, and for
which they will receive, sympathy and en-
enlargement from all true lovers of liberty.
| What Mr.. Bowen says, therefore, about
the Magyars not early declaring for re-
publicanism, may, and should, in view of
these general considerations, and especial
ly in view of what subsequently occurred,
to which we will now advert, pass for just
nothing at all.
Two things of great significance, as
showing their republicanism of spirit, the
Hungarians certainly did. They decreed
the abolition of the feudal tenures, and
freed every serf in Hungary, by making
over the entire ownership of the lands
to the peasants thus securing to seven
millions of men a right to the soil on which
they live, and giving death-blow to the
landed aristocracy.
Another thing they did A central ode
mocratic Republican Club" was formed,
having for its object the Fastening of a
declaration of independence, and before
whom republican programme was laid,
which was received with the liveliest tes-
timonials of satisfaction and unbounded
expressions of applause. To this "Demo-
cratic Republican Club majority of the
members Of both the upper and loDer houses,
composing the Diet Of Hungary, and where
rests the legislative power, belonged.
After such radical action in relation to
the proprietorship Of the soil, and with
such an agency as this Democratic Re-
publican Club in motion, composed of
such men-wth the spirit of liberty rife
throughout Europe-the sympathy and
congratulations of the world pouring in
upon Hungary for her determined resist
ance to despotic power-does any man in
his senses believe, excepting Mr.. BowEN,
that the only result: Of the Hungarian move
ment, if successful, would have been TO
hold certain fraction of the people of
Hungary in " their former state Of subjec-
ton and dependence" and in establishing
bulwark "againsf the reforms demanded
by the spirit Of the age %
We wish to call attention to another
fact. The Hungarian patriots now in
this country, many Of the most distin-
guished Of whom are in this city, totally
and Indignantly deny the truth Of Mr..
BowES's allegation in regard to the OBJ
jects and causes Of the war maintaining
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