The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-19

ropean despotism pressed on all sides. France was
but one of the outer doors Of Europe, When we
recognised her an independent republic, we ganea
great outpost; but Hungary was the central pillar
the great central hinge, upon which all he central
European revolutions were likely to turn Had the
Independence Of Hungary been acknowledged and
maintained ere the lapse OF half century would
have been heard the last royal requiem over exp-
| ring monarchism in Europe
That Hungary was the great revolutionary battle-
field Of Europe, must be evident even 10 the casual
observer, who viii glance for moment at her geo.
graphical position. Desiring that the subject may
Be ntelligently discussed in its length and breadth,
deem il well TO refer TO her geographical relations
with the neighborng nations Of Europe. She forms
nearly square of about four hundred miles in ex-
tent; and yet, with all this territory and It's dense
| population, she was more completely encompassed
by political darkness than any other nation in Eu-
rope The story of her boundary is told when i is
said that Turkish despotsm ruled upon her east and
south, and Austrian tyranny upon her north and
west. Yet she is not altogether cut off from the
world and its highways Of trade and commerce. The
province Of Ltorae, in her extreme southwest, lies
upon the Upper Adratic; and there she can hold
communication with foreign nations, at Fiume, a
respectable port and city, containing think, p0-
pulation of not far from ten thousand. Here she
approaches Italy so near that her revolutionary
voice was easily heard in the halls Of Venice. A
narrow strip Of Austria inervenes; but, in spite OF
Vienna, if she would she could have easily marched
an army in northern Italy. Such an expedition she
had actually in contemplation for the relief of heroic
Venice and was about to execute it, when the Co.'S
sack rruption came down upon her and rendered
| her resources necessary for her own defence. Had
she been left 10 execute her design, can any say
that the fortunes Of Austria in Italy would not soon
have waned with disastrous overthrow What a
sublime spectacle would then have been presented
for our consideration Hungary revolunonized,
her armies across the Adriatic, and even carrying
the war into Africa by lighting her ancient enemy
on the plains OF Italy
/ said Hungary was bounded by Austrian tyran-
ny on the north. True, Austria was there, but il
was Polish Austria 1t is here that the Carpathian
range intervenes 10 form great national boundary.
Yes, Poland was there, and she was held RESPONSE
BILE, only for her own msfortunes, but the calam
tiles Of Hungary. And why' Because she was
revolutionary and her spirit though slumbering yet
lived and patiently waited for the day of her regene
ration. Austria saw this, and, with her eye upon
Galicia, fought not only for her ancient empire but
for Poland. Prussia saw this and prepared TO fight
for Poland, as she feared in Posen an outburst of
the Hungarian FIRE. Russia, too, saw it, and irem-
bled lest her stolen and sumbering remains Of Po-
land should awake with revolutionary fires. She
fought for Poland when she sent her host Of two
hundred thousand to desoate the plains Of Hungary.
According TO the emperor's own manifesto il was to
"defsnd the inviolabiity" Of the frontier; to put
down the Polish traitors of 1891, !" and "annhiate
the reckless men who also threaten to disturb the
quiet Of our province"
Turkey adjoins Hungary upon her east and
south. She, Of course, could have no sympathies
with mere abstract revolution but her refusal to al
low the armies of Russia to enter Hungary through
her territories, Is good evidence that she looked
upon Russia as trespasser there. She was con-
tent, so long as Anstro-Russian influence, in ap-
preaching her northern frontier, did not cross the
northern boundary Of Hungary. Turkey will ever
say 10 the czar--PAss NOT THE CARPATHIANs, so
LONG AS YoU HAVE YOUR EYE UPON THE BosPHoRUs.
The geographical relations Of Hungary upon the
west are also important Here, too lies Austria,
but il is German Austria. Beyond Hungary and
its appendages on the west, Austria becomes Ger
many, part of the great German family; and Ger
many is fast becoming to Europe what Poland has
been--a nursery of revolutions cradle of Euro
pean liberty. Her brave and dom-lovng sons
were found in the defence Of Rome, and she fur
nished Hungary with many brave soldier. Her
founders planted the seeds Of liberty in her old oak
en- forests; and wherever the German blood flows
in Europe, there will be found deep current ever
flowing in the direction Of halnan rights and politi
cal freedom. IL may be for while restrained; but
then it will only rest and gather its energies for
mighty overflow. II may be damned up for sea-
son but ihen without losing, II viii concentrate its
power, burst through all restraints, aud over
ride all obstacles sweeping away into the ocean the
accumulated and worthless rubbish Of centuries,
whilst il leaves behind pure and gentle stream in
the midst Of Towering and verdant helds, and reads
a moral in the monarch's year How vain, under
the light of modern civilization, to attempt to bar
ricade the progress of the human mind with tinsel-
led crows and diamond wreaths
This is, sir, a fruitful and animating theme.
wish It was also question Of acknowledging Ger
man freedom. But that has not yet come, and X
Is foreign TO the subject to speak at length upon the
affairs Of Germany. But thus much may be said /:
that revolution has here succeeded revolution with
the rapidty Of word and blow and no one can
tell how soon the revolutionary days Of February
shall work out for Germany what they worked out
for France. Hence the great family Of German
nations has sympathzed most closely with the rev
olutionary movements Of Hungary. The sun OF
liberty in Germany is for obscured, yet its
light is continually bursting through the dark clouds
and storms which surround IL.
"Yet, freedom yet Thy banner, torn but flying,
Streams like the thunderstorm against the wind
Thy trumpet voice, though broken now and dying,
Tbs loudest still the tempest leaves behind.
Thy tree hath lost II blossoms and the rind,
Chopped by the axe, looks rough and lille worth;
But the sap lasts, and still the seeds we find
sown deep, even in the bosom of'--
Germany. Il is vain, sir, to seek to dam up the
waters OF German freedom with royal gems and
pearls.
Such is the position Of Hungary, geographically
considered; and il plainly shadows forth some Of
the important consequences which would have
flowed from the recognition and maintenance Of her
independence But why, II may be asked, were
we called on thus early 10 decide upon SO import
ant measure--one which, so far as our declaration
could go, would have divided an old and powerful
monarchy, deprived Of its faircst territory and in
troduced new and powerful government into the
family Of natonsi First Of all, | answer, because
she had fought her way to independence, and suf-
hcienuy demonstrated her ability to maintain il as
against Austria.
Il is not our province to decide upon all the ques-
tions Of right which Rad arisen between Hungary
and Austria, and led the former TO dissolve her po
tical connexion with the latter. Yet il is crafty
ing to the American to know, and not wholly for.
eign 10 the discussion TO state, that Hungary had
soIemnly professed TO base her claims upon grounds
similar to those which revolutionary fathers
sumed, when they declared the American colonies or
Great Britain TO be free and independent She had
been practically independent Of Austria in what con-
cerncd her internal administration, and that ndepen-
dence had been recognised for theas three centuries
She belonged to the empire, yet she governed by
no emperor. The Emperor OF Austria was kind
Of or e6icio governor Of Hungary, and, az such,