The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-31
VOL. w.

irussia anu ahhui the truce. The Frankfort As
sembly, by approving the truce, sealed its depen
dence on the Governments of Germany and senaro
ted itself from the people From that day. the de-
cline Of its moral power may be dated. The fatal
vote was given on the 9th of September After Il
the Assembly became the football of the Prince
and by-word among the people Soon after the
commissarics Of the Assembly were sent back with
contumely from Austria its advice was contempt-
uously treated by the Brandenhurg Prussian Min
istry and one of its principal members Robert
Blum, was shot at Vienna, November 9th
The sympatbies of the people now CLING ~
the Constituent Assemblies of Prussia and An
tria, which the counterrevoution was preparipg
all its strength to attack. This was made NOR
easy Of execution by the jeslousy Of the Franz
fort Assembly for its sisters. In its Ignorance of
the true state of things, it supposed that it would
regain its former influence if the public attention
were not diverted from il by the existence Of
Chambers in the separate States Ii pursued its
work of framing n Constitution while the can
mons Of Windischgratz were baitering down vi
emma, and the state OF siege was declared at Ber-
lin. The Constitution, with all its rhetorical
hourishes, was completed, and proclaimed ON the
18TH OF December, as the fundamental law Of all
rmany About this time, Austria, who had
"
quered Vienna, and was at leisure to devote its
military force to Hungary declared her resolu-
ton not TO be prescribed to by the Frankfort
Assembly, and that she would consult with the
other Governments Of Germany on the subject Of
a Constitution. This declaration found the As
semby without power TO resist. 1t had long be-
fore abandoned the People, 10 attach itself to the
Governments An Austrian Prince was At The
head of the Empire, an Austrian minister lSchmer-
AZ 10 hos Of ha Co1 h.
did nothing. Schmerling resigned his Office and
Henri de Gagern became prime minister in his
place.
Gsgern's first proposition was that the Assem-
bly, should declare that Austria had excluded
herself from the Union which should be formed
without her. This was virtually declaring the
powerlessness of the Assembly. If the plan had
been carried cut, eleven millions of Germans
would have been excluded from the Empire. and
the foundations laid for permanent schism.
Austria did not fail to protest against the propo
sition Of M. Gagern She wished the Assembly
to disperse, and intrust all to the Governments
Thus had all the hopes of German unity and
freedom been shattered before the beginning of
lS49, by the incapacity and timidty of the Frank
fort Assembly
In Prussia, the Government had refused TO let
the army swear allegiance to the Empire, and
the aristocracy had held their convention (" for
the protection of the rights of property -owners"
Government and aristocracy were firmly allied
- a.. III &c So - Pon wyaavy,
had been appointed commander of the military
forces at Berlin and in the province of Mark.
pretext of action was only waited for This
was found in the action of the Prussian Assem-
bly, for the abolition of royalty "by the grace of
God, - and the substitution of that by the grace
of the people" and for the abolition Of all the
privileges of the nobility. The formation of the
Brandenburg ministry, the dissolution of the AS
sembly, the abolition of the Burgher Guard and
the proclamation of the state Of siege, followed
Immediately. On the 9Th of December, the King
published his plan of Constitution.
While the bourgeoisie submitted to the violence
of the Government, in the hope that with tran
quillity would come commerce, rise in stocks
and in rents thepeople retained its sense of right
and its principles: 1t had lost all confidence in
Government which had so often deceived it,
and felt that on itself depended the building up
of its liberties
In AuSyt0 both the revolution and the counter
revolution had different foundation, q different
object, and different means.
la the rest of Germany, the object of the rev.
olution was to melt different States into one in
Austria, it was to procure political independence
for different nationalities in one State In the
rest of Germany the counter-revoluton reposed
on the interests of the different dynastics Oppo
sed to those of the nation in Austria on the unity
of the Government, and the differences and jeal
ousies between the various nationalites The
promises made by the Austrian Government were
never sincere, but intended to be broken.
The fight of the Emperor Ferdinand to Inns.
bruck was the first attempt of the counter-revo-
luton This appeal to the provinces was not sue
cessfu for the fire of the revolution burnt bright
ly all over the country The Government then
sought to become master of n single point, and
directed all its energies against Italy, which, from
various causes did not possess the sympathies of
the rest of Austria
In the mean time, no opposition was made to the
Democracy in Vienna, and the most liberal con
cessons Of legislative and administrative indie
pendence as well as of the incorporation of Gro
alta and Transylvania, were made to the Hunga-
rians. Their enemy Jellachich was, June 10th,
deprived of all his offices and dgnties, and the
slaves in Bohemia had been suppressed by force
of arms.
The Austrian Government was not yet decided
whether TO repose on the Maygar-Germanic or
on the Scavonic nationality This hesitation
continued until the 22d of July, when the large
number of Sclaves at the Imperial Diet and their
readiness to serve the purposes of the Govern
ment, induced it to embrace their party. Jels-
chich was permitted to make bis preparations of
war, and on the Goth of September, the ministry
published proclamation against Hungary, revo-
king all previous concessions.
The danger for the Germans and Msgyars
caused them to enter at once into a tacit alliance
against the Government. The assassination of
the Austrian Commissioner, Count Lamberg the
appointment Of Jelachich rs Dictator Of Hungs-
ry the dissolution of the Hungarian Diet, and
the declaration of the nulty of all their proceed
ings, lighted up the flames of war, not only in
Hungary but in Vienna. The insurrection OF
Vienna commenced on the 9th Of October, and
the veteran armies Of Jellachich and Windisch-
gratz moved against that devoted city. Vienna
made a heroic defence, but Hungarian aid appear
ed too late, and when the Austrian capital was
bleeding under the sword of the Szeques and
Creates. The counter-revolution multiplied its
terrors in Vienna and in Italy, and, feeling now
secure insulted the Imperial Commissioners and
put to death the patriot, Robert Blum.
AS the weak and irresolute Emperor Ferdinand
considered himself bound by his promises, the
Court party persuaded him to abdicate in favor
of his nephew, Francis Joseph the son of the in
triguing Archduchess Sophia. This young En-
peror mounted the throne on the I'd of December
and formed the ministry Of Schwarzenburg and
Stallion for the prosecution OF the counter-revo-
luton
Hungary hal recognised neither the last or
dinances Of the Emperor Ferdinand nor the ac-
cession of Francs Joseph In the last month of
the year 1913, the war against this noble nation
had been commenced. The armies of Jellacbich
and Windischgratz had already before the be-
ginning Of the year lsl9, occupied considerable
part of the country. IL seemed probable that the
Magyars would be shortly subdued, and the Aus
TRAN Government sgain in the enjoyment Of its
power.
The above is n sketch of the position Of affairs
in Europe ut the beginning of the year ls49.
The counter-revolution had everywhere begun,
and had made such advances that already II seem
ed certain of the victory; the power of the revo-
luton was everywhere broken-here, by des-