The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-05

cured II guaranteed national Independence, Hun
garian laws and officers, and Hungarian admin
istration of the affairs OF the country.
In these days of the violation Of the most sacred
rights, there has been violation more signal or
atrocous than the humiliation of the rights Of this
high-sPrited people, once the bulwark OF Christen-
dom. A charlie Octroyee, the work of an Austrian
cabinet, struck down their liberties at one stroke,
and left them, as kindred expedent-kndred in
its objects, though not in its form-and left our
fathers, no choice but submission or resistance.
These charles Ocfroyee are becoming quite fashion
able in the world Of arbitrary power, awakened
from its long slumber by the thunder of popular in
dignation, and particularly since the restoration Of
the Bourbons-that family which was they very imper-
sonation of the doctrine Of the divine rights Of kings
and they mark significantly the utter contempt for
the sovereignty of the people, which Is engraven
upon the hearts of all the lovers Of the good old
times when there were but two classes in the world,
those born to govern and those born to be governed
We first heard of them the foundation OF national
freedom, when the declaration OF rights, proposed
by the provisional government OF France, ON the
overthrow of Napoleon, presented 70 Louis
XVIII for his solemn adhesion. He rejected this act
of popular power, holding on to his divine right;
but, as the restoration would have been placed IN
hazard without security for the liberties OF the
French people, this plan of charte Octr0yee was
resorted to, charter granted By the sovereign,
mating from his gracious benevolence, and giving
TO the nation certain rights, not because It was
entitled to claim them, but because he was kindly
disposed to limit his own hereditary authority, and
pressed than they had been in the good old days OF
arbitrary power And this is a charte Octroyee; by
which, when the fears of kings prompt them to make
concessions to popular movements their diUine right
isreservcd for future use and the sovereignty of the
people practically rebulxed and derided. The les
son was too precious TO be lost, and Prussia and
other States have followed the example; and human
rights Octy0yee, giUe d0ed out, as the fears or
caprice of a single man may dictate.
Well, sir, the Austrian ministry was seized with
passion for political unity; by which, at the sac
riice of all those If you please
rious races bound by ties feeble or stronger to the
monarchy, they were to become one people, homo
genous in nothing but in an imperial decree.
a charte Octroyee was got up, for the occasion;
and, by kind Of political legerdemain-if not as
dexierous, at least rapid, as the feats Of the ne
cromancer--al the traits of nationality, cherished
by the associated members of the monarchy, were
swept away, and they all became Austrians BY this
ct Of arbitrary power offensive to their pride az
il was subversivc of their rights. Hungary was to
disappear from the map Of independent nations,
and all its institutions were placed at the mercy OF
a foreign court; and while the empty form OF
kind Of representation was given to her, in jar
ring assembly, divided by language, races and in
teress, all substantial power was reserved to the
emperor and his cabinet.
But Kossuth has himself depicted the condition
of his country in words of truth and power, which
appeal to every heart:
" Nothing but the most revolving treachery, the
most tyrannical oppression, and cruelties unheard
of in the words of history nothing but the infer
nal doom of humiliation to her national existence,
preserved through thousand years, through ad-
versities SO numerous, able to arouse her to
resist the fatal stroke, aimed at her very life, to
enable her to repuse the tyrannicai assaults Of the
iingrateful Hapsburgs, or accept the struggle for
life, honor and liberty, forced upon her.
She did accept it and the Hungarian people
rose man to resist these gross aggressions,
and their gallant exertons would in all probability
have been crowned with success, had not the COM
mon sympathy of despotism brought new enemy
into the field. The Russian scented the blood from
afar and Hungary fell, like Poland, before the
Cossack and the Pandour, an everlasting reproach
TO the contemnors of the laws of God and man,
who accomplished these nefarious schemes.
The issue was made known to the Gar by has
general, in a despatch whose brevity Sparta might
have enyed Hungary lies at the ie e Of your
bered in all future time The foot OF one man upon
ten millions of people.
Imperial arrogance GO no farther. He who
does not instinctivey and Indignantly scorn such
pretcnsons, would have opposed the Declaration OF
Independence on this side Of the water, and the
great Charter of King John on the other
have presented this brief review Of Hungarian
rights and wrongs, not as the direct motive Tor the
adoption of this resolutionthat choose to put upon
another ground the ground ofatrocious cruelty-bot
because desire to take from Austrian advocates,
there are any in this country-I know there are
none in this Senate-the last excuse ior tne vio,a
tons of the common feelings OF our nature, by
showing that the attack upon Hungarian indie
nendence was as reckless and unjustifabe as were
the cruelties inflicted upon the Hungarian people
After the political catastrophe came the oai La
manity. The love Of power being gratihed, the
love of revenge claimed its hour OF triumph, and
well did il enjoy il. The world, in the darkest Pc
Rod of its history has rarely witnessed such scenes
of eratuitous cruelty as marked the establishment
of Austrian supremacy over unhappy Hungary.
The moral tendencies of the age are TO check the
euson of blood; 10 stop these judicial murders for
poljtica Offences so styled often indeed, as in this
case. the efforts OF true and tried patriots, men
who do honor 10 our common nature by their noble
qualities, 10 securesthe blessings OF freedom TO
their country. IL is honorable TO France and Eng
land that political martyrs no longer considered
by public opinion ms vile malefactors and believe
not drop Of blood has been shed in either country
for offences Of this kind during period OF many
years. But the Austrian code in principle and
practice out-dracoes Draco; and yeffries, himself,
loses half his claim TO infamous distinction when
placed in competition with Austrian judges and
generals.
:. I am not going 70 spread before you a map Of
these enormitics. They have resoundod through
both hemsphercs for many months. shall merely
glance at few general facts, that the true charac-
tor Of Austrian supremacy may be justly appre-
ciated.
let the patriot leader himself speak In his les
ter 10 Lord Palmerston after crossing the Turkish
frontier and when he feared the Porte would yield
TO the mcnaces Of Russia, and while refusing TO
save his life by becoming renegade TO his reli.
Thine presses--our doom may, In few days, be
scaled. Allow me 10 make an humble personal re-
quest.
81 am a man, my lord, prepared 10 face the
worst and can die with free look at heaven, az
have lived. But am also husband, son, and
father; my poor true-hearted wife; my children,
and my noble old mother, arc wandering about
Hungary. They will probably soon fall into the
hands OF those Austrians who delight In torturing
even feeble women, and with whom the innocence
Of childhood is protection against persecution.
oonjure your escellency, in the name Of the most
High, 70 put stop TO these crueties by your power
fol mediation; and especially 10 accord 70 my wife
and children asylum on tho soil OF the generous
English people.
'sAs 10 my people-my loved and noble country,
must she perish for everl Shall she, unsided, I'M
encouraged. be abandoned 10 humiliation by her
tyrants Gods will be done; am prepared 10
die. Once governor Of a generous people,
leave no heritage 70 my children. They shall, at
least, have an unsulied name. We are told, that
many Of the towns, which marked on the
map, have ceased 10 exist Some OF these with
twenty or thirty thousand inhabitants"
I can afford but extract for the deeds OF the
Austrian butcher, better known by that epithet
than by the name Of Haynau; but that distinction
~ IL atr.Arf