Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-12-30

by the Constitution, ~ was the source or ali
law to Hungary, it had not been assembled
for full seven years before When it did
convene, tie purposes of good which had
been fermenting all over the land, in the Sc
Guided mock no less than in the magnate's
par.or, were brought to head Its first
4 proposal, though it was composed mainly Of
landholders. Go their glory be it said } was
the emancipation of the peasants--peasants,
as we have seen, who had been originally ia
a tolerably good condition, but who had been
reduced to state Of almost seridom. Its
next proposal was to make every inhabitant
Of mature ago voter, thus placing the lib
critics Of the nation on the most liberal and
sure foundation. 1t then ordered tho festor-
alton of the native language Of the people By
new and strong enactments II Incorporated
a college for the revival of the native iitera
ture. It stimulated industry by commenting
system Of internal improvements, and thus
4 for four years went on in the sauic wise and
generous spirit, to recover the lost preroga-
tives and enlarge the ircednm Of the whole
people.
1 But all these measures were steadily rcsis-
ted by the agents of the Austrian Govern
ment who left no means untried TO rebuke
and suppress the rising spirit of democracy
They saw in the success OF these measures
the certain downfall Of the Imperial power
From remonstranee aud threats, they proceed
ed to open violence and prosecution. Among
the leaders of the movement was venerable
Magyar noble--noble alike by nature and
position the Baron Wesselenyi, whose We
4 nemeut words and determined spirit rallied
Il - |. III ff IL
ting and blessing the peasants Care not
for the Imperial despots," said he whose poll
cy from the beginning has been to oppose your
good deeds and convert your land into slav
ish province; but care for yourselves and your
people His freedom Of speech was thought
likely to be contagious. and he was arraign-
ed for treason The Judges, who were the
creatures of the House Of Hapsburg senten-
ced him to prison. At the same time, and
by the same tribunal, several younger men,
charged with having held political meeting
were condemned TO the same dungeon. The
civil law, which forbade such q sentence fer
such an offence, was expressly suspended, that
the case might be determined by military
rule. They went away doggcdly to their
| living tomb.
not yet done. Another culprit was called to
the bar who was likewise accused Of the
same offence. He was young n.s1, ofmid-
ding size, but of nobla eii impressive bear
ing. Already be had lain several months IN
prison awaiting his trial. lie was the son OF
a poor Hungarian estate agent oil the North,
who had educated himself. had been q tutor
in the family of a noble lady, had acquired
some nations Of the law, aud some OF public
matters and had been chosen even to SIT in
the Diet, as the representative OF an absent
magnate where he could vote, but could not
speak. Brooding on the wants of his coun-
trymen, he had thought that knowledge Of
what was doing by their rulers might be of
use to them, he therefore wrote out aud prin-
ted the debates, first of the National Assem-
} bly,, aud then OF the county meetings. AS
these debates however, were apt to be a llt-
tie free, the Government suppressed bis re-
ports by law. He then to evade the law,
Autographed his reports, when the Autographs
were also suppressed. His next resort was
to write out the debates, get them copied BY
a company Of young men of his own sort, and
| have them transmitted everywhere as ordina-
nv letters. But the Government foiled him
here too, for the Government kept tue Post
| Office, and bis letters, by some curious ho-
Gus pocus, never got to their destination
In this dilemma, he finally established post
of his own, aud making his eopyists also car
f riers, in spite of the censorship of the press
and in spite of the hocas- pocus Of the mails
, found his dispatches safely delivered. twas
not long before an edition of ten Thousand
copies was circulated in every hamlet and al
: most every house in the land. But such in.
geuuty, coupled with such energy, you may
I readily conceive was not 70 be endured
! Accordingly, once in the still watches OF the
night, when he was walking alone on the
shores Of the Danube, The eternal stars ga
zing softly down upon his meditations, th'
= quiet waters rolling at his feet be was sud
: denly seized by the muions of tyranny blind
folded and cast into a dungeon After ;
Y LONG confinement, he was at last brought lot,
{ daylight to take his trial lie came to til,
: bar, aud as the rumor of the event had gonl
, forth. thousands of the readers of those let
ters had come to listen to the result. In
face was pale and hnggard from long duress
but his step was firm, his head erect, and BIZ
eyes burning with unqueuchable fire. AS
" as most of us have. in such attempts, accord
ing to the old adage, a fool for bis client. :
He met the accusations against him at every
: point; he foiled the skill Of the attorneys; h
! made the judges vince under bis rebukes h
: reused the people to fury by his appeals :
"Nevcr," says a historian 'has Hungary
witnessed more magnificent. struggle fo
4 life and liberty" But what is adroitness 0
4 logic, what intellectual fire. what dignity ant
elevation of character, opposed to the pre-de
i termined will Of Austrian despotism III
. was condemned to long and solitary i'm.
g prisonment. His friends accompanied him t.
b the dark aud pestlent fortress of Buda, but
. as they walked along be was silent and sub
4 dued His heart was too full for the vait
: relief of words: yet, as they turned to depart
t he said there ''there is something here which
cannot now be spoken" But, those name
: less words have since been spoken, and il
: the glowing and deathless eloquenee o.
Louis KossUru are echoing round the world
4 r. - aaf sK.r.