The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-16

Stretch OF TIE L,rg or rHi5 DISTINGUISHED ATS


day. Like Washington, Napoleon, Charles XII.
| Frederick the Great, Alexander, he fills bril-
liant page in history but more like Washing
ton than the others named, Kossuth occupies In,
heart of the republican world. We give sketcl
of his life. Our authorities, however, are Aus
trian-bitter, malignant, and vindictiye agains
the patriot; but, with the sting and the venom
extracted, we believe we have furnished ou
readers with pretty fair biography of the man
! Kossuth is in his 45th year lie was bore il
/ the county of Zemplin, in 1906. His father wa,
a lawyer, and small landowner, of the nobl,
ella at Ujhey, in the comltat Of Zempin,
member of the Augsburg Confession. His pos
sessions being limited 10 few acres of vine
| yard and arabic land did not admit Of much ex-
pense on the educai 4 of his children. He
| found means, indeed, to place his son Louis in
the college of Scharaschpatack, Protestant in
stitution Of the neighborhood. With this aid he
prepared himself for the profession of an advo-
cate. After obtaining his diploma, he became
agent to n Countess Sznpary The influence
which he derived from this position, and from
the relations which he had established at college
with the noble class of the district, gave him
.ssme weight in the assembly of the comitat, in
which the noble proprletors and official dignita-
ries are accustomed TO meet together, from four
| to six times in the year, for the management oil
local atfai the execution of government de
crees &c. In these assemblies, the principal in
Huence naturally devov-s on the holders OF
civil Offices, and on those who, by their oratory,
influence the elections to those Offices.
After the lapse ofsevera years. Kossuth closed
| his accounts with the Countess Szapary, and in
hopes of larger field for the practice of the
law, removed to Pesth. Here he found the
chances Of advancement in the legal profession
cut off by the number Of established competi-
tors, and in the year 1882 he betook himself to
Presburg as the ablegat or representative in the
| Hungarian Diet of an absent magnate, in which
capacity he enjoyed a residence rent-free, a seat
at the lower table, and right of speaking, bat
not of voting, in all which particulars his posi-.
/ ton was xactly that of some 800 sin liar repre-
sentatives of absentee nobIemen, most of whom
were likewise educated for the law. At the
commencement Of the proceedings of this Di /,
Kossuth, it is said once assayed TO speak but
as if abashed at his presumption in the presence
of the older and more experienced heads around
him, he dessted, and fell back upon the idea of
setting on foot a journal, to be devoted to the
proceedings OF the Diet, and specially to the
publication of the discussions in the sittings OF
the circles so-cailed, of which no printed rroto-
col had ever yet appeared. These sittings were,
in fact, held by the government to be merely
conferences of the deputies, at which subjects
were DISCUSSED, not under the presidence of
deputy of the government, but under that OF
members, who were changed every week, and
merely as preparation for Interior discussion in
the Diet proper the diary of which was printed
This preparatory discussion did, however, in
truth, involve the piih of the proceedings of the
Diet, for, conducted under the supervision of
popular audience, unchecked by the presidence
of government official it laid the ground for the
constant preponderance of the party which en-
joyed the favor Of the people. The effect, in
deed, upon the deputies present was not imme-
date with respect to The decision of questions
at issue, for the deputies were strictly bound by
the n,tructions furnished to them by their con-
stiiuents. The comitats received once or twice
month from their respective deputies official
reports of proceedings and were very generally
guided in their further instructions by the tone
of these reports, and the manner in which the
various proposals of the popular or opposition
party was commented upon in them. These re.
ports were read in the comitat assemblies and
those who had seat in the latter thus obtained
a knowledge of the speeches delivered in the
Diet, but the public at large had little or no in
formation of them.
This Rtate of things Kossuth determined to
turn to the ACCOUNT of the opposition. With
lullus EDHlIlDultu Df sumo OF thv deputies, NJ
procured thographic press, with the view OF
disseminating his journal at as cheap rate as
possible, though not without some profit to him
self, through all the comtats. The experiment
took with the people; but the Austrian spies
became alarmed, and soon the central govern.
ment ordered the paper to be suppressed Kos
suth's party in the Diet resisted Ii would not
do to put down the liberal journal, and the mat !
ter was compromised by buying out the press |
But this did not stop the paper. 1t was pub |
lished in manuscript, and though the price was
raised, of necessity, the experiment still sue.
ceeded. The Price was indeed, raised to six |
forms for the monthly amount of the journal,
of which one or two sheets were issued twice
week the number Of readers decreased, but still
each comtat was a customer for from one to
sig copies In the towns several societies paid
in ADVANCE, aAa iaany deputies contributed indi
vidualy for it was found that the speeches of
subscribers ard benefactOrs were improved and
enriched under Kossuth's treatment, aud repu-
ation and popularity flowed from his pen. The
was altogether hit and Ko suth
soon arrived not only at covering his expenses,
but at some confederation in q country of which
ne influenced with progressive force the rep.
body, their discussions, and their de-
,isons while, at the same time, he acquired
numerous followers, in body of young copy
sta, who remained in after times his Jealous ad.
Ierents.
With the close Of the biet, after session of
our years, in the year 1886, these sources Of
{ossutf's Influence and prosperity were dried
up, and he betook himself to reporting the pro-
seedlings Of the cOmiat assemblies, which were
by local reporters, and distributed
nee more in photographic shape, among nu-
nerous subscribers at Pcsth
The government again became alarmed, and
made several Intellectual attempts TO suppress
he obnoxious journal but Still it continued to
eport o series Of eloquent harangues upon the
egal quotations which now agitatcd the whole
ountry, and his own speeches in the assembly
all limits Of the respect considered
o be due to the sovereign. The Palatine at
asst received an instruction TO seize the press at
he oomitat house Of assembly, to arrest Kos.
nth himself, and proceed against him on a charge
# high treason. In consequence Of the illness {
# the Archduke Palatne, the execution Of this
rider devoIved upon the Chief Judiciary, the
Count Cyrsky; and the Crown Fiscal, Fejesch,
With a company Of grenadiers, arrested Kossuth E
{ his residence, in the Ofner-hills, in April 1897