Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-08-20

laws, without being at the mercy or caprice OF
the Emperor's Cabinet, or of the Machiavelian
Vaccinations of Metternich.
But Hungary, with all these germs Of hope
and promise in her, was far behind the nations
of Western Europe in their progress towards
the attainment of rational freedom. Her people
-one of the most noble, magnanimous and
high.minded branches of the Caucasian race-
in their social condition resembled that of the
more advanced European nations in the middle
ages. Her mobiles were feudal barons, in res
pect to their vast possessions, and the power
over their vassals the mass of the nation were
but serfs at best, but recently emancipated, and
the middle classes consisted only of poweress
men of science, the members of professions
and trades. The church with its titled preates,
old foundations, extensive possessions, and
hordes of vassals, was a separate body in the
state. The whole weight Of the feudal system
weighed upon her energies, cramping the devel-
opment of her strength, and impeding her pro-
gress. The land was owned by the mobiles and
by the church, so in sense were the common
people. Villages and towns were often owned
by single proprietary. The burden of the tax
es was borne by the serfs and commons They
were forced to fill the national contingents to
the imperial army; they had to perform the mil
the ecesiastics, and performed their terms of SER
vice to their superiors often full one-fourth of
their time; and although entitled to certain
protection from the laws, they could exercise
scarcely a single constitutional privilege.
About twenty years ago life seemed to revive
in the old Legislative Assemblies, still compo-
sed of mobiles and prelates. Their proceedings
and deliberations were mystery to the people,
being conducted with closed doors, while the
debates were held in the Latin language There
were no public Journols in Hungary then-the
Imperial Censorship did not allow them. 1t
was in 1882 that young lawyer, a member of
the Parliament of Pesth, with the assistance Of
a body of shorthand writer's, began the publ
cation of those in manuscript. The people thus
learning what transpired in the Councils of the
nation, read these written reports with avidity.
The national spirit began to glow-the Parla-
ment felt the sympathy of the national mind,
and itself became jealous from its conscious
contact with the people. Kossuth was noble
and like the sons of the mobiles, had studied law,
not as profession, but as system of educa-
ton, and that most important one, and to quail
ify himself for the high duties Of legislation, as
well as for fhe knowledge Of his country's his
tory, which the study of that science rendered
necessary, and supplied; for the laws of Hun
gary, like those of England, consist of imme-
mortal usages and customs, and ancient stat
utes, passed at different times by the Diet and
the former kings. That young lawyer was
Lewis Kossuth. For publishing the debates of
the Parliament, he was accused by Government
of treason, and confined in prison two years
before he was tried upon the charge. Now be-
gan career, one of the most remarkable in
modern times. Kossuth became at once the
idol of the people-he poured light upon the
minds of the people, communicated his own
ardent enthusiasm to the noble legislators efthe
country and having set an example in the lib
Grafton of his own hereditary serfs, he became
the Apostle of Liberty to the hundreds and
thousands of serfs in Hungary. He brought
about union of the Lutherans and Calvinists,
who until then had divided between them the
strength Of the protestants of the Kingdom
was the first in every assertion of the national
rights and privileges, and gradually obtained
that powerful ascendancy in the National Diet
which he exercised and welded to the last.
When the insidious policy of Austria, by stir
ring up the hostile feelings of the rival nations
had involved them in war with each other
the Croats against the Hungarians--and by es-
pousing the cause of the former, Hungary was
compelled to take up arms. Kossuth became
her leader. His long and faithful services, his
pure patriotism, alike qualified him, and entitled
him to be her leader His great Administra.
tive talents, his unbounded popularity with all
classes, and his already severely tested capaci-
ties for craftsmanship, pointed him out as the
man upon whom the honorable responsibilities
of that exalted station might rest safely, while
his wonderful oratorial powers silenced faction
and confuted opposition in the Senate. He
reused the lion heart of Hungary to despe.
rate struggle. in the dark days of the revolu-
ton, his eloquence burst forth spontaneously
and fell upon the minds of his hearers like sheet
lightning in the night, His incorruptibility, his
freedom from vulgar personal ambition, his Sc
we're and enlightened principles, all caused Kos.
suth to be regarded a. one who could be either
the Hampden or the Washington of Hungary.
But this is not all of Kossuth. He is relig.
ious man, wholly free from the blighting infidel
} ity Of the French school, as we'll as above the
! nudity and feebleness of German rationalism--
his character in private life is Of unquestionable
! purity, and of rare simplicity. He is tender
husband and father, and an unwavering friend
He is one of those men who unite in them
selves all the chief elements of intellectual
} greatness, possessing, in addition to them, the
moral and manly attributes which confer upon
: them ruling ascendancy over their fellow men
betting them for that which appears to be theil
: destiny, to be the founders and saviours Of ma
! La = : Al l..I H. a..