Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-11-27


ernfpFriL having obtained absolute power in their
othe& provinces, took every means, from open
violence to the sbinsidiOus frauds, to over
throw our municipal institutions. They foment-
ed our quarres, undermined our national char
acter, impoverished our country, and corrupted
our ii6bles. o
Q Our parliaments uhieh ought to be convened
once in three years, was not convened for twenty
and so arbitrary government went ON, until at
last we became aware that from 800, 600 to 500,-
600 mobiles would not be sufficient 70 defend the
rights of the country from the despotic tenden-
oies of Austria. From this point dates our
struggles, which have iiots alasted for about
ltwenty-eight years. We decided thai our best
Safeguard wodid be to inspire all the people with
the sentiments Of patriotism, by giving all an
equal interest in constitutional rights. Loud
cheers. This was the direction OF public opin-
ion in Hungary in 1925. We felt the, necessity
fthe more, because, although iFe had board or
council of government which by law was respon-
sbe to the country, and were bound not 10 car
ry into execution any order even Of the sover-
eIgn, which was contrary to our laws, still we
knew that there was real responsibility in this
council, because no corrupt body can be made TO
feel responsibility. Indy id,ia!s may be made
responsible, but when the government becomes
collective responsibility vanishes. We saw
therefore that our rights and privileges were
vanishing under the Vaccinations of the Austrian
government, in which Metternich was then all
in all; and feeling that 100000 mobiles could not
effectually resist such encroachments, we pro-
posed to give the whole fifteen millions Of our
people an Interest in constitutional rights ,sand
motive for defending them. The peasantry
must form an important consideration in every
country, but doubly SO in Hungary, which was
and is chiefly an agricultural country. The con-
dltion OF our peasaniry became then the irs.topic
with our reforhers, who felt that our country,
SO highly gifted by nature, could never be made
the earthly paranise' it ought to be except BY
free labUfers enjoying constitutional rights; and
seeing that our peasant had TO work for his
landlord one hundred and four daysln the year, to
which must be added Sundays, festivals and
winter, and had to give the ninth of his produce
TO the segneur, the tenth to the bishop, we felt
that this was condition contrary 10 human rights
and the principle ,ps Justice. tLoaa cries cz:cs
OF hear, hear,'] The first thing, then, we did
was to emancipate the people. Loud cheers.
degrees.
In the Long Parliament, which sat from 1882
TO 1886, it was proposed in the lower house,
which consists wholly Of elected members, that
every peasant should have the right to make
himself free of his feudal and seignorial burdens
by paying off the capital of his dues. AT first
we proposed that this power should be indepens
dent OF the will of the landlord, but were OPP
posed by the House of Lords, until at last, by
the influence of Government, it was reduced to
the privilege Of purchasing freedom with the
consent of the landlord. That modified measure
was carried by the Commons and Lords, but was
refused by the Regeitt, who was thus at issue
with the people on this great question in 1886.
j should state that the members of the Commons
7voted as they we're instructed by the comitants,
and therefore it was towards the latter that the
intrgues Of the Government were principally
directed. They could not corrupt them hy
means of the Count Palatine, who being by
office President Of the House of Lords, could not
intrigue with the county meetings, and therefore
other persons were selected TO carry into the
county meetings every species Of corruption.
I Hear, hear. They appointed az administrator
in every county, who should meyer leave the
county, but be present al every meeting, control
, every act, and corrupt every troublesome mem
Der, in order that the comitants might become at
last mere instruments and tools of government.
1t was this system we opposed with all our
, strength of mind and body but with no narrow
} view to the privileges of cur own class. We
loIwsnted these institutions to be independent in
order that we might reform our system for the
5 benefit of the entire people. Loud cheers. ]
e But the more we developed our views of reform,
c tile more aetSTly thc government set their adj
i minstrators tc work throughout the country,
and that was our condition up TO the diet of 0c-
o tober or November, lS47, year or so before the
: French Revolution. ! wish TO show that in
r Hungary we were not revolutionists-I am moi
G blaming revolutions but the Hungarians were
{ engaged in sercret conspiracy, but at public
!, meetings, and in an open and constitutional way
n struggled manfllly for their rights. lear
d hear. / myself had the honor to be elected
: member of this Parliament of lS47, for the me
{ Itropolitan county Of Pesth, when the Govern
d ment of the day did every thing possible to pre-
e vent my election. The good sense Of the mobiles
4, however, carried me in triumph. Cheers
e The first question: proposed, according TO III
a. instructions had received from my constituent.
'e was that our municipal institutions should be rs
e stored TO their original purity, that the systel
'e of administrators should be abolished, and III,
Is until these measures should be carried no take
J. should be voted. The Houses of Lords an
h Commons We're at issue on this question, di.
DC cuSsing it for upwards Of twumonths and +,
n manned IN disagreement. ] should mention Ia
It was necessary that both Houses should agrs
tn upon measure before it was laid before Il
Of King, but there was no limit to the commune
ld ltion between the two houses The measure h,
I'm not majority the Lords, because it contain
yle so many functionaries appointed by Goycrntne,
it and persons aspiring to be fnctionaries, but still
y! have the qualification of knowing thst il "
he supported by many fthe most independent Of h
ia Lords OF Hungary, among WHOM was nv lame
nm ted and unfortunate friend Louis Raihyan
ey Still corruption went on, and ick al last n
If our only course was to apply ourselves to /
ND chief source Of evil On the head OF the XII
" OF Hungary rests two crowns, the ono constit