The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-20


scourge of all the nations striving for liberty-wil
not the Almighty, whose vcegeTent he protanely
assumes to be, blast the miserable boaster! The
very character of his government is declaration
of against the rights and interests OF humani-
ty, and the existence of other nations. Will the
world suffer this long? Not long.
The Hungarian nation, in her war, has not only
gained consciousness of her own strength but
she has forced the conviction into the minds of
other nations that she deserves TO exist, and to be
independently; and she can show justly that her
existence and independence are essential to the
cause OF liberty in Europe No, no! Hungary is
not lost! BY her faith, bravery, and by her fore
sight, lohich teaches her 10 abide her time, she will
be yet among tho foremost IN the war OF universal
liberty.
You, noble Americans we bless in the name
of the God of Liberty! 70 you, who have sum
moned the murderers of my countrymen before
the judgment-seat OF the world-to you, who are
the first judges of this COURT will bring the COM
plants of my nation, and before you will plead
her cause. When the house Of Hapsburg, with
the aid of foreign army, invaded my country,
and had destroyed by their manifesto OF the 4th OF
March, lo49, the foundation upon which the union
with Austria rested, there remained Tor hungary
no alternative than the Declaration of Independ
ence which the National Assembly unanimously
voted on the l4th April, lS49, and which the
whole nation solemnly accepted, and scaled with
their blood.
declare to you, in the most solemn manner,
that all which has taken place, or that hereafter
may take place, proceeding either from lndlvldu-
which is in perfect accord with the fundamental
law OF Hungary, is illegal and unjust
Before you assert that the accusation that the
Magyar race was unjust to the other races-by
means OF which portion of the Servians, Walla-
chians, Slavonians, and Germans, dwelling in
Hungary, was excited against us-s an impious
SANDER, circulated by the house of Hapsburg,
which shrinks from no crime to weaken the united
forces of our army, TO conquer one race after an
other, and thus bring them all under the yoke OF
slavery.
1t is true, some of the races in Hungary had rea-
son to complain; but these subjects of complaint
the inevitable consequences of the pre-exist-
ing state of things and the Austrian interference
But the Croatians had no reason to complain. This
race of half million, in n separate province, had
a national assembly of its own, and enjoyed great
er privileges than even the Hungarians They
contributed proportionally but half as much in
taxes; they possessed equal rights with Hungary;
whilst the Hungarian Protestants, on account of
their religion, were not suffered TO own lands IN
Croatia. Their grievances and ours were the same
in the perpetual violation of the constitution by
the Imperial government. But their own peculiar
grievances arose from the evils of former times,
and from the Austrian system of government,
which forcibly placed the Slovenian, Servian, and
Wallachian boundary districts on the German mil
itary footing.
The moment, however, our people became free
and enjoyed their political rights, they became
just, and placed all things upon basis OF freedom
and perfect equality. But some of these races,
blinded by the Internal ISLANDERS and suggestions of
who for centuries had endured slavery, fought
against their own freedom! God forgive them!
They knew not what they did.
In America people of different languages dwell;
but who Gays that it is unjust for Senators and Rep
resentatives to use the English language in their
debates, and to make it the official language OF the
government?
This was what the Magyar race asked in Hun
gary. There was this difference only-that in
America it was not necessary to establish this by
law for the original settlers had stamped their Ian
guage in the country; but in Hungary law was
necessary to make the Magyar the official lam
guage. The of the Latin language bad
relic of the middle ages, which the clergy and
aristocracy preserved as something precious, imi-
tating the ancient despots who caused the laws to
be written in small letters, and placed on high
towers that the people might not understand their
righs-had been retained among us. II was ne
cessary to have living, spoken, popular language,
And what other could we have than the noble
Magyar?
How often have J. and other leaders with me,
said to my countrymen that they must be strictly
just and seek their future greatness not in thepre
dominance of one race, but in the perfect equality
of all My counsel was adopted, and made the
basis of the government. The same freedom, the
privileges, without regard to language or re-
igion, the free development of each race under the
protection of the law, accorded to all. We
not only guaranteed the right to any language
in the churches and schools, but we afforded aid
for the education and development OF each nation
atty. The principle we announced was, that either
ity-leaving all to the free action of the peopleor
that it should protect all alike,
In the general administration the predominance
of our language, and consequently the race that
spoke it, was a necessity; but in the admnstra
ton ofcounty affairs, which in some respects resem
bled that of the individual States of North Ameri
ca the use of each language was granted In the
courts in the trial by jury in the right of petition,
in the republication OF all laws and ordinances, the
various races had the right TO use their own lam
guage. In one word, nothing was left undone
which could tend to place all on footing of the
most perfect equality. True, we did not-as Aus
tria has done for political purposes solely, to
slave all the people and make the brave Hunga-
rians a subordinate naton-make territorial di-
vision of the lands. We respected rights, and
wished to progress but were too honest to com
mencc a system of spoliation. And who has been
benefited by this policy Of the Vienna bureaucracy?
Not even those on whom the pretended favors have
been conferred.
When those races camored for national rights, /
boldly demanded what was wanting, and what
could be granted without injury TO the country.
No one answered but reckless men, who spoke of
territorial division The Servians desired to have
the comitat BAGS and the three counties of the Ba
nat as a separate Servian State. The Wallachians
wished to have Transylvania They (the Servi-
ans) did not consider that they owned separate
portion of the land in Hungary, and that in BAGS
and the Banat were Waaohians, Germans, and
Magyars, who could not be made subordinate to
the less numerous Servians. So also in Transylva-
mia, there were Magyars. Jeklers, and Saxons,
Wallacha.
As there were various races speaking different
languages in Hungary, and divided into as many
municipalities who could blame us for laying the
foundation of government in just equality to all
Croatia alone separate territory and how
often have said to her that if she would remain in
union with u.s. would give her the hand of broth.
crhood but if she wished to separate we would not
hinder her We could not, however, permit such
! a division Of Hungary would have destroyed
her as a nation 1t Austria who sowed the
! seeds of division and dissolution
Citizens of America to you declare honestly
that my aim in the federation of Hungary with
the smaller nations was TO secure the nationality
and independence of each, and the freedom of all (;
and had any thing been wanting which could have
! been justly granted to any all Of the races in
Hungary, the Magyars had only to know it, and
! it would have been perforated with readiness; for
| freedom, and not power, was their desire
Finally, declare that, by the declaration of in
! dependence by which l elected Governor OF
! Hungary, protest, 80 long the people do not,
by their free will, release from that office that
no one can legally control the affairs of govern
ment but myself This protestation is not made in
u feeling OF vanity desire TO be conspicuous, but
from respect TO the inherent rights of nv country