Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-11-12

1ns~~~l ~1pa
DoioPe, seemed best fitted for my country
men, 1 asked Of the King not the complete in
dependence of my beloved country-not even
any new rights or privlleges-but simply these
three things:
First: That the inalienable rights sanctioned
by thousand years, and by the constitution of
nv fatherland should be guaranteed by an atom
al and responsible administration.
Second: That every inhabitant of my country,
with out regarding language or religion, should
be free and equal before the laval classes
having the same privileges and protection from
the law.
Third: That all the people of the Austrian
empire that acknowledged the same person as
Emperor whom we Hungarians recognized as
King and the same law Of succession, should
have estOred their anci, mt constitutional rights,
of which they had unjustly been despoiled,
modified to suit their wants, and the spirit Of
the age.
The first demand was not for any new grant
or concession, but simply a fresh guarantee. In
the arrangement made with our ancestors, when,
by their free will. they elevated the house of
Hapsburg to the throne. condition was made
that the King should preserve the independence
and constitution of the country. This indepen-
dence and this constitution were the very vital
ity of our national being. During three centu-
ries twelve Kings of the house of Hapsbnrg had
sworn in the presence of the eternal God, before
ascending the throne, that they would preserve
ourindependence and the constitution; and their
lives is but history of perpetual and accursed
perjury. Yet such conduct did not weaken our
| fidelity. Nonation ever manifested more faith
fulness to their rulers. And though we poor
Hungarians made endless sacrifices, often at the
expense of our national welfare-though these
Kings in time of peace drew their support from
us, and in times of war or danger relied upon
the unconquerable strength ofour army-though
we ever trusted in their words-they deceived
us a thousand times, and made our condition
worse.
While other nations vere. able to apply all
their energies to promote the general welfare
and to develop their means of happiness, we
had to stand on guard, like the watchmen men,
toned in Scripture, for three centuries, to pre-
vent our treacherous Kings from destroying en-
trely the foundation of our national existence
our Constitution and independence.
l., as the representative of my countrymen,
asked nothing more than Constitutional Min
istry whose responsibility would prevent the
King from violating his oath
The second demand was still less for any po
litical right We asked for nothing more than
reform in the internal administration of the
State-a simple act of justice which the aristo
cracy owed the people. And in this how much
the King would have gained! The strength o.
his throne would have been increased tenfolc
bv thus winning the affections of his faithful
people.
The third demand was prompted by human
ity and fraternal feeling. 1t was the prope
and holy mission of our nation, as the oldes
member of the empire. and possessing consti
tutional form of government to raise its volc
in behalf of those sister nations under the sam
ruler, and who are united to us by SO man,
ties of relationship. Lovers of freedom. W
would not ask liberty for ourselves alone; w
would not boast of privileges that others di'
not enjoy, but desired to be free in fellowship
;. with free nations around us. This motive wa
inspired by the conviction that two CROWNS
constitutional and despotic crown-could no
: be worn by the same head, no more than tw
opposing dispositions can harmonize in tn
! same breast, or that a man can be good and evi
at the same time.
The King and Royal family granted thes
requests, appealing to the sanctty of thei
oaths as a guarantee of their fulflment; and
8 weak in myself, but strong through the conf
J. dence of my countrymen and the noble symps
1nf the Austrian people, proclaimed every
vt II ogng storm Of RSolAior
athe house of Austria should stand; TO
by the blessing of the Almighty, it had begu
It to move in the right direction, and would
= lust to it's people" 1t stood, and stood too,
'. time when, whatever might have been tn
fate of Hungary, the revolutionary tempes
under nv direction, would have blown ava
n this antiquated and helpless dynasty like cha
Le before the winds Of heaven.
N not only preserved the house of Austri
but placed in its hands the material Of lon
- and glorious future-the foundation OF an il
distructible power in the affection OF fthirty-tv
II millions of people, rendered them the fdel
- ity and assistance Of my own heroic Hungar
which alone was able to defend them again
!. the assaults of the world. afforded them tt
glorious pportunity-more glorious than hi
u ever been presented before-of establishing
% impregnable barrier to protect freedom civi
A. zation, and progress, against the Cossack po
N, er, which now threatens Europe. To alta
=. this honor, this glory, one thing only was ne
essary-that they should remain faithful
their oaths. But when was it that Austria W
- not treacherous? We look in vain for as mu
honor as is found even among robbers in
3D. Hapsburg family.
On the very day they signed the grant
those moderate demands of the Hungarian p'
pie, and solemnly swore before God and the l
ton to maintain them, they secretly resolv
on n and planned the most cruel conspiracy agaiI
IN. u.s. They determined to break their oaths,
lge desolate the land with insurrection, confag
ier ton, and blood, till, feeble and exha
ted under the burden of thousand miseri