Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-31
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
BATTHYANY AND KossUTH.

The following letter of Count CAsIMR Bat
THYANY on the claims and course of Kossuth, viii
be read with interest He is the second of Kossuths
former comrades and supporters, who has expressed
their opinions -EsTERnAzY being the first.
TO THE Ep1roR or THE Iospos arars.
SIN: In the Tmes Of the lst Of December appeared
letter from Prince Paul Eserhaxy and shortly afterwards
an answer or rather echo to it, which has only the rea
tive importance to myself Of having the Of Bahy
any appended it. The Batthyany family is You
probably aware not less numerous one than the Ester
hazy and several other Hungarian families No member
of these families has exclusive right to the family
name; but for the sake Of distinction it is customary
for each member to place his christian name to his sig
nature-or at least such distinctive title he
alone has right to claim. Having been literally assailed
by questions on the subject beg leave, in order pre-
vent all further Mistakes to declare for ALL that
am not the writer of that letter; and in making this de-
caration trust that your sense of justice will induce you
to find in your columns for some further observa
tions which should wish to make, not the letter in
question, but on that of Prince Esterhazy.
1t be denied that there faction in the
try and in the district that daily increasing in
numbers and that Kossuth weak enough to counte
nance whose object to keep up perpetual agitation,
not for the purposes of maintaining the laws and liberties
of the country but with the view Of hurrying the country
into revolution This faction was kept down by Louis
Batthyany, long he able to maintain his posi-
ton If without getting precisely the upper hand, this
faction finally succeeded in spreading terror in the ranks
of all other parties and forcing the country into extreme
measures it was merely because it enabled gain
firm footing through the policy pursued by the Austrian
Ministers.
And in asserting that, with the exception of con-
temptbe faction it was, at the commencement the loyal
intention of every in Hungary to maintain the union
with Austria, | do not, whatever he may have done
since, exclude Kossuth himself.
The very versatility of his mind and temper which
makes him embrace every novelty with much ardor and
such sanguine expectations, is the best proof that al
though stamped by nature for agator he honest
and sincere this respect and would have remained so
had Ansr liant hars af Tho horua hat
could have induced of common in Hungary
at that period to oversep the bounds of constitutional e
gay the attainment of which had been the constant aim
of many Diets and which for the first time fully
sanctioned and supported by guarantees which it was
fondly hoped would render such desirable state perma
nentat time, too, when he who had provoked strug
gle would have been left alone because the country had
every thing to lose and nothing to gain by it Yes re-
peat Kossuth himself sincerely desirous Of keeping
Gle concxioa with Austria the that had been
agreed to- But when the undcrhand practices that had
been constantly carried could longer be concealed
when unexpected blows dealt in the dark with the
intention Of wearing Hungary out and exhausting her
strength and patience in fuitess struggles, then it was
that Kossuhs mpetuous and restless temper and the in
herent weakness Of his character and axy of principle
predominated over his better feelings. Ambition and
hankerng after notorety and the suppeness with which
he always yielded to the most pressing and least scrupu
lous, placed him first in contradiction with himself, and
then involved hm-and il may be said, also, the other
Ministers-in inconsistent policy and finally led him
to sefwed and arbitrary measures, which accelerated
charge a man with faings and folles than he has
been guilty Of Kossuth has already enough
for before the tribunal of public opinion respecting his po
tcal conduct which unquestonaby the main cause
of the ruin and downfall Of his country.
Deficient in the knowledge of men and things, in the
steadfast bearing cool Judgment and comprehensive mind
of statesmar and without the firm hand Of ruler
setting at nought all sound calculation while he played
game of CHARGE and staked the fate nations the
of die escountcring danger with hairbraned temery
when dstaat but shrinking from it when near; eated
and overlearing in prosperity but utterly PROSTATE in
adyersty wanting that strength and intrepdty of cha
racter alone commands homage and obedience from
Others while he suffered himself to be made the tool Of
every ntriguer he came in connexon with mistaking
his manifold accomplishments and natural genius for
aptitude TO govern country in times of trouble; and
setting in the flights Of fancy bounds to the scope of his
ambition, Kossuth hurried away the nation into
OF the most impoc measures and grasped the highest
power in the realm by dubious but when scarcely
In possession Of It, suffered it be wrested from his
hsnds by the man whom he had himself most injud-
ciousy raised to high station, and against whom, a
though he had received repeated warnings, well
proofs of his reachery and worhesness he dared
openly and boldly to proceed--by the whom he had
hoped to while he crouched beneath him in
fear, but by whom he finally outwtted
Meanwhile my decided opinion on the subject is
ths that Kossuth has not the least right to himself
up the sole and exclusive representative of his
ty-not The least right 10 the tile of governor and
tee functions Of dictator he does in his address from
Brussa to the citizens of the United States and that il
most unwarranabe well most illogical proceeding
his part to contend, he does in the document
that the Hungarian nation could not legally enter into any
engagement adopt any that would be ncom-
patbe with the act by which he raised to the dignity
Of Governors it being obvious il he had not resign
ed this dignity that when the nation reconstructed
its former constitutional basis its legal representa-
tyes in Diet assembled would have the right to act in
whatever way they might deem the most conducive to the
welfare of the country also of opinion that far
from following sound policy in wishing, as he does to
remodel the reformed constitution of 848 and engra
principles ofrepubcanism and unleayened democracy
principles which at variance with national laws
and institutions well with the manners, customs,
and genius Of the peopehe would have acted more wise
~ and rendered essential service to his country IT,
after his liberation from the hraldom Of detention he had
appeared before the world in the simple character Of apr
vae individual The conspicuous part which he took in
the affairs Of his country and his subsequent miortunes
would have secured him general respect while the modes
ty of his demeanor by eacing from the minds Of his
countrymen the recollection of the faults and he
committed and through which Hungary has been brought
to her present state of misery and ervude would have
&Fven HIM precedence by courtesy among his compan
ions In exe and placed him in position to receive that
usual advice and assistance which they would have gladly
fered him for the purpose Of hereafter repairing by
purse of sound and moderate policy the injuries inflicted
- the land Of their birth.
" But instead Of acting in this manner he has set him
a up MS the dictator Of his countrymen II is there
y the sacred duty of those who, although far from
hing to fetter his activity not disposed to admit
iams publicly to protest against his proceedings
but dwelling any longer the weghty motives for
which may be deduced from his past career,
rely observe that his preension 10 be still regarded
enor is the more 6arefdced from hc crcumsdnees at
- res,qnation The circumstances are these He
Dnoned by Gorgei and three members OF the Min