New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-07

d;snlsa,ing to the State, could at once occasion
their dismissal All orders or sentences, Doth
from Hungarian or Austrian Courts, from the
Lord Chancellor Of the Kingdom, or from the
Home Office, or from the Emperor OF Austria
himself, if it found them inconsistent with the
laws OF the land, it could reject.
Such freedom of action, left to the different
Provinces OF one country, not united In Conled-
Grafton, have never known elsewhere In the
history of politics. That power of being able to
reto the acts of their own Parliament, is without
example.
Each State was governed, too, by Demo
cratic State Legislature, composed of all the
voters of the State, meeting In assembly (Con-
gregaho) four times year.
By one ofthose anomalies, of which one hnds
so many in Hungary, the Governor (OOergespan)
OF each State, and er-oicio President OF this Le-
gislature, and the only one able to summon the
Legislature, was appointed by the Crown, for
life.
II seems as if the influence OF this officer were
designed to be the great centralizing influence,
opposed to this independent provincial Admins
tTatlOn. =
He had the power Of approval" for all the
candidates for State-ofiices that is, out of GER
tain number presented by the voters, he could
select the three from which choice was to be
made.
Over the election for Parliament, however, he
did not possess this control. Without his pre-
sence, or that of the yicegespan, no session OF
the Legislature was legal, though he was
pledged to call this together at least four times
year.
The OJrgespan was ia addition, the Chlef
Magistrate of the State with control over all Its
courts and its police. He held also his own
courts, both civil and criminal. The execution
of the acts of the Legislature, as well as OF the
orders from the Estate Department, or
"Hene Office" approved by the Legislature,
was entrusted 20 him. Communications be-
tween the State and its Deputies passed through
him. He had the care too, of the proper DIVISION
of the taxes, and the control of various chari-
table matters, as for instance, of the interests oil
the orphans 1t was his duty finally, to summon
ali the voters of the State every three years, to
the election (Restauratio) of State officers.
1t might be supposed, from all this power
gain too much influence in the State elections.
This was not tie fact however. The place
became a very popular one and the man deslrous
of obtaining it, would wish to please the voters
The "three candidates " presented, were gen.
erally those who had the largest parties support
ing them. And if any Governor ever attempted
to force upon the people an unpopular candidates
1 oh no
glad to quickly yield.
Indeed, it is said that some of the more arbi-
trary Royal Governors, in the excitement OF
rough election, have been thrown summary out
Of the windows, for showing an improper favor
itism to certain candidates.
This Legislature, as have said, was at the
head of the administration of each State.
1t controlled all the domestic taxes-hxed
the IA re for each parish-drew up the lists and
classi6cations of the contributions to Govern
ment 1t regulated the condition of the schools
and the prisons, and the number Of tho prisoners
it watched over the police Of the State and could
demand an account OF all the officials, and order
force to be used on those who were resisting the
sentences Of the Courts. 1t could settle the dit
ferences between landlords and peasants fix the
price of bread and meat; order the levles OF sol
ders and administer in general all the affairs olts
State, except that it could not constitute itself
Court to sit in judgment on any case, unless 1t
was case affecting its own dignity.
In addition, it was this body which exercised
the rights have before mentioned. 1t chose
the members for the National Assembly-in.
structed them-recaued them.
Before it the measures agitated in the Parlia-
ment were discussed-and by it the obnoxious
acts were rejected. All communications from
the State to the other States, or to the General
Government were made in this body.
In fact the result OF all this was, tina. the State
Legslatures-or the Congregations as theyw were
called--govemed Hungary, more than the Ma
tional Assembly.
They discussed and decided on the measures
which were often only voted upon in the Par
lament. fiat any time they did not happen to be
in session at the critical moment, there was
smaller Extra-Leg legislature (Congregatio ParticW-
ldyiS) which could be readily summoned, and
could decide any matter until the next session.
Besides these elections, the grand event Of
the political life of the States was the great
States Election (Restawatio), held every shree
years, in which every officer except the highest
was to be chosen
OF course, under the present Government, |
could not see one of these great elections, but
am assured by those familiar with them that it
was one of the most stirring spectasles in the
world, and that all the old Anglo-Saxon accom-
paniments Of an election-bioken heads and
stump speaking, drinking and professions, and
chairing" and political spouting-were therein
their perfection.
Where several thousand voters collected to-