Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-01-01
CELLAN Y.
Sketch of the Life of Kossuth.


States, it will be interesting to our readers to
have before them sketch of the chief events
in his life previous to the Hungarian revolution,
BY which the source and progress of his infu-
ence with his countrymen may be understood.
The following details, (the most complete that
have yet appeared) are derived from original
and authentic sources =
In the County of Thuroez, in Hungary, is
the small town of Kossnth-Falva, that is, Kos
suth-vilIe. This is the old seat of kossuth's
family, and still in the possession of branch
of it. The arms of The family bear ram ram
pant, the ram being in the Hungarian language
"Ko.." This is mentioned as an answer to
the frequent allegations that Kossuih is not a
true Hungarian The family of kassn,h has
been long protestant, and has often adhered to
the prince of Pennsylvania, in opposition TO the
revolutionary attempts OF Austria. The father
of Louis Kossuth was proprietor of small es-
tate in the county of Zemplin. Louis Kossulh
was born at Monok, that county, in the year
1902, and was the only son, having, however,
several sisters. He was educated at the Cal
whistle college of Patak. He subsequently,
entered on the usual practical course of study
for the profession of the law, attended for that
purpose, frst the districtoral court at Eperies,
afterwards the royal court at Pesth. Return
ing home on the completion of these studies,
he was appointed honorary attorney to his ma
tive county. He was at this time, however,
more of a sportsman than lawyer; but Joined
early that party of politics which was opposed
TO the centralising policy Of Austria. He first
distinguished himself in 1881, during the prev
alence of the cholera, when the Slovack peas
ants-imagining themselves poisoned by the
upper classes-murdered their landlords, the
clergy and the Jews. Every one lost his pres
ence of mind. Kossuth almost alone exerted
himself to qnell the fearful disturbances. He
went wherever the danger most threatened, and
by his eloquence and the prudent measures he
adopted, succeeded in staying the disorders and
the panic.
In 1882 he attended the diet as pr2ry, FAC
cordng TO the custom of Hungary for several
peeresses-a position which gave the power to
speak but not to vote. In this capacity he sat
in the diet, and was not present (as has been
represented in order to excite vulgar preju-
dice) as mere attendant clerk TO a sitting MEM
Der. He only spoke once in the diet, and not
in manner to attract particular attention.
Though the si,tings Of the diet were open, the
hall having extensive galleries for public ac-
commodation, the publication of its proceedings
was not then allowed. An official record, pre-
pared by parliamentary committee, was put
forth, indeed but SO meagre and So late, as to
have little value interest. Kussuth saw the
evil, and determined 10 remedy it. He began
this by manuscript letter, sent TO certain sub
seribers, giving extracts from speeches, togeth-
er with the most Important documents. After
some tine in 1884, he sought to make this
troublesome and custly newsletter more avail
able to the public by means of photographic
press. The Austriaa gaperameat eudeavored
to prevent this. kossuth advised with his
friends in the opposition, and it was determa-
ed that it woUld he un~ise, at that n,omeat. to
divert attention from the other highly imper-
tant questions then before the diet, by raising
the new question of the liberty of the press
The printing-press was abandoned, bat the
manuscript newsletter was continued as i,efore
1t had between sixty and eighty subscribers,
but 1t had far-wder influence than this might
seem TO indicate. inasmuch as copy was TAX
en- In every one of the ffty-two counties of
Hungary, for the nse of club in each, where
all the most active men frequeo,ly met.
In 1886 the diet closed, and reac,ionary
movement took place in the government of Vi
emma. Baron Wesselenyi was impeached, and
several distinguished young men were impris-
oned on charge of being concerned in conspi-
racy which really never had any existence.
On their trial all judicial forms were violated,
and Kossuth took up the affair on constitution
all grounds bnt without successful ISSUE
After the close Of the diet Kossuih continued
to issue his newsletter, devotng it TO even
more important purposes than before, namely,
as the means of communication between the
different counties, by recording the proceedings
taken at all the periodical meetings held regu-
larly for the purposes of local selfgovernment
in each, and which constituted the sole safe
guards of the liberties of the country. The
value of snch work it is impossible to over
estimate. For the first time the real direction
of public opinion ia every part was known in
every other. Every question raised in one
part met with sympathes elsewhere Sum-
bering energies were thus awakened, and COM
bined action became possible. Kossuh was
felt as new power in the state. The govern
ment began TO fear him, and in 1887 he was
Imprisoned on the pretext of treason. The
agitation was great. Ujhazy and many others
were impeached. Kossuth lay long in prison
before trial. In 1888 he was sentenced to four
years Imprisonment. The agitation only in
creased Even the Austrian government saw
that things could not 60 on thus. The Hun
garian chancellor and the chief Justice were at
once removed, and their places filled BY more
liberal men. .t
In 1889 the diet met again. Its first pro.
ceedings were bitter complaints of the illegal
proceedings against Wesselenyi and Kossuth
and against the enoroachments made on liberty
ofspeech. Votes of supplies to tho govern.
ment were long refused. After struggle of
= Mhols ua,. ,ba,, ,,ara ,rantad ,nJ -.