Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-21
szcMERE ON HUNGARIAN AFFAIRS.
FROM TIE posToN COURIER.

torcal document from the pen of an actor in some Of
most eyentfu scenes in the late Hungarian struggle, 1t
will also to eucdate particular matter resrsct
ing which the most extraordinary deuson is kept up
by certain persons in this country and which is perhaps
remarkable instance of obstinate and wlfu blind
be found in the history OF civilized people
We aude of course, to the authority now assumed by
Mr. KossUTH to act Governor of Hungary and rep
resent himself the only ghtfuly vested with the
power of speaking and acting in the Of the Hunga
rian people Any person capable of reading the follow
ing letter will how utterly groundless these pre-
tensions.
BARTHoLoMEus SzcMERE is a man whose character for
truth and probity is unmpeached and his of know
ledge respecting the matters of which he speaks full
and satisfactory. Pragays History Of the Hungarian
Revolution gives the following Of him. [Pragay
was Adjutant General in the Hungarian army:]
she was first chosen chief of the magistracy then
Vice Governor of the country and lastly representative
to the Diet He afterwards became member of the Com
mttee of Public Defence and Government Commissioner
apronted Of the Ministry with the special
Department Of the Interior In this character he brought
before the Diet hia republican programme which a.
ds wn 4spuSoan R a. He m.s s
When Gorgcy'e treachery became known Szcmere follow
ed Kossuth into Turkey, from whence however, per-
ceving the intentions of the Turkish Government he hap
PLY escaped, and is now residing in Paris
The suboined letter written to the editor Of the
New York Courier and Enquirer and occasioned by
the author having in American journal false
statement respecting Kossuth which the of Bar
tholommus Szcmere had been forged The honesty of the
writer's purpose must be apparent to all except those who
perversey resolved not open their eyes the truth
Of these latter regret say the number though d
mnishing daily, is still considerable.
Letter Of M Sscmere..
Mr.. EDrron: In the number of the Goth December
1f Ilxy and
New York Enquirer in its morning edition. article is
inserted with the heading Governor KossUTH. In it
is embodied the authentic act of abdcation of the Gov
ernment by KossUTH, and among the Of the sub
scribers thereto find also my
did indeed take parn the business Of the war; which we
compelled to wage for constitutional liberty and
independence, against the Austrian dynasty have in
deed participated in that holy war; but in doing only
fulfilled my duties citizen and and consequently
have done nothing which could enttle to lay claim
to any particular glory yet, on the other hand must
means, bring shame upon me- soil clear conscience.
feel myself therefore, constrained, for the sake of
truth for my own honor and political character, to
make the following declarations:
i. That never subscribed that act of abdicaton.
2. That never the same
3. That neither my of duty citizen
patriot would have allowed to put my signature
to that act had it, had its existence
been made known to me which never the fact.
Since it is undoubtedly the fact that Mr.. Kossuth
neither could have been compelled to that abd
cation by any moral physical force whatever and
BESIDES Mr. Kossuth himself had weeks months
before spoken of General Gorgey traitor cannot
how his abdcaon and transfer of the supreme power
into the hands Of traitor be consistent with his
much praised heroism and love Of country In and
in revolutions the hero and superior mind is manifested
by words but by deeds In the controversy between
Kossuth and Gorgey in Arad the 1th Of August l89
the other must have sunk and that neither
of them appears to have been hair the Gorgey
kossuth to be requested to abdcate and Kossuth
hastaed to do it. and Immediately thereafter fed The
| Turkish boundary.
1t is important to remark here that at this moment
there still in the hands Of the nation four fortresscs
and two Of these the strongest in the whole country,
namely Romorn and Peterwardein well army of
1856 900 and three hundred field pieces. believe
that before in the history of the world has the head
of nation turned his back so powerful military
force.
Gorgey laid down his only with q, 900 men, The
rest of the army surrendered only because they heard
only that Mr. Kossuth had abdcated and by doing had
declared the hopes of the nation forever lost but that
he had himself fed the country giving himself thought
for the fate Of his party his friends the army the for
tresses and the nation. He the boundaries
entirely alone he avoided carefully his friends and
quantances, especially all those who assembled the
boundaries in order that he might the certainly
cure his own safety
Mr. KossUTH chosen Governor on the 14th Of April
1849 not directly by the people, but by the National AS
semby proUsona and not by votes, but by acclamaton
and under the condition Of ruling in connexon with the
Ministry which also made responsible for every thing
1t is true that Mr. KossurH could resign his Office In
this case If the National Assembly in session.
dispositions of authority could have been made in the
absence Of the Assembly, the Government must of
sity remain in the hands of the Ministers.
II is not necessary to remark that the nation had the
sovereign right TO delegate executive power but that the
person whom the had been delegated could
transfer his right to third party.
Mr. KcssUTH, however the 11th Of August, 1649
in Arad not only resigned which he had the power do
but only did not assemble the Ministry which had
ceived powers of government contemporaneously with
himself but he transferred another the power which
had BEEN entrusted to his person.
lie did more he appointed Dictator which he not
himself
Mr. KossUTH no longer consider himself either in
law or in right the Governor of Hungary:
Because he poluntarily surrendered this power;
Because he transferred this power another which he
had right to do;
Because he also abdcated in the of the whole
Ministry without having previously consulted them;
Because he Immediately transferred the power of the
State to GoRGRY, q whom he, and he more than all
Others had long before considered traitor
Finally because he did oil this without consulting
with and without the knowledge Of that Ministry which
had been appointed with him, and consequently,
far mere form is considered acted contrary the law.
II is not my intention to dssect the unfortunate and
ever-Auctuating policy Of Mr.. KossuTH; yet, am
obliged to excupate myself from any nferenccs to be
drawn from that act which, nevertheless though done
py NAME was done witom my knocedgc and scifhom my
consent IL is impossible for this occasion not to de-
clare that Mr. KossuTH has claim either in law Of
right to the character of Governor of Hungary MOI in
io because he hastily surrendered the office, without
observing the legal forms; NOT Of right because,
while the 14h Of April 1S49, when troops