The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-14

asserts, that the Institutions and habits Of Hungary
are incompatible with democratic repsblie. I
ind, on the contrary, traits In them which lssd mo
90 Tns r.
veges In tho Diet Of l8l74 Of its own accord. and
which was in its nature, more dc mecratic thu an
ar6tocratic body, because neither territorial wealth
nor rank interfered with or disturbed the equality
of its rights; the national antpathy to the system
OF an upper house, which considered as foreign
institution, because it had been introduced under
the Austrian dynasty; tho immemoriai custom Oh
periodically electing all officials, and oven the
judges the detestation in which bureaucracy and
all the Instruments of Capitalization held Ia all
ages, while the attachment to the municipal self
government was irradicable; the fact, that in
consequence OF the laws which had been sauo-
toned in April, 1913, the county authorities,
formerly ouly elected from the nobility, demo-
craticaiy 70 constituted and exercised their fnnc'
titns IL this form till the catastrophe Of win
out the slightest cosion oct the different classes
Of society-the peaceful election Of the rcpressn-
tatiyes Of the last Diet conducted almest on the
prine OF universal suffrsge-al these facts un-
m'stakeabiy prove thattne germ OF democracy lay
in our institutions, AMI that these could receive
democratic deyelopement without any conclusion.
Those characteristic traits Of our nation which
have been so often misrepresented as sgss Of an
aversion to q republic, and which may be more
properly called civic virtues; rs, for example, our
respect for law our autipathy to uutried political
theories, our attachment to traditional customs,
and our pride in the history of country, are no
dltions OF, republic, which IL to be national and
enduring 1t would be indeed unprecedented
event IN history, if stauuch royalism could be the
characteristic of q country, which, like Hungary,
has found in It's kings for three hundred years the
ineXoraole foes of its iiberties, and which in that
time for their defence had to wage six bloody wars
against its dynasty
AS to the criticisms By the noble count of tho
personal character of Kossuth, take leave to assert
that great majority o. tho Hungarian nation do
Lot share his opinion 1t is not my task to appea.
as personal advocate, ami wish, therefore, to ad
vert only 10 one point of his attack, which may
seem 70 be based facts. The noble count asserts
that kossuth has attained to power by doubtful
means. l am amazed a. this assertion, kno wing,
M do, that kossuth was proposed by Count Louis
Batthyanyi, ard nominated by the King, with the
universal applause Of the alton, to the Ministry of
Finance After the resignation Of the first Hun
garian ministry, he was freely and unanimously
elected by the Diet to the Presidency of the Com
mtee Of Defence and after the declared forfeiture
of the dynasty, to the Governorship Of the country.
/ know no mere honorable means by which man
can be raised to power.
| am unable to guess at the motives Of the pa
triotic Count, which have prevailed on him to pub
lsh the latter part Of his latter; and must believe
that its consequences will be pernicious to
mon cause il an irreconcileGble division between
our countrymen should be the unhappy result.
trust, sir. that your friendly sentiments for the
welfare Of hungary will prevail you to give
these lines place in your esteemed journal, and
remain, sir, your obedient servant.
Late Minister Of Justice Of Hungary.
London, Jan. II, 1852.