The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-07

Inc question was on the IOllOWing Te5oiu-
tions, submitted by Mr.. SEWARD, as substitute
for resolutions introduced by the Hon. MIR.
Clarke, Of Rhode Island:
RESOLVED, That while the United States, IN
consideration of the exigences of society, ha-
bitually recognise governments de Jdcto In other
States, yet that they nevertheless by no means
indifferent when such government is estab-
lished against the consent of any people by
usurpaton or by armed intervention of foreign
States or nations.
Resolved That, considering that the people OF
| Hungary in the exercise of the right secured to
| them by the laws of nations, in a solemn and
legitimate manner asserted their national indie
pendence, and established government by their
own voluntary act, and successfully maintained
it against all opposition by parties lawfully IN
| erested in the question: and that the Emperor
of Russia, without Just or lawful right, invaded
Hungary, and, by fraud and armed force, sub,
verted the national Independence and political
constitution thus established, and thereby re-
duced that country to the condition OF province
ruled by foreign power; the United States 90
solemny protest against the conduct OF Russia
on that occasion, as Il wanton and tyrannlcal IN
fraction of the laws of nations; and the United
States do further declare that they will not here
after be Indifferent to similar acts OF national in
Justice oppression and usurpation, whenever or
wherever they may occur.
| Mr.. SEWARD rose and said:
| Mr. PRESIDENT Writers on law teach us
that States are free, independent, and equal
moral persons, existing for objects of happiness
and usefulness, and possessing rights and sub
iect to duties defined by the law of nature,
which is the system of politics and morals
founded in right reason; that the only differ
ence between politics and morals is, that one
regulates the operations of government, while
the other directs the conduct of individuals, and
that the maxims of both are the same; that two
sovereign States may be subject to one prince,
and yet be mutually independent; that a nation
becomes free by the act Oft ruler when he ex.
ceeds the fundamental laws; that when any
power, whether domestic or foreign attempts to
deprive a State Of independence or of liberty, it
may lawfully take counsel of its courage, and
prefer before the certainty of servitude the
chances of destruction; that each nation is
bound to do to every other in time Of peace the
most good, and in time OF war the least harm
possible, consistently with its own real inter-
ests that while tbs is an imperfect obligation,
of which no State can exact performance, any
one has right to use peaceful means, and even
force, if necessary, to repress power that
openly violates the law of nations, and directly
attacks their common welfare and that,
although the interests of universal society re-.
quire mutual intercourse between States, it can
nevertheless be conducted by those only who in
their respective nations possess and exercise in
fact adequate political powers.
Austria being situated in Central Europe,
with only an inconsderabe seaport, we have
known little of her, except that she was one of
a. IL u,1l ot fin nd innv Ia
members of that combination Of States which,
under the changing names of the allied pow
ers," "the holy league" and the holy alliance"
and with the unchanging prstence of devotion
to order and religion, have more than half a
century opposed and resisted everywhere the
reforming and benign principles of the Ameri
can revolution.
Hungary, after having been in ages past the
heroic defender of Christian Europe against the
armies of Islam, and afterwards the chivalrous
guardian of Austria from the usurpations of
Prussia and France, seemed near n century ago
to disappear, and only four years since came
again on the stage, and challenged her part in
the drama of nations. She occupied region
within the Austrian Empire with fifteen millions
of people, of whom the Magyars, race that
had inherited freedom, arts, and arms, were one
third while the remainder were Germans, Serbs,
and Wallachans, and the two latter classes were
debased and virtually ensaved by feudal GUS
toms and laws. Under the constitution given to
her by nm ancient king, st. Stephen, Hungary
was limited monarchy and an absolutely inde-
pendent State. Beginning, however, in 1880,
she selected for her kings the successive reign
ing Dukes Of the House of Hapsburg Lorraine
for period of one hundred and fifty years, and
then gave them succession to her throne by Il
law of inheritance Nevertheless, fundamental
laws enacted by Hungary, and accepted by the
Austrian dynasty, defined the union of the two
States, declaring that the king should have no
powers before coronation, that he could be
crowned only on signing compact and swear
ing an oath to sustain the constitution, usages,
and laws of Hungary, by virtue of which she
was free and Independent State, and that she
could be bound by no royal edicts or DEGREES
but only by laws passed by her own diet or
and sanctioned by the king.
Hungary was always as Independent Of Rus
STA as we are.
Such, Mr.. President, was the condition OF
Hungary in March, 1848. Now she has neither
nor king, nor diet, nor national
functions, nor national organs, nor independence,
nor liberty, nor law, bnt lies PROSTATE at the
feet of the Austrian Emperor, and receives his
absolute DEGREES from the point of the sword
Who has wrought this melancholy and fearful
change in country that had used its liberty so
nobly, and had kept it so long! We shall soon
see.
In February, l848 the Hungarian diet, while
revising and melioratng their domestic laws,
learned by the telegraphic wires that republic
had risen in Paris and that n constitutional gov
eminent was about to rise, in Vienna Awaiting
themselves of these proptious circumstances,
they decreed the establishment of an independ-
ent national treasury, a resident palatine or
viceroy, and responsible Hungarian ministry
institutions equally necessary, just, and con-
sttutional. Hungary received the royal sane
ton of these measures with contentment and
satisfaction at the very mo ment when only her
word was wanting to subvert the empire. Three
days afterwards, the Germans obtained consti-
tuition at the hands of the Emperor, who thus
became limited monarch in his Austrian do
minions, as he had always been in Hungary
The Hungarian diet at once reformed the social
and political condition of the State, and, abol-
ishino feudalism but not without lust cOmpep-