Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-08-13
4 9 Il tt i.
THE GUERILLA CHIEF OF ERLAU. y

The history OF Hungary during The six-
teenth and seventeenth centuries is like
the diary Of lighthouse, filled with ac-
counts OF storms and devastation; on the
one hand caused by the united wrath OF
two mighty elements; on the other, by the
furious passions Of man, even more lasting
and destructive in their effects than the
most fearful hurricane.
The Hungarian nation received from
Providence the honorable, but very difficult
mission-the defence OF the Christian reI-
gion against the fanaticism OF the East, and
the preservation of civilization against the
ercroachments Of the barbarians Of the
North.
In the long struggle for these, two of the
noblpst pillars of humanity, the Hungarans
fully proved their vital power and their
heroic descent; and, under circumstances
of the greatest peril, showed themselves
worthy Of their gigantic task. The more
uncertain the contest, the more eagerly the
Hungarians rushed into it. They knew
| that they had often overhrown an enemy
ten times as strong as themselves; and they
| felt that the death OF tree warrior was
preferable to disgracrful submission. Thus
they fought and fell, and shed their hearts
blood on the 5ulwarks of civilization,
whilst other nations enjoyed the fruits Of
their hard toll.
Their losses during the melancholy peri
cd were innumerable. Not family in
the land that had not TO mourn one or more
Of its members as martyrs TO liberty
There was no field, no mountain, no town,
which had not witnessed more or less
bloody encounter. Every space was hal
lowed by some glorious deed-by some
sorrowful event. Thus il is very natural
that in the otherwise cheerful character oI
the people the memory Of that gloomy
time became indelibiy impressed. Their
national songs and sayings are saddened by
the chill breath Of history, and in theil
sweet melodies the means of the dying are
closely mingled with the huzzas Of the
victors. Had not their mistaken love ior
freedom strengthened their spirit and
cheered them after every defeat, they mus
have succumbed al last under the over.
whelming strength Of their enemies.
None of the many evils that betel thi'
country cut deeper into the national being
Of Hungary, none had so bad reaction or
the development oi its culture and industry
as the domination OF the Turks. The con-
querors treated the vanquished with thu
greatest ferocity, pundrred the land, anC
dragged the unfortunate Inhabitants into
lasting slavery. Hundreds of thousand
persisted thus in the distant East, and thou
/ sands Of villages disappeared entirely unde
: the devastating footsteps of these fanatic
barbarians
To complete the misfortunes oil The peo
pie, the Dukes of Austria came into pos
session Of the Hungarian throne, and, in
stead of defending the country as Kings o
t Hungary, took advantage Of every oppor
+ tunity of expressing it, and extorting tn
residue OF its possessions SO hardly save
from the Turks.
Towards the middle OF the seventeent
century, the Turks possessed more than tn
moirty of the realm: their dominion, how
, ever, was chiefly confined to the rampant
= of the foItresses in their power. Beyon
. these a very little belonged to them, an
h that little was continually disputed by Ii
y ever watchfu and ever-contending peopl
who, however badly armed, not unir
quently put to flight the best janissar
= and saphis of the Sultan.
y In the mountainous parts Of the Ian
which particularly favored military unde
taklngs, lasting guerilla warfare was ke
E. up. As it happens in such circumstance
MANY thousand patriots who had some he
Wy loss or personal injury to avenge, b
S, sworn eternal fued against their heredlta
= The principal town in the county Of Heves in H
gary.