New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-10
THE NEW AUSTRIAN contribution

For the twelve years since the suppression Of the
Hungarian revolt the Imperial family OF Austria
has been engaged in an attempt to crush out the
various natonalities of which that empire is made
up. During that period, the local Diets, which
had continued to enjoy certain political rights,
greater OF less, have been discontinued, and the
whole power of legislation, as well as of admiois-
tration, has been concentrated in the Emperor
This centraliziDg ystem has entirely failed how
ever, either to relieve the Imperial Government
from its financial embaTassments, or to make itself
agreeable to the Austrian Provinces and people.
The discontents in Hungary especially have in
creased from day to day. Pending the Italian war
they were constant source of alarm. The aP.
prehensions of insurrection in Hungary had doubt
less much to do with inducing the Emperor TO
submit to the peace of Villafranca. The progress
of revolution in Southern Itsly has renewed those
apprehensons, while at the same time they have
tied up the hands of Austria from any Intervention
on behalf of Naples.
Out of this position of Austrian affairs, internal
and external, have grown the concessions just
promulgated, by which, on paper at least, the
Austrian Empire has been converted Tito COnsti-
tutonal Government. These concessions have
been made in conformity with the advice of
a Council Of State, convoked On the 9TH of Ma CD
last and composed of distinguished persons nomi-
mated by the Emperor. They are promulgated as
ga durable and immutable fundamental law of the
Estate" binding as well on the Emperor's sue
cessors as himself. The fate, however, of similar
concessions made by other German Princes, and by
the Emperors immediate predecessor among the
rest, forbid any great reliance upon the perma-
manency of this new Austrian Constitution.
| According to its provisions, the laws shall in
| future only be made, altered or repealed " with
" the cooperation, so far as local matters are
concerned of Provincial Diets, to be regularly as
sembled for that purpose in the various Provinces
of the Empire, and far as relates to matters of
general interest, with the cooperation of Council
| of the Empire, to which, in addition to the mem
bers nominated by the Emperor, delegates are t
be appointed by the local Diets. The respectiy
| authority of this Imperial Council and of tn
local Diets is to correspond in some degree to tina
possessed by our Congress and the State Legisa
| tu1es. The Imperial Council is to be consulted
| to all laws connected with the coinage, currency
| public credit, customs, commercial matters,
banks, telegraphs, and railroads, the conscrip-
top for the army, theintrOduction ofnew taxes and
iDposts, the making of new loans, the conversion
of debts already existing, and the sale OF mort
gage of real property belonging to the State. IL
is also to be consulted in settling the amount of the
| budget for each year. and in the examination of
the public accounts. Other matters of legislation
not specially reserved f,r the Imperial Council are
to come up before the local Diets.
This would seem to secure to the subjects Of the
Austrian empire large participation in the legs.
aton by which they are to be governed. Yet the
language of the imperial rescrpts is far from being
very precise or definite. The EmperOrs to act as to
matters OF legislation with the cooperation Of the
Imperial Council aud the Provincial Dlets Bat how
far this cooperation" is to extend does not appear
Are the members of these bodies to have the right
of proposing laws, or is the initiative to come
clusivey from the Emperor Are the Assemblies
TO have a negative upon all propositions made to
them, or lie the Emperor, after taking their advice
to be at liberty to act as be pleases Upon these
and other important points the imperial rescripts
contain no information. They may mean every
things or, according to the practical Interpretation
put upon them, they may amount to nothing. An.
other important point which is left unsettled is the
| proportion which the number of members of the
Imperial Council chosen by the Provincial Diets is
to bear to the number nominated by the Crown.
Under this new arrangement Hungary will 70
cover certain portion Of the political privileges of
| abo has baan ;rad for Ia
years. She will not however, be by any means
replaced in the position which she formerly occu-
pied According to her old constitution she was
to all intents and purposes distinct kingdom,
levyiDg separate army Of her own, imposing and
collecting her separate revenue, and having dis.
tinct treasury. Under the new system the Hun.
garian Diet will be curtaied of these important
prercgatives these matters being placed uDder the
exclusive control of the Imperial Council, or at
| least the levying of taxes and the Hungarian
revenue will be restricted to What may be
necessary for paying the expens6 Of the local
Administration. In another respect also the power
of the Hungarian diet will be greatly reduced.
Under the old system it egislated not for the Mag.
yars, mostly but for a number Of Provinces
conquered in former times, and annexed 10 the
Hungarian Kingdom Under the new arrangement,
these Provinces will be freed from their depend.
ence on Hungary, and each will have its separate
Provincial Diet The Hungarian, in common
with the Slavonian Provinces, will be delivered
from the attempt to force upon them the German
laneuage-each Province being allowed to use for
Official aud business purposes itsOwn native tongue,