New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-24
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE
THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE.
LETTER FROM COUNT PULsKY on THE PRO-
GREsS OF HUNGARY.

letter. an account OF my personal experiences rs well
as of all those circumstances by which the Austrian
Empire, breaking down at the field of Sadowa and
Inundated at the peace conference at Nikolsburg,
was reconstructed the Austro-Hungarian Monar-
chy and restored to proud position in European
pOlitics-leadng the liberal movement and becOm-
ing the home of progress.
| When returned from exile, my time was taken
up by my private affairs. My property about 1900
acres at 80 miles distance from tho capital Pesth,
was in great disorder; lawsuits had accumulated
during the long conscation my creditors irregular
ly paid by Government had grown impatient; there
| were still difficulties pending with my
former tenants even the title to my property had
become obscured in fact, had to work hard to put
everything in order. Much time was spent in renew
ing old friendships and acquaintance. / was re-
ceived with open arms still felt had lost some
thing of the specific Hungarian feeling; some
| times was at variance with the ideas
| of my friends the standard, by which
measured political events, was different from that
Of the political leaders. Many dear old friends had
died off others were in different political camps and
| new generation had grown up, which knew me
only by name. l felt that had become stranger
| in my own country, that had still much to learn
before could take part in active politics. When
arrived at my country seat Szeiseny was told in
| the evening that the population of the township
u
to greet at my return. after is years absence
went down in the castle yard, was received
| with cheers, and one Of the aldermen began
his speech: 1--WE, your tenantry and subjects, have
come here to rejoice at the return of Lord"
| interrupted him and said: "Neighbors and friends
you are mistaken; it was my pride and my comfort
In exile that though had not succeeded in the Rev
olution of 1S4S we had still succeeded in making
you free from all feudal bondage ceased at that
time to be your Lord, and you ceased to be
tenants and subjects. The law has made us
all equal; you are my neighbors and friends"
"Nop shouted they, 1--WE are your subjects, as we
were; it is question of feeling, not of law Such
is the democracy in Hungary, but only in words for
soon found out that where interests came into
collision, our democracy readily maintained the ag-
pressiye character There was, at the time, a gem
| eral agitation in Hungary Parliament had been
adjourned at Pesth as well at Vienna before the
outbreak of tho war; everybody felt now that the
| old system had been weighed and found wanting,
and that the reconstruction of the En-
pire upon more liberal basis had be-
come unavoidable. In Hungary my old friend Deak
possessed the confidence Of the great majority; he
wanted the restoration of the democratic laws OF
1S4S with those notifications which had become
necessary by the relations which Hungary stands
with Austria. He insisted upon q national indcpen-
dent parliamentary government at Pesth and simi.
lar one at Vienna the administration and legislation
remaining completely independent IN each MALT OF
| the empire a commercial treaty, regulating their
| taxes-espeeally the excise and the customs-upon
| the same princple--the foreign affairs and the
I army and navy remaining common TO both under q
distinct common Ministry responsible to the dele
cations of both Parliaments These two delegations
meeting alternately at Vienna and Pesth, were TO
discuss and to vote the common budget each of
them-the Hungarian and the Austrian-hOldng
their meetings separately, with a joint ballot
exclusive of further discussion, deciding any differ
ences, which could not be arranged in any Other
way committee of the legislatures of both States
was to fix the proportion in which Hungary should
take part in the common expenditure, for the next
ten years. and likewise the share of each half in the
Austrian debt-ths last not point OF justice, but
of equity. These were the principal features OF
Deak's PLAN 1t was opposed on both sides. The Old
| Conservatives stood at that time at the head OF
affairs in Hungary; the Hungarian Chancellor
George Mailath my colleague in the Diet of 1859
| who with the most delicate attention 10 my
| honor and feelings, had managed for me
the permission to remain in Hungary without exact
ing from me any other pledges than that of respect
ing the existing laws-beeved that Deak's scheme
could scarcely be carried out at Vienna, and that
close union between Austria and Hungary had to be
established. His party consisted of set of unusu
ally able men, Of great administrative talents and
experience but unpopular in Hungary; an excellent
staff of officers, without army. On the other hand
there was Mr. Coleman Tiszc aud Mr. Coleman
Ghyczy, who opposed Deak yielding too much to
Austria; they wanted only a personal trnion
between Austria and Hungary with divided
army complete financial and commercial lndepen-
dence rs to common affairs the foreign affairs
remaining in this way rather uncontrolled in
the Imperial Cabinet while the will of the sovereign
was to decide if the new Paraments were at yari-
ance Beust the newly imported Minister of For
eign Afairs-he halls from Saxony-saw ut once that
the empire could not be reconstructed by hall meas
ures Hungary to be contented; he therefore
entered into negotiations with Deal and must ac-
| knowledge that the old Conservatives gave the
game up with dignity and patriotism; they rallied
soon around Deak. Parliament met again, and
| Deak's great compromise carried by large
majority against the stiff opposition of the LQt for
that is the name of the TszcGhyezy party; the Right
! Deak party succeeded In February, 1867, Count
| Andrassy, once likewise an exile was mtrusted
| with forming n Parliamentary Ministry-for Deak
| was becoming old and of failing health. aud would
not under any circumstances accept the Premiership
| In June Francis Joseph was crowned, ana TOOK the
oath 10 maintain the Constitution, on the great place
of the Town Hall at Pesth in presence OF the cheer
| ing multitude. general amnesty was published
on the following day but long before the publication
| the exles had focked back to Hungary some with
nassport others without it nobody disturbed them.
Most of them at once joined Deak and the new Gov
ernment few soured by their long suiferlngs, went
with the Left but, in general, we can say that the
| compromise was hailed by the nation with rapture;
everybody was happy that the long oppression had
ceased that Hungary at last again for the Hun
! garans, that affairs were conducted by national
Government controlled by national Parliament.
But there were two men of genius IN Europe who
could not like the change in the fortunes OF Austria;