The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-19
is WITHOUT A COUNTRY
Louis Kossuth, Whose Birthday
VIII Soon 30 Celebrated.
90 YEARS SINCE THE HUNGARIAN
Patriot Was Born...Thc Event To BE
Marked by Much Enthusiasm
Among Ills Countrymen...Striktng
Incidents IN tho Career Of the RE-
inarkaDlc Mnn.--ilis Visit TO Amer.
ica.-lIc Now Lives IN Italy. wv

Tho man without country Is not II
myth. lIc Is substantial entity, and
;. Ills name is Louis Kossuth.
Ninety years ago the Hungarian pa
triot was born Of ancient but impover-
ished family in Monok in Zemplin, one
OF tho northern counties Of Hungary.
Tho exact date OF his birth Is somewhat
obscured by conflicting memoirs, but Ia
probably tho 9th OF April, 1902, 80 that
lis nine,cth birthday will DO cccbrNt-
cd within short time. but II is his
enthusiastic countrymcn who will COM
mcmorate his birthday, rather than
will kossuth himself. For him the
poinps and vanites have ever held but
small charm, perhaps now less than
ever, though he 10, according to his
own statement, practically as strong
and vigorous rs Of yorc, except for IN
occasional failure OF his cyesight.
Louis Kossuth is another cxemplii.
cation OF the great sons OF great moth
crs. His mother, who lived 10 exult in
her sons glory, wac woman OF genius,
which she transmittcd-a heritage OF
heritages-to her son.
As tho law opened the best field for
young ambition Kossuih became n stu,
dent Of legal lore. lie became in the
course OF time advocate, journalist,
minister OF finance, president OF tho
committee OF defense, and governor OF
the hungarian republic. He was
la 1r4,, nd, 81 I,nI
Latin, Slovack, French and Italian Ian
guages. AS n lawyer he proved himself
brilliant in debate, and atterward dared
to report the doings Of the Hungarian
diet in spite OF banal law which for
babe the printing OF. publishing" OF
such reports.
Through all ran the vein OF liberal
thought which had characterized his
family for centuries. 1t was written in
the annals OF Hungary that no less than
seventeen OF his ances tors had been
attainted for high treason against
Austria in the attempts oil the house OF
Austria to make, the crown hereditary
in the Hapsburg line. With such
primogcniturc It was scarcely surpris-
ing to find him a youth OF twenty-seven,
thus defying the whole Austrian cab
met. He was finally SET up by the
myrmidious law, captured, and thrust
into n dungeon prison. This did more
for him among his countrymen than
decades OF patient endeavor could have
done. At once lie was cnwrapped with
the sanctitication OF n martyr. Sub.
scriptions were raised for the support
OF his mother and sisters and the name.
OF kossuth became household word.
1t WINS Mt this period that. the crown
ing joy Of his life came to him. Among
his sympathizers was Teresa Mezlenyi,
the young daughter oil u noD!eman
During his incarceration she cores
ponded with kossuth, sent books and
flowers, and the end was Just what might
have been expected. After three years
OF prison life kossuth was set free
through the strenuous and unceasing
efforts OF his friends, and soon after he
married the lovely Teresa AIezlenyi.
Never was there more complete mar
riagc OF souls. kossuth in all his long
life has shown an extraordinary faculty
for keeping and holding the affection OF
those about him. and the unwayering
devotion OF his wife emphasizes all the
rest.
The "martyr OF the liberty OF the
press" as he was called, was then
brought forward rs Il political candi-
date and was elected against two others,
when he was Immediately given fore
most place in the diet. When the
MetterniCh cabinet was overthrow,
Kossuth was given the portfolio OF
finance. Under his influence the inter.
nal reforms which he had advocated
were carried out, the last remains OF tho
oppressive feudal system were swept
away, and the peasanta were declared
free from all seignorial claims, the
country undertaking 10 indemnify the
landlords. Later in tho year kossuth
was elected to the position OF governor
OF Hungary, and he held that post dur
ing tho civil war OF 1S4S-i0. Flo was ut
the pinnacle OF his fame, aud once more
his great talent and versatility lit up tho
somber times like great light on hill.
He was the soul and chiet Of all
movements; and by his passionate APP
pcals smoto upon the souls OF tho peas
ants until they burst into the flames OF
enthusiasm, and they crowded into the
camps by thousands. During the clev.
on months which elapsed before tho
fall OF Hungary. kossuth was the ono
ruling and direct spirit, and both men
tai and physical strain was tremendous.
Then Hungary fell, crushed mainly
by the aid OF Russian armed interycn-
ton, and Kossuth fed to Turkey to save
himself from execution at 1.-THE hands OF
tho conquerors, the living leader OF a
lost cause.
Separation from wife and family was
now imperative, but the devoted sharer
OF his SORROWS rs well as his Joys utterly
refused to leave her husband until Ash
bot. n young Hungarian nobleman,
solcmnly promised never. to leave him.
Separated thus from both husband and
children the unhappy lady, disguised
and alone, wandered about the country
unknown and dcsolate. Finally, in tho
grip OF severe privation, she sought and
obtained service in tho family Of hum
BILE carpenter, who little dreamed that
they wero being served by the lady OF
Louis Kossuth, late governor OF Hun
gary. All this time rewards for her
capture were being offered, and posters
promising death for anyone harborins
her were exposed on the streets. The
children, meanwhile, were being shell
Z terel in the family OF general, passing
as his own offspring.
The hard work and coarse fare ulti-
mately proved too much Tor the brave
Nine. Kossuth, ana she succumbed to
i fit OF illness, during which she was
cared Tor by the Sisters OF Charity. She
was discovered there in that hospital
by friend, and these two ragged
women proceeded in disguise to the
Sandman consul. bravinr death ntev