Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol. IV, No. 19, Dec 1851Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol. IV, No. 19, Dec 1851
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Among the demands made by the Hungarian Diet was that of a separate and
responsible Ministry for Hungary. The Palatine, Archduke Stephen, to
whom the conduct of affairs in Hungary had been intrusted, persuaded the
Emperor to accede to this demand, and on the following day Batthyanyi,
who with Kossuth and a deputation of delegates of the Diet was in
Vienna, was named President of the Hungarian Ministry. It was, however,
understood that Kossuth was the life and soul of the new Ministry.
Kossuth assumed the department of Finance, then, as long before and now,
the post of difficulty under Austrian administration. The Diet meanwhile
went on to consummate the series of reforms which Kossuth had so long
and steadfastly advocated. The remnants of feudalism were swept
away--the landed proprietors being indemnified by the state for the loss
they sustained. The civil and political rights which had heretofore been
in the exclusive possession of the nobles, were extended to the burghers
and the peasants. A new electoral law was framed, according the right of
suffrage to every possessor of property to the amount of about one
hundred and fifty dollars. The whole series of bills received the royal
signature on the 11th of April; the Diet having previously adjourned to
meet on the 2d of July.
Up to this time there had been indeed a vigorous and decided opposition,
but no insurrection. The true cause of the Hungarian war was the
hostility of the Austrian Government to the whole series of reformatory
measures which had been effected through the instrumentality of Kossuth;
but its immediate occasion was the jealousy which sprung up among the
Serbian and Croatian dependencies of Hungary against the Hungarian
Ministry. This soon broke out into an open revolt, headed by Baron
Jellachich, who had just been appointed Ban or Lord of Croatia. How far
the Serbs and Croats had occasion for jealousy, is of little consequence
to our present purpose to inquire; though we may say, in passing, that
the proceedings of the Magyars toward the other Hungarian races was
marked by a far more just and generous feeling and conduct than could
have been possibly expected; and that the whole ground of hostility was
sheer misrepresentation; and this, if we may credit the latest and best
authorities, is now admitted by the Sclavic races themselves. But
however the case may have been as between the Magyars and Croats, as
between the Hungarians and Austria, the hostile course of the latter is
without excuse or palliation. The Emperor had solemnly sanctioned the
action of the Diet, and did as solemnly denounce the proceedings of
Jellachich. On the 29th of May the Ban was summoned to present himself
at Innspruck, to answer for his conduct; and as he did not make his
appearance, an Imperial manifesto was issued on the 10th of June,
depriving him of all his dignities, and commanding the authorities at
once to break off all intercourse with him. He, however, still continued
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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