The Government, which, by virtue of the new laws, had meanwhile
transferred its seat to Budapest, displayed extraordinary energy in the
face of the sad difficulties besetting it. As it was impossible to rely
upon the Austrian soldiers who were still in the country, it exerted
itself to create and to organize a national army. A portion of the
National Guard entered the national army under the name of _honveds_
("defenders of the country"), a name which became before long famous
throughout the civilized world for the brilliant military achievements
connected with it. The Hungarian soldiers garrisoning the Austrian
principalities hastened home, braving the greatest dangers, partly
accompanied by their officers and partly without them. The famous
Hungarian hussars, especially, returned in great number to offer their
services to their imperilled country. But all this proved insufficient,
and as soon as the National Assembly, elected under the new
constitution, met, Kossuth, who had been the life and soul of the
Government during this trying and critical period, called upon the
nation to raise large armies for the defence of the country.
The session of July 11th, during which Kossuth introduced in the House
of Representatives his motions relating to the subject, presented a
scene which beggars all description. Kossuth ascended the tribune pale
and haggard with illness, but the long-continued applause that greeted
him after the first few sentences soon gave him back his strength and
his marvellous oratorical power. When he had concluded his speech and
submitted to the House his request for two hundred thousand soldiers and
the necessary money, a momentary pause of deep silence ensued. Suddenly
Paul Nyary, the leader of the opposition, arose, and lifting his right
arm toward heaven, exclaimed: "We grant it!" The House was in a fever of
patriotic excitement; all the Deputies rose from their seats, shouting,
"We grant it; we grant it!" Kossuth, with tears in his eyes, bowed to
the representatives of the people and said, "You have risen like one
man, and I bow down before the greatness of the nation."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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