On this page

• Departments (1)
  • 
• Text (4)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    HUNGATtY.*

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    IT is not only those who prefer moral principle to political dogmas , and value the freedom of nations more than the balance ol power , who loplc to Hungary with an interest wliich is increased by the daily progress of events that bring us perceptibly nearer the overthrow of the Austrian system , and the re-establishment of some new combination of the multifarious races noxr languishing and suffering under Hapsburg misrule . Some may wish for and expect to see Hungary entirely separated from the Austrian crown ; others may believe in the possibility of reanimating- the Austrian system , arid converting what is now a dreary waste of despotism into a federation of free and powerful States ; but whichever theory may be formed , the Hungarians appear destined to talte an important position , and in some shape or other the triumph ot their constitutional cause is the only conceivable condition of the . progress ot liberty and civilization over a large portion of the South of Europe . The Hungarians are the only important race to be found over a very wide area , who posHesa a military spirit , coupled with the traditions and habits of a free constitutional system , The particular character of a successful revolution mny determine whether Hungary stands alone , or'becomes n-portion of ft Confederation , or whether her tovw , of government will be monarchical or republican ; but the Hungarian people will never Kind themselves in the vain position ot experimental-constitution makers , endeavouring to combine «» avohical principles with enduring- forms o * political administration . Th « v w \ nf . simethinir intelligible , definite , and practicable—liberty

    Untitled Article

    . chance of union under a king- of independent power , is a very different tiling from Italy sicut aniea , and the first practical aggression on Switzerland , we sincerely hope , in spite of our peace partialities , would be a signal for the action of the police . There is one thing about which we are much concerned— -of course purely as a matter of sentiment—the objection of " Nice to the transfer . We fear that the Frenchman , in a social point of view , will be sadly mortified at this . His idea is that he is conquering and to conquer , even more by the virtue of his courtesy than the virtue : of his aims . The notion that any one does not 'like him—him the avani-eburler of civilization , the man of Qgrtments , the hero of bonnes Jvrtiines- ^ -Slls him with consternation . We believe that a Frenchman would be au desespoir if he found himself deserted , detested , and despised as the Austrians have been in Italy . In spite of some uncomfortable l'eminiscences of the "behaviour of the soldiery , the children of the sansculottes in Portugal , the Hanse towns , and elsewhere , we believe that ; the . Frenchman'in hfs natural , that is , his polished state , has an inimense fund of bonJiommie and of desire to please , irrespective of Jus vanity , and we like him for it ; nbonhommie which would prevent him from being comfortable with those who were unmistakeably uncomfortable with him . It is with reluctance that -he . " throws-the-martial , cloak over his politesse . That Nice , so long prepared for the Frenchman , so long semi-civilized by the residence of the aristocrats of all countries , and by the softness of elegant invalids , should be reluctant to receive the last polish which a French master of the ceremonies only can hestpw , and relieve its occasional ennui with a little gay Gallic levity , is what he will scarcely understand 3 and we fear that the effect of mortification of rejected addresses may not be very pleasant to the refuser or the refused ' .. But let this fit of sentimental sadness pass , and let us turn for a moment tp the main cause of all this < £ Sischief , the most guilty ¦ of" the-parties concerned . There need be ao hesitation at pointing the finger at Austria . For ages have France and Austria battled for the possession of Italy , each convinced of the jiistice of her own claimsj each regardless of the claims of Italy , and her right to be ^ ranked among the nations . France has now altogether receded from her demand , leaving-, in consideration of a small douceur , Italy to the Italians . The nepliew has so far , at aiiy rate ; not followed the desperate policy of the uncle . / He has left Italy , if not altogether to itself , at least far more so than any of his ; reckless vituperators in England would have anticipated or even admitted to be possible . Austria has . held , and -would fain hold on still , to her prey as firmly as she can ; and the present desire of union among- the Italians shows how deeply her talons pierced . The iron gauntlet of Rome compressed the discordant and jealous cities of Italy togetheiv but it did not pierce or gall them ; when that grasp was relaxed the cities fell asunder , and " disunion" has since been the motto of Italy . She feels the necessity of trying the strong hand once more . It is no slight suffering that has made her forget her dear jealousies , envy ings , and heartburnings , to put herself , into the hands of a power which long considered itself and was considered almost as au alien . We quote a good book of a good authoiv-GuALANDi ' s " Assedio di 3 ? irenze' — to this purpose i- ' - . ' ? 1 \ Romano crede aver che fare col Fiorentioo quanfco corn un abitante dell' oceanica , e di quale altra piu remota parte del mondo . I Pieraontesi eereputano oosi estranei alle pose d'ltalia che favellando qon Toscano , Romano , o JSTapolitano , haiino in costume de deBignarlo con , ' \ oi altri albitanti d'ltalia . '" The Piedmontese , addressed the inhabitants of the peninsula as « ' you Italians ! '' Considering them sets strangers to their interests . This taking Victor Emmanuel as their king is almost , like the jPodestabn a grand scale .- As an individual man sometimes is afraid of the bias of his own prejudices and passions , and cannot Always trust the deliberate conclusions of his own judgment , nor the ¦ decisions of his own will , and calls in the advice of a disinterested friend , so the Italian cities pf the middle ages could sometimes trust neither to the will of their lord nor the counsels of their senates , nor the voices of their commons , and so submitted the supreme management of their affairs to a stranger , and called him the " Podesta , " or power (» plan not so implausible , as it was also adopted in sonaeofthe Belgian " cities ) . So the whole of Italy would now fain put a restraint upon itself . Milan , Florence , Genoa , Sec ., would bind themselves over to keep the peace with each other , and would give up , to escape the Austrian , all dear hppes of irresponsibility , and all rivalry , except a peaceful and ft mutually improving one . It is such a sacrifice of long habits and inbred hatreds , as Italy has never voluntarily nrnde before . By a moderate rule , Austria and her offshoots might have kept matters in statw quo , \ by despotism she has given a handle to Franco , ruined heraelt m Xtaly , disconcerted Europe , and made it impossible , in * spite of the sympathies of a few aristocrats , for free England to give hoi- a helping hand : she has almost thrown herself out of the communion of those nations whoso communion is worth having , and her misfortunes have been too much of her own wilful and deliberate bringing on to obtain , pity , or tp deserve it . She has no grntitiide j she 13 tryingto persecute » wa ^ en which , when tl * o house of Austria was in distress and destitution , came nobly to her aid , ana in smto pf many a previous provocation and persecution , crowded round the throne with the cry , " Let ua die for our Quqon , Maria Theresa 1 Hungory will be blindly persecuted into rebellion . M Whon wo , in our widcednoeo , grow hard , , Oh mlaoyy onH 1 th « wisegodpft «» l our eyos With our own AJth , drop our olc&r Judgment , mulct ) uu Adoro our errors * tough ftt ua while wo etnit To our confusion . "

    In- those days , when Hungary showed her ill-rewarded fidelity , England could , without shame , hold out the hand of help to Austria , and did so , as she had done before , as sire has done since , without ' -much -thanks for it—an assistance , however , not rendered , as we have said elsewhere , without due consideration of ' what , were , or what were at the tim . e deemed to be , the interests of England . England , whom Austria has always plagued when her ally by her poverty , her clilatoriness , and her temporising shuffling policy , vexing Maklbobottgh , vexing Wade , vexing 1 Pitt , yet some of our Tories would now follow the policy of GEAN ~\ r iLi , E , which Chatham described as ¦¦ " multiplying war upon war , expense upon expense , to abet the house of Austria in suc % romantic attempts as the recovery of the avulsa membra imperil , without regard to tlie immediate interests of Great Britain . " Our natural allies are Switzerland , Holland , the northern powers , and above all , in a united Germany , a friendly Prussia , and a friendly Austria . Against Germany there is none of that innate , and , to a certain extent , unreasoning aversion which England has so long felt and cherished ^ against France . But how can we be on friendly terms with Austria , blind , obstinate , despotic , more dangerous in her immobility than France in her mobility ? Eng-land cannot , despite her desire for German support , link herself cordially with a power which will not allow her children a liberty controlled by leading-strings , but cripples them with fetters , and debars them from movement altogether . France , with Various motives , has made a bid for the friendship of England . Austria would not , either for our moral or physical support , mate a bid by one single liberal concession . Visioias of the impossible though futile are grateful . Oh ! that Austria would rub her eyes , give ; herself one dip in the bath of liberalism .-, listen for one moment to the whispers of the aiigel of freedom j soothe Hungary—give , or even sell , Venetia to tlie Italians or to Sardinia ; and giveliOtiis Hapoleon something like a decent pretext for wanting a strong frontier against a really powerful neighbour ! If Austria would amend her ways , and " put herself in a position to be forgiven , " with what joy would England hail her conversion ! Against Germany we have no dear pi-ejudices , no . ' traditionary antipathies . For what future does Austria think that she is preparing herself ? Will she regard neither the future nor the past ,, even when ' the northern bear is shaking off his long h i bernation of serfdom ; when Naples is quaking at once with the tremor of wrath and the tremor of . fear , and whCii even ultramontane priests will not allow the sacred character of the Papacy to atone for its temporal misgpvernment ? As to tlVe French Emperor , we regret that he has in tlie slightest degree falsified ' . Ins professions ; but if he had been as bad as thirdrate newspapers , who sell themselves to the prejudices of their readers , have incessantly represented him , he would have ta'lien a far larger slice of Italy . Had his designs been as hostile to England as they pretended , he would have long ago taken advantage of . our troubles in India , when we were notoriously and confessedly unprepared : he would liot have aided and . abetted a commercial treaty , ' the effect pf wliich . must be gradually , if not at once , to indispose the French nation for an English war ; and he would have pointed with his finger in the direction of England tp the French army , most of whom would not , perhaps , have been sorry for the signal . Prepared himself , he would hot have given us all the time for preparation which he has done , unless he had been a fool , a title which those who like him least would hesitate to give him . ¦ We will take farewell pf our readers with shreds from three old world comedies , which the parties may apply as they like : —• " The incision is not deep , nor the orifice exorbitant ; " " Break ice in one place and it will crack in more ; " " Those . that acorn their nest often fly with a sick wing / ' The last for Victok libnrAXtrEL .

    Untitled Article

    302 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . [ Makch 31 , 1860 .

    Untitled Article

    * ZZiHyarj / front 1348 to 1800 . By BAlWCnoiOMBW » H SZBMBRJB . Bpntloy . -

    Hungatty.*

    HUNGATtY . *

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 31, 1860, page 302, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2340/page/10/