An authentic elucidation of the momentous events now passing in
Hun- gary, will be found in the following letter, written by an English gentleman residing in Transylvania.
"20th August 1848.
"The present situation of Austria with regard to Italy and France, and the possibility that England may be drawn into a war on either one side or the other, render a true knowledge of the position of Hungary important to the English pub- lic. It is well known, that in consequence of the events of March in Vienna, Hungary pressed a demand, which had been long solicited, of a separate Ministry, a Diet at Pesti), and the complete control and administration of Hungary, under the crown of Austria, with whom she would still maintain all the conditions of the Pragmatic Sanction. All this was granted; the greater part without diffi- culty; the Ministry of Finance and War, the guarantees of the other, only after long debates, and not till the Palatine had threatened to resign in case of refusal. The Hungarian Ministry immediately declared the peasants free from all seigneur- ial claims; in other words, the tenants of one half the lands of Hungary were de- clared possessors of that land, rent free, the landlords to be indemnified by the canary at large. The peasant and the burgher were at once admitted to all the rights of the nobles. The object of these bold acts was to secure the country from a servile war, which the party of the reaction might have excited here as in Gal- lleia. After this, the Diet was dissolved, and did not meet again till July. During the recess, the Diet of Transylvania had met and voted the union of that country to Hungary, from which it had been separated for more than two hun- dred years.
"In the mean time the Croats and Sclavonians, with their new Ban, Baron Jellachich, at their head, refused to obey the orders of the new Ministry, and de- clared themselves a separate country from Hungary. The rout of the &laves in Prague would have been probably followed by that of Jellachich and his followers, had they not been supported by the Camarilla which now governed the unfor- tunate Emperor, as well as by the false and Jesuitical Archduke Franz Karl and his intriguing wife. The Absolutist party now saw a hope of exciting a civil war in Hungary, and by that means forcing the country again under the rule of Aus- tria. Kossuth, the Hungarian Minister of Finance and the real head of the Mi- nistry, came down to the Diet, boldly laid the state of their affairs before them, and demanded a credit of 50,000,000 fl. c.m., or five millions of pounds sterling, and a levy of 200,000 soldiers. The vote was passed by acclamation. In the mean time, Jellachich had been making all manner of preparations, but had not yet drawn the sword. A number of Servians, however, had flocked over on the Invitation of the Greek Bishop of Karlovitz to the members of the Sclave party, and uniting themselves to many of the Border soldiers, who are along the Danube mostly of Slavish origin and of the Greek religion, have laid waste and com- mitted the most frightful excesses on the helpless villages inhabited by the Hun- garians. The troops at present in Hungary are chiefly Poles, Germans, Bohe- mians, &c.; and the officers are many of them Croats, all men little inclined to take part in such a war, ani some of them ready to march over to the enemy at the first shot fired. In some instances they have refused to march against the Croats; in others deserted their posts, and given op ammunition and other ma- terials. Where however, the Serviaas have been met by Hungarian troops, they have always been beaten. They are now encamped in considerable numbers behind the Roman dikes in the angle formed by the junction of the Danube and Theiss. A considerable body of troops has now been concentrated on this point, aided by a vast number of National Guards, who have flocked from all parts of the country to take part against the Servians. It is said that Jellachich denies that he has anything in common with this horde of robbers, whose brutality is a dis- grace to the age. It is useless to describe the horrors committed by these savages on the women and children who have fallen into their hands. You may guess the rest, when you know that they always cut off the heads of their enemies and Carry them away as trophies. This war has been carried on all along the border from Peterwardein to Moldova, and as high up as Werschitz; where they were driven back and several of their cannon taken, alter a sharp engagement in which they lost several hundred men. As the Banat is inhabited by a mixed population of &laves, Wallacks, Germans, and Hungarians, I leave you to guess the state of doubt and anxiety in which they live; the Selaves of course taking part with the Servians where they dare; the Wallacks hitherto opposed to them, but feebly, and not to be trusted, as they are so completely under the influence of their priests, that a word from them would turn them to either side, and the Greek re- ligion is a dangerous bond of sympathy between them and the Servians, while the Hungarians and Germans fight together for their country. In the North of Hungary, where the &lavish population abound, everything is quiet; and in Transylvania, where the Wallacks are numerous, no movement of any conse- quence has taken place, though there is a strong party amongst the priests in fa- vour of revolt.
"In this position of affairs, the Diet consents to aid Austria with 42,000 troops to defend her dominions against the King of Sardinia, according to the terms of the Pragmatic Sanction; but on condition that Austria restore the integrity of Hungary, by forcing the Ban of Croatia to return to his obedience. Austria, however, begins to feel the want of Hungarian gold in her coffers, and the new Austrian Ministry is indignant that Hungary will no longer submit to sacrifice her blood, her treasure, her resources, for the benefit of Vienna. Austria re- demands the control of the army, the finance, and commerce; to all of which Hungary will never submit without a long and bloody war. The union of Austria to Germany will render matters still more complicated. Vienna is lost, and for ever. A wise monarch would at once retire to l'esth, and keep what he could; but this will not be allowed till the last moment.
"In the mean time, Hungary is beginning to demand her place in the list of European nations. She demands to be represented at foreign courts, and to have ambassadors at Perth. To England it. would be of the highest importance to encourage this demand, and fb acknowledge Hungary as a separate kingdom, in the same relation to Austria as Hanover was to England. We all know, that when Germans become powerful there are none more grasping, none more ex- clusive; and when united to Austria, they will certainly long for the exclusive commerce of Hungary, which will effectually shut out England from the Danube and its wealthy provinces. If Austria is supported in her struggle against Hun- gary alone with the whole force of Germany, which she certainly would in hopes of securing the trade to herself, Hungary can hardly resist, weakened as she is by domestic divisions: but should England have acknowledged her, she would have a fair right to protest against German interference; ends very little hint front our ships would be sufficient to cool the speculating courage of the Francforters.
"That Hungary has right on her side—that she has the solemn word of the Emperor for her liberties—that she requires nothing but a most moderate con- stitution, such as in fact she has enjoyed for centuries when Austria has not in- terfered with its free action—that she requires only peace to develop the immense resources of one of the finest countries in the world—that she has now got rid of all those feudal institutions which have hitherto checked her development, at an immense sacrifice it is true, but with great hopes for the future—is all certain; and I cannot but think that it would be for the advantage of England, as it would be of Hungary, to encourage this development, and to insure her an inde- pendent existence, which might open the country to the commerce of the world, instead of sacrificing it to the interests of Vienna. What complications the in- terference of France in Italy—the part to be taken by Russia, 'Turkey, and Ger- many—may produce, it is difficult to guess; but in every case, for England, a friend occupying the position of Hungary must be an ally of vast importance, and it is one I would fain see an English public interested in. "The Pester Zeitung gives good accounts of the proceedings of the Diet, and of the actual state of affairs. Published in German.
"A late act of the Austrian Ministry has been to order that the new notes of the Hungarian Bank for two and four shillings shall not be accepted in Austria; to which the Hungarians have answered by refusing the Austrian notes, which have hitherto had course here. The bankruptcy of the Austrian Bank may soon follow. Every one is hoarding silver and gold; so that the circulation is much troubled."
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