The Emperor of Austria opened the Hungarian Diet in person
on the 14th inst. at Pesth. In his speech, which was most warmly received, the Kaiser declared that there had been "perversion of right upon the one hand, and stubborn assertion of right upon the other ;" that he took his stand upon the Pragmatic Sanction, which recognizes the autonomy of Hungary ; that Croatia and Slavonia would be reunited to the kingdom ; that he had laid before them the Patent of February, 1861, for consideration ; that their amend- ments on that diploma must be " consistent with the life of the monarchy;" that the " laws of 1848 which affect our rights as ruler, and limit the operation of Government," must " be revised, or more probably transformed ;" that when this was done he would take the oath and consent to coronation, and that if he succeeded in reconciling Hungary he should "bless the day which ripened his determination to revive confidence between ruler and people." The allusion to the laws of 1848 is to two of them,—one investing the Palatine with most of the royal prerogative, the other establishing the responsibility of Ministers. It is at this latter point that the decisive struggle is expected to occur.
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