Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

La vigilia del '48 171
head of the conservative party, obtained only 22 votes. *> The address of the
opposi tion, besides a reply to the Emperor's speech, made them at the opening
oi the Diet, contained a statement of grievances to be remedied or reforms to
be adopted, and when it reached the Upper honse, the portaon relative to the
grievances or reforms wae stricken out, and the address again retumed to the
lower honse for its approvai; but the lattar body refused to accede, or to join
in any address, which did not contain the statement of grievances or reforms,
above mentioned, and thus has the usuai address entirely failed, or in other
words been altogether dàspensed with. Besides locai matters, there are some
snbjects of general interest, which bave occupied the attention of the Diet,
among these are movements of ameliorating the conditìon of the press. In no
country, perhaps, in Europe is there so little freedom of the press as within the
Austrian Empire; no publieation whatever, not even the most trivial advertize-
ment can be made, without its being previously submitted to the inspectioo,
and having obtained the approvai of the censore. A bill for the ah oli tion of the
censorship has been éntro duced into the Diet, and the members who bave spoken
upon the subject, although of different parties, bave expressed themselves in
its favor. The measure of course has reference only to the Hungarian press,
were it otherwise, it would assuredly encounter the Imperiai veto, but as the
language of the Hungarians, is too difficult to be eultivated by the Germans,
and is consequently confìned altogether to themselves, and as there already
exists among them, much less restriction than in Austria, it is supposed that the
bill will not meet with the opposition of the government. Another important
step in the cause of freedom undertaken by the Diet, is the introduction of a
propositìon that the nobles should be subjeoted equally with the other classes
to a tax on domestios, and which was sustained by a large majority. The
conditìon of the peasantry has ever been the bane of Hungary. The old Feudal
system or one equally objectionable seems stili to exist there. In the agricultural
distrìcts every man, whom you meet provided he be neither noble or soldier
belongs to some one. He has no rights of his own either civil or politicai, but
is a portion of an other man's chattels, and is bought or sold with the land, as if
he were a borse or an ox. On him too, fall ali the burdens of the state. If the
government demand an increase of the milàtary, it is from among the peasants
that the soldiers are enlisted. If the Diet vote an increase of taxes, it is from
the peasants that these taxes are wrung. If roads or bridges are to be conetructed
or repaired, the task devolves alone upon the peasants, and yet they are the
only persone of whom toll is ever demanded. It wiH be easily conceived then,
that so long as this parti-ai system exists Hungary, with ali the desire to do so*
can never free berseli from the yoke of Austria. It is only by the immense
Austrian force now quartered among them, that the safety of her nobles is
preserved, and any movement on tbeir part would be resisted not only by the
troops, but also by the peasantry, who instead of aiding them, would join the
government and like the peasants of Poland cui brace so favorable an opportunity
4ó) Durante il dibattito alla Camera dei deputati sulle proposte regie, Kossuth soste­neva una risposta con riferimenti espliciti ai reclami dell'opposizione, mentre Széchenyi appoggiava una risposta più mite. Il 27 novembre 1847, ventisei governatori votarono la mozione di Kossuth e ventidue ventitre se si inelude il voto croato appoggiarono Széchenyi. Dopo questo scrutino, come spiega Stiles, tutti i tentativi per un compromesso fallirono. Nel dicembre, la Dieta decise di fare completamente a meno di una risposta.