Hajnal István: A Kossuth-emigráció Törökországban, I. kötet (Budapest, 1927)

IRATOK

make communication of them to your Excellency, if you would be so gracious to receive it. It is not antipathie to Austria though well merited from every Hungarian, but a true conviction, which makes me say, that even Austria has far more lost by her victory gained only by Russian arms, then she should have lost by acquiescing in her merited defeat and arranging the matter by an honorable transaction. Now she is fallen from her position of first rate power, has lost her selfconsistence and is nothing more than an obedient servant of Russian ambition and Russian commands. It is only Russia that has gained in this bloody play, she has extended and fortified her influence in the east of Europe and menaces already in a frightening manner not only by her far stretched arms the integrity, but also the moral basis of the turkish empire. May it please you Mylord to allow me to communicate to Your Excellency a most choking and every sentiment of humanity revolting fact, which the turkish Governement is about to impose upon us poor homeless emigrants on the desire of Russia. I, the Governeur of the unhappy Hungary, after having as good citizen and honest man to the very last moment fulfilled my duties to my land, had only the choise between the eternal tranquillity of the tomb and the inexprimable sufferings of an expatriation. The feelings of my wounded patriots heart attracted me to the first, but the duties of a christian commanded the last. And I did not wawer the choise. Many of my brethern of mischief did precede me to the turkish territory. I followed them in the hope that it should be permitted to pass to England and there under the sheltering protection of the generous english nation never yet denied to any persecuted man to repose for a while at least my wearied head, on the hospitaly shores of your happy island. But even so, I would have rather surrendered myself to my decidliest foes, then to cause any importunity to the turkish government whose situation I knew well to appreciate and therefore I did not venture to intrude upon the turkish territory, without asking previously, if I, and my compagnions of mischief, should be willingly received and the protection of the ÍSultan granted to us. We received the assecuration that we should be considered as wellcome guests and we shall have the full protection of His Majesty the Padishah, who would rather sacrifice 50.000 men of his own, then to let injure a single hair of our head. It was only upon that assecuration, that we passed to the Turkish territory. And we were received according to this generous assecuration and were attended on our journey to Widdin by a convenient saufgarde, welcomed at Widdin as the guests of »