Századok – 1937

Pótfüzet - HEGEDÜS LORÁNT: Lord Beaconsfield politikai ügynökének jelentései gróf Andrássy Gyula és Tisza Kálmán politikájáról a keleti válság idejében 576–616

76 HEGEDŰS bORÁNT. [62] No. 18. Buda Pesth, April 2, 1878. ( Confidential.) Sir, In my Despatch No. 14 of the 26th Ultimo, I gave Your Excellency my reasons for fearing that the sentiments of the Magyars respecting the solution of the Eastern Question proposed by Russia in the Treaty of San Stefano would not find their true expression in the action of the Government or of the Diet. The telegrams which I sent to Her Majesty's Government and to Your Excellency on the 30th Ultimo will have shown that I was to a certain extent mistaken ; — and that as far, at any rate, as Parliamentary utterances can go, no more frank or explicit declarations could have been made than those in which the representatives of every political Party urged the Government to rally to the side of England, and reject all offers of association with Russia in a policy of "Compensation", or division of booty. Although the Hungarian Press, both German and vernacular, has for some time held similar language, I confess that I did not feel at all sure that the spirited articles it continually printed were not written to order — for the purpose, I mean, of satisfying popular excitement and of opening a safety valve for the escape of popular fervour. The "Pester Lloyd" is edited by Dr. Falk ; a member of the Diet, and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Hungarian Delegation. It is well known that this gentleman receives a subvention of thirty thousand florins annually from the Imperial Secret Service Fund administered by Count Andrassy. Now no Pesth newspaper has been more urgent than the "Pester Lloyd" in advocating an alliance with England ; — it being perfectly well known here that for the last three months Count Andrassy has been unable to make up his mind as to the direction of his policy. The Hungarian Delegation went recently to Vienna burning with impatience to tax the Count with a weak and wavering policy. I need not remind Your Excellency that as far as is known of the secret sittings of the Delegation Committees, Count Andrassy's arguments in self justification were readily accepted. With these considerations before me, and a tolerable acquaintance with Hungarian character, I could not but doubt whether anything would come of the effervescence which is seething throughout the Country. That there was such an effervescence not only in Pesth, but in the large towns, and in the Villages also, I had satisfied myself by enquiry at the most competent sources of information. It might however, evaporate — and I was fully prepared for such a consummation. But two factors have come suddenly into play, and have intensified the ebullition. — The visit of General Ignatieff to Vienna ; — and the decision of Her Majesty's Government to summon the reserves. The first of these aroused the direct apprehensions that Austria-Hungary would be committed to a direct transaction with Russia, and to the rivetting of the chains of the Triple Alliance. The second provoked an outburst of enthusiasm natural in a generous and high spirited people under the conviction that the Country which they regard as the leader in the march of civilisation had determined not to recede from her position as the Champion of International good faith, and was ready to make any sacrifice in the assertion of that position. How far the recent manifestation in the Parliament at Buda • Pesth may have produced an effect at Vienna, Your Excellency has