Századok – 2017

2017 / 3. szám - KONFERENCIA GRÓF DESSEWFFY EMIL HALÁLÁNAK 150. ÉVFORDULÓJA ALKALMÁBÓL - Deák Ágnes: Dessewffy Emil újfajta közvetítő szerepben – 1860–1861

DEÁK ÁGNES

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EMIL DESSEWFFY IN A NEW TYPE OF MEDIATORY ROLE – 1860–1861

by Ágnes Deák

SUMMARY

An influential member of the Hungarian camp of conservative politicians, Count Emil Dessewffy had been known from the early 1840s, alongside his publicistic activity, as the confidential background adviser of government officials. Over the revolution and fight for independence in 1848-1849, he urged in equally confidential political memoranda for a merciless suppression of the Hungarian revolutionary government. The subsequent neo-absolutist regime pressed him into opposition, however. His memorandum-making activity was only renewed from the late summer of 1859, and the imperial diploma of October 1860 evidently bore the imprint of Dessewffy’s suggestions, albeit diverging from them at several important points. Thereafter, Dessewffy assumed no official position, but clandestinely continued to give counsel to his conservative allies in governmental position, hoping that the October diploma would be liable to further improvement. In the meantime, he also tried to give a positive twist to Hungarian public opinion. Yet, torn between hopes and doubts, by the end of April 1861 he had emerged in a completely new role: voicing the necessity of compromise with the constitutional program of the Hungarian liberals, he tried to influence accordingly the emperor and the decisionmakers at Vienna. The dissolution of the diet in August 1861 brought failure for him in both of his roles, however.

OSZK Kt. Levelestár. Az éves közgyűlési időpont meghatározása körüli nézeteltérésekre lásd „Magyar Tud. akadémia. XXIII., XXIV.” Pesti Napló, 1865. június 13.; „Magyar Tud. Akadémia. XXX.” Uo. 1865. július 5.; Gróf Dessewffy Emil:

A

Magyar Tudományos Akadémia és nemzetiségünk feladatai. Két akadémiai beszéd. Pest 1866.