Fraternity-Testvériség, 1941 (19. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1941-02-01 / 2. szám

TESTVÉRISÉG

11

AMERICA AND THE KOSSUTH ERA

— Amerika és a Kossuth-korszak —

EXCERPTS FROM

BROTHER JONATHAN’S WELCOME TO KOSSUTH

KOSSUTH'S FIRST VISIT IN GREAT BRITAIN

I

Behold! the curtain rises;

Look! the stage with flags is drest;

And amongst them, waving proudly, Shines the “Banner of the West.’’

Pray, who are these that enter,

With Kossuth in the van?

Why, the sons of patriot heroes,

Who now guard the rights of man.

II

And who is that among them,

With glance so proud and high.

Whose very look is eloquent

With the will to do or die?

’Tis the genius of our country, —

But hark! he seems to speak;

While the color mounts and mantles O’er his flushed and burning cheek.

III

Kossuth! we bid you welcome

To our country vast and free;

We have battle-fields to show you,

That surpass Thermopilae,

We have noble men of nature,

And valiant men of might;

Wise and prudent heads for council, Young and lusty arms to fight.

IV

We laugh at haughty Europe,

We make of kings a jest —

All the brave and happy millions Of this empire of the West.

To tyrants hurl defiance,

To despots, point with pride

To our armed and countless thousands, To our navies on the tide.

Y

Immortal as a nation

We stand before the world;

O’er three million thinking bayonets Is our starry flag unfurled.

The music of our rifles,

With our cannon’s booming roar,

May yet preach intervention On Russia’s ice-bound shore.

VI

Who trembles or who falters At Russia’s fearful might?

Our vows are on our altars,

Our voice is for the right;

By Alexis Máthé Ph. D.

The Hungarian War of Independence of 1848-—1849, and first of all the figure of Louis Kossuth, was well known to English public opinion. His first visit to Great Britain in 1851, aroused great enthusiasm from Southampton to Glasgow everywhere.

Hungary was almost an unknown country to the average Englishman until 1848. British travellers had crossed the country, mostly on their way to the East. The descriptions of their journeys were published in more than one book. This, however, was too little to reach the general public.

But the “Hungarin War,” as "The Times” usually called the struggle of the Hungarians against their Habsburg oppressors, soon became known by every newspaper reader in England. The Hungarian revolution was not an isolated affair, but a part of the various revolutionary movements and of the awakening national consciousness, meaning a serious threat, moreover a deadly blow to the balance of power set up by the clever, but too rigid and narrow minded policy of Metternich.

The leading British newspapers of the time, like “The Morning Post" o. Palmerston's daily paper, "The Globe,” all had given detailed accounts of the events in Hungary. But, having an excellent index, it is most convenient to read the contemporary volumes of “The Times,” if somebody wishes to know the orogmal reports both of the war itself, and Kossuth's first visit to England in 1851. And, of course, that great British newspaper, one of the proud national institutions of the English people, excelled in impartiality and truthfulness nearly ninety years ago as much as it does today.

The first news of the “Hungarian War” were sad, and did not promise much success or hope to the Hungarian cause. Open breach between the Vienna court and the Hungarian Parliament did not follow the first outbursts of revolutionary feeling in the spring till late in the summer of 1848. The tactics of Vienna was to rouse the nationalities against the Budapest Government, the Rumanians in Transylvania, and the Serbs and the Croats in the south. The Croation general, Jellasich was marching victoriously with his troops toward Budapest in October of the same year when "The Times” published its first leading article on the Hungarian War, on October 6th. It attacked the narrowminded and unwise policy of Vienna handing over the Magyars, that vigorous and magnificent race, to the all- devouring appetite of the Slavs.

Things did not change for the better