William Penn Life, 2013 (48. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2013-03-01 / 3. szám
Branching Out with Endre Csornán Remembering March 15, 1848 WHEN REFLECTING on the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, we always praise the spirit of the youth who lined up behind Kossuth, Petőfi and many other leaders of that time. We pay tribute to this spirit that was manifested by the people's wish for freedom. This wish existed long before them. Let us not forget the many times when the Hungarian people were occupied and suppressed by other nations. Let us not forget the Mongolians and the Turks, and let us bear in mind that those nations whom we shielded were busy avoiding helping us. With all the power in Europe, it took 150 years to liberate Hungary from the Turks. Only after it was evident that the Hungarian people, with their spirit of freedom, were surviving did help arrive, probably to take control over a weakened nation, as it happened. Between 1830 and 1848, a political period of reform took place in Hungary. It was still the time of feudalism which suppressed peasants and small farmers. The peasants paid high taxes to the government and tithes to the Catholic Church and land owners. The official language was German or Latin until 1844. In 1847, Lajos Kossuth was elected to Parliament, representing Pest County. His election to Parliament made it a forgone conclusion that the Diet (or legislative assembly) of 1847-48 would bring huge changes to Hungary's politics. Indeed, the changes to the throne Kossuth proposed were unanimously carried. In 1848, Hungary suddenly emerged as a fully democratized constitutional kingdom. A few days after the reforms were enacted, the revolution began in Vienna. There were demands for the dismissal of Prince Klemens von Metternich and the introduction of constitutional reforms. The news of the Vienna Revolution was received in Pest with great joy. On March 15th, under the leadership of Lajos Kossuth, the great statesman and champion of the people's rights, Hungarians took up arms in defense of national independence and human liberties. The people of the city filled the streets and a large public demonstration got underway. The ink was barely dry on the newly sanctioned laws when the Magyars had to resort to arms to defend their liberties against the armed forces of the monarchy who knew no honor. Then the Russian invasion against Hungary began on May 4,1849. The successful Magyar struggle for freedom was cut short by the Russian Czar Nicholas I. He sent division after division to invade Hungary. (Here I must mention, that history repeated itself on November 4, 1956, when the Russians invaded Hungary after the October 1956 revolt.) On Aug. 12,1849, Kossuth transferred the civil authority to General Artúr Görgely. Shortly after, General Görgely ordered his army to lay down their arms before 1 the Russian General Rüdiger at Világos, near Arad, and the war of Magyar independence was over. On Aug. 18, Kossuth, along with some 5,000 followers, crossed the frontier at Orsova onto Turkish soil, where he was arrested and thrown into a Turkish prison. The United States, acting with Great Britain, requested Kossuth's immediate release from the Sultan of Turkey. On March 3,1851, the Congress of the United States passed a joint resolution, signed by President Millard Fillmore, inviting Kossuth to visit the United States. He visited the United States from 1851 to 1852 and made a large-scale tour with public speeches and appearances throughout the United States. As a committed democrat, a champion of universal liberty and an orator of exceptional talent who spoke after people's own hearts, he was received with great enthusiasm and was celebrated by the American nation during his visits. He visited New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington where he was the official guest of the Congress. Meantime, the citizens of Pittsburgh, acting through their mayor, the honorable John B. Guthrie, had invited Kossuth to visit this city. Kossuth accepted the invitation and from that date until his arrival, the city stirred with excitement. His arrival was delayed due to heavy snow and intense cold. He finally arrived on Jan. 22,1852, and spent 10 days in Pittsburgh. The first day he was confined to his room, recovering from a severe cold. However, he stepped out on the balcony of the St. Charles Hotel on the comer of 3rd and Wood Street and addressed a few remarks to the waiting crowd. The next day by noon, a crowd estimated at 12,000 people had wedged their way into the streets surrounding his hotel. Delegations came from neighboring counties of Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer. Each day, Kossuth was the guest of a different group. He visited many industrial plants where he addressed the employees. He addressed the German Association for the Friends of 1 lungary, the Young Men's Society of Pittsburgh and several church organizations. He was given a magnificent reception by the masses everywhere but could not get the official support of any foreign country. Disappointed in his hopes, forsaken by many friends, Kossuth refused to return to the land he loved so much. The great Magyar apostle gave back his soul to his Creator on March 20,1894, in Torino, Italy. Ever since, March 15th has been observed by Magyars, wherever they may live, as their Liberty Day. The Magyar people observe March 15th with the same significance as Americans celebrate the Fourth of July. And Hungary and the Magyars never forgot Kossuth; he has remained the hero of his nation and father of the Magyar people. □ William Penn Life 0 March 2013 0 3
