alliance with Russia. He asked again, what could the Prussian Cabinet do? In this case again, a "tragic irony" had taken place; absolute power broke the insolence of the nobility and gave shelter to the peasant. The Kings prepared the way for democracy. That had been the case in Posen; and if ever Poland should rise into a nation able to govern itself, the germs of equality and civilization, laid under Prussian rule, would be the origins of this elevation. To say that the Poles were kept down, was a lie; on the contrary, all means of entreaty were used to incline the Poles to take office in their own country. And yet the Poles complained that they were kept out of office. Why, he (M. Jordan) knew that whilst you would find, in general, ten Germans waiting for a place, there were ten places open for one Pole. But such occupations were too prosaic, too matter-of-fact for the Poles; they preferred travelling about in all parts of Europe, waiting for an explosion, hoping to see their own country starting up by an outward convulsion! As if a country did not, above all, require cultivation. That cultivation had taken place; but, to be sure, the fertile land was now the property of those who had dried morasses, cut the woods, made canals, built cities and villages-of those he would add, finally, who had introduced national schools throughout. He would mention only one case -in the city of Posen, and eight or ten miles round it, no less than 160 public schools were opened. He would not speak of another word always brought forward by the friends of Poland-"humanity" should prompt us to deliver up Posen. Why, Prussia had op

pressed nobody, it had only weakened the arrogance of the nobles. Let them go and ask the Polish peasant throughout the country; he would tell them, "I will be Prussian." Now, as to this he knew a fact would be thrown in his face-in the last insurrection the men who fought were Polish peasants with scythes in their hands. He would speak frankly, even if he should incur the displeasure of some Roman Catholic clergymen in the house. He would assure them that he did not mean to offend them. M. Jordan then went on to prove how systematically the Poles were made to believe that Prussia and Germany had no other object but to protestantize Posen. The clergy went so far as to spread out the fable that the Neo-Catholics were set on by the Prussian Government. He assured the house that in the whole fearful struggle no national feeling prompted the wretched scythemen, but the fury of fanaticism. You would have seen no Polish banner carried before them, but the images well known from their processions. What did those unfortunate peasants now say on returning from the prisons to which they had been carried? Why, you would see them walking home peaceably without a single soldier to watch them; and if you heard an execration from their mouths, it was against those dozen noblemen who had abused their own most sacred feelings. Perhaps hon. members were not aware of this fact-that at present the authorities were scarcely able to prevent cruelties taking place against the nobility. He must guard himself against another misrepresentation, as if the Polish leaders were now such resolute de

mocrats, communists, &c. Was it a great merit-did it require much talent to translate a few French phrases into the Polish language? The poor peasants had a stanch memory, and that memory did not show the names of the ancestors of these same gentlemen as democrats. The peasants had never believed their words. If others were in the habit of speaking of a re

construction of Poland, he could only hope for a construction of a Polish people that had never existed before. And if this construction succeeded, the German rule had made it possible. Hic Rhodus, hic salta. There was a portion of Posen still chiefly inhabited by Poles-might that be the cradle of regenerated Poland!

a

the position of Hungary, for the revolutions at Vienna had an intimate connection with the troubles which agitated that portion of the empire. From 1812 to 1825 the Diet of Hungary had remained in a state of abeyance, and was not once convoked during that interval. At the former period it met when Austria was crushed under the heel of Napoleon, and the Palatine addressed to it the memorable words, that "Hungary must once more save the empire, as it had done in 1741, when appealed to by Maria Theresa." In 1825, the members again assembled, and from this period we may date the commencement of the aggressive attempts of the Magyar race to establish an offensive supremacy over the whole of Croatia and Sclavonia. But it was not until 1830 that the Diet determined to substitute the use of the Magyar language for the Latin throughout the whole of the Sclavonic population of Hungary. This awakened a strong feeling of reaction in the latter, and the joint Diet of Croatia and Sclavonia, which has its sittings at Agram, the capital of Croatia, and claims to be independent of the General Hungarian Diet at Pesth, raised the cry of "Nolumus Magyarisari;" and when at a later period the Diet at Pesth decreed that the Magyar language should be adopted in all official transactions, and taught in the public schools, and that both the Diets should carry on their discussions in that tongue, the Croatian Diet at Agram, which had hitherto deliberated in Latin, resolved thenceforth to use the Illyrian language exclusively.

Early in March, the Hungarian Chamber of Deputies assembled at Presburg, voted an address to

the Emperor, in which they, without disguise, condemned the sys. tem of Prince Metternich's policy, and advised their monarch "to surround his throne with constitutional institutions, in accordance with the ideas of the age." In this address the Chamber of Magnates also concurred. When the news of this arrived at Vienna, Prince Metternich at once proposed in the Supreme Council of State that the Hungarian Parliament should be dissolved; the announcement of which excited lively dissatisfaction in the capital.

On the 13th of March, the Diet for Lower Austria was opened, and an address was resolved upon, which contained the following passage :

"Most Gracious Sire !-The people of Austria will elevate to the stars the Crown which, free and self-conscious, great and glorious, declares confidence to be the real fortress of the State, and harmonizes this confidence with the ideas of the age."

To this was added a petition, which asked for an immediate reform in the constitution of the Chamber, and the liberty for it forthwith to consider measures for increasing the representation; reparation of the finances; and a general restoration of confidence in the empire, together with the liberty of the press.

But the people had collected in crowds around the hall, and a body of persons, consisting chiefly of students, forced their way inside. They were followed by more of the mob, and the Chamber was filled by a strange assemblage. A deputation of the States proceeded to present the address to the Emperor, and during their absence the populace became impatient, [2 D 2]