Why Hungary Hates Russia.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 187, 15 January 1887, Page 3

Why Hungary Hates Russia.

The bold declaration of Premier Tisza of Hungary that tha Government of AustriaHungary would never consent to see any single great Power hold undisputed sway in the Balkan region, was aimed, of course, at Russia alone. The beginning of the hatred which Hungary feels towards Russia dates back more than a generation. This feeling bus always been the disturbing element in the triple alliance. When the kidnapping of Alexander revealed the hand of Russia the Austrian Government for a day or two apparently acquiesced in the arrangement almost as freely as Germany did. Subsequently, however, opposition to Russian aggrandisement was heard in Austrian official newspapers— feeble and guarded at first, but at length becoming more open and pronouced. This was the reflex expression of the aversion to the Muscovite, which has become part of the political creed of the Hungarian division of the Austrian Empire. When the tyranny and duolicity of the Austrian Government culminated in the attempt in IS4B to excite civil strife in Hungary in order that Austria might have a pretext to interfere and subvert the Hungarian Constitution just sanctioned by the Emperor Ferdinand, the Hungarians rose in revolt in defence of their liberties. The Hungarian National Assombly declared the house of Hapsburg deposed, chose Kossuth as Gov-ernor-General of the country, and strove to shake off the Austrian yoke by force of arms. Ferdinand abdicated, and his nephew, Frances Jofeph, the present monarch, became Emperor. In the war which followed the Hungarians displayed a patriotism, courage, and military and administrative skill which gained imperishable renown for Kossuth, Gorgei, Bern, Dembinski and others. Hungarian arms were everywhere eucoeasful. An enemy, however, which the Hungarians had not taken into account, and against which they could offer no effectual resistance, was about to appear upon the scene. Russia, fearful that the example of the Magyars might incite the Poles to insurrection, came to Austria's aid Three powerful Muscovite armies invaded Hungary, one from the north, one from the west and another from the east, and the Mayvar insurrection was crushed out. Russia thus, by one of the blackest crimes which have sta'ned its annals in the century, repaid Austria for its aid in suppressing an uprising in Poland fifty-four years earlier, and left a legacy of hatred in Hungary which was destined to become one of the raoft potent elements in the resistance of Russia's schemes of aggrandisement in Southeastern Europe In 1867 Hungary formally came into possession, by the consent of the Austrian Government, of most of the rights and privileges, except separation and independence ' for which it fought so gallantly in Ib4B, but its enmity to Russia was not in Ihe slightest degree abated by that act. Hungary possesses about 16,000,000 of the 37,000,000 inhabitants comprising the Austro-Hun-garian Empire, and its influence is a potent factor in moulding the foreign policy of the Imperial Government, It is especially powerful in this exigency when t is arrayed on the side of the national a piration to retain the Austrian prestige and influence unimpaired in the Balkan peninsula. These are some of the reasons why Premier Tieza's utterance created such a sensation in all the European courts from the Neva to the Thames.-— " St. Louis Globe-Demo-crat."