AUSTRO-IIUNGARIAN MONARCHY. 



59 



the empire had been and still was based, and 

 wliirh the Government approved. In conclu- 

 sion, he (Prince Auersperg) wished to add that 

 the Minister of Foreign Affairs was deter- 

 mined not to let himself be deterred from the 

 course once taken by any warlike demonstra- 

 tions, or any manifestations which might in- 

 jure the authority of the empire. In answer 

 to the Slavic interpellation, lie stated that it 

 was not the business of the Minister of For- 

 eign Affairs to consider the interests of differ- 

 ent races, but to keep in view the interests of 

 the whole monarchy, particularly as the inter- 

 ests of the whole were also the interests of 

 each member of the monarchy. From the 

 beginning of the Oriental difficulties the Min- 

 istry of Foreign Affairs had had, in full ac- 

 cord with the Government, two objects con- 

 stantly iu view: the preservation of European 

 peace, and the improvement of the condition 

 of the Christian population of Turkey. This 

 policy, which sought to give to the Christians 

 of the East peace and civilization, was in the 

 interest of the entire monarchy. The Govern- 

 ment had heretofore pursued this policy, and 

 would continue it in future. -This speech 

 created great excitement in the House, as 

 many of the deputies thought that the Govern- 

 ment also considered the interpellation of the 

 deputies as one of those manifestations by 

 which it would not let its policy be influenced. 

 Prince Auersperg in consequence made the 

 declaration, on October 30th, that he had only 

 referred to demonstrations like those of the stu- 

 dents of Hungary (see HTJNGABY). A spirited 

 debate followed from November 4th to Novem- 

 ber 7th in the House, in which the policy of the 

 Government was defended by two speakers 

 only, the deputy Plener, of the Constitutional 

 party, and the most bitter opponent of the en- 

 tire Constitution, Count Hohenwart, formerly 

 president of the ministry. The opposition had 

 a host of speakers, most of whom, however, dif- 

 fered in the policy they wished to see pursued. 

 Some proposed to join Russia against Turkey, 

 some wished to aid Turkey against Russia, and 

 others advocated peace at any cost. M. Fan- 

 derlik, the leader of the Slavi, demanded of 

 the Government that it should take the part ot 

 the oppressed Slavi in Turkey, and even went 

 so far as to say that the Austrian Slavi would 

 never fight against Russia. Count Hohenwart 

 in his speech declared himself satisfied with 

 the declaration of the Government that it 

 would protect the interests and honor of Aus- 

 tria with the entire force of the Government 

 If necessary, and laid particular stress upon 

 the fact that the Government must consider 

 the interests of the entire monarchy only, and 

 not of any particular race. 



In June the Minister of War, Baron von 

 Koller, resigned his office. The Emperor, in 

 accepting his resignation, conferred upon him 

 the grand cross of St. Stephen in recognition 

 of his eminent services. The Emperor ap- 

 pointed in his place Count Bylandt-Rheidt. 



The Minister of Finance, Baron von Holzge- 

 than, died June 20th, and was replaced by Bar- 

 on von I Infm n in i, who had occupied the posi- 

 tion of chief of a section in the Ministry of 

 Foreign Affairs. 



The seventeen provincial Diet* of cis-Lcithan 

 Austria met on March 1st. In none of them was 

 any business of importance transacted, with 

 the exception of the Tyrol. This Diet, in which 

 the Catholics have a decided majority, pro- 

 tested against the encroachment upon the re- 

 ligion of the province on the part of the Gov- 

 ernment, by authorizing the organization of 

 Protestant congregations. This demonstra- 

 tion was immediately answered by the Gov- 

 ernment by the closing of the Diet. The 

 Liberal members of the Diet also drew up a 

 document protesting against the clerical dem- 

 onstration. At the elections for the Diet in 

 Galicia, held in October, the Ruthenians, form- 

 ing the Constitutional party in that province, 

 were completely defeated by the Poles. 



During the month of February the provinces 

 of Upper Austria and Moravia were visited by 

 most disastrous floods, in which a large num- 

 ber of houses were destroyed. A severe shock 

 of earthquake was felt on January 17th, through 

 a large part of the empire, affecting the Danube 

 basin from Passau in Bavaria to Presburg in 

 Hungary. The shock was felt at Wittingp 

 in Bohemia, Scheletau in Moravia, Bndweis, 

 Trebitsch, Tischnowitz, and Prerau, and else- 

 where to the north, while the southern limits 

 were marked by Odenburg, Kindberg, and the 

 Noric Alps. Rents were visible in many houses 

 in Vienna. Several chimneys had fallen. The 

 river Danube receded from the right bank 

 and passed in a great wave to the other side. 



The negotiations with Hungary continued 

 during the year. On January 24th the House 

 resolved to request the Government l * to pro- 

 tect with firmness and decision the interests ot 

 Austria proper in the negotiations ; " while the 

 Herrenhaus, on two different occasions during 

 the same month, resolved " not to sanction 

 any further loosening of the onion of the two 



