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Kossuth's speech struck a blow at these hopes by declaring that freedom
for any part of the empire could be obtained only by working for the
freedom of the whole; he swept aside for the moment those national and
provincial jealousies which were the great strength of the Austrian
despotism, and appealed to all the Liberals of the empire to unite
against the system which was oppressing them all. Had Kossuth remained
true to the faith which he proclaimed in this speech, it is within the
limits of probability that the whole Revolution of 1848-1849 might have
had a different result.
The Hungarian chancellor, Mailath, was so alarmed at Kossuth's speech
that he hindered the setting out of the deputation which was to have
presented the address to the Emperor. But he could not prevent the
speech from producing its effect. Although Presburg was only six hours'
journey from Vienna, the route had been made so difficult that the news
of anything done in the Hungarian Diet had hitherto reached Vienna in a
roundabout manner, and had sometimes been a week on its way.


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