Kossuth
was present at the Diet of 1832, when the Government, which conducted
itself most brutally and arbitrarily toward the press, refused to allow
the newspapers to print reports of the deliberations of the Diet in
spite of the repeated urgings by the Deputies for such an authorization,
and it was owing to his ingenuity that this prohibition was evaded. The
censorship was exercised on printed matter only and did not extend to
manuscripts. Kossuth wrote out the reports of the Diet himself, had
numerous copies made of them in writing, and circulated them, for a
slight fee, in every part of the country, where they were looked for
with feverish expectation, and, owing to the spirit of opposition with
which they were colored, were read with the greatest eagerness.
This manuscript newspaper produced quite a revolutionary movement among
the people, frightening even the Austrian Government. The latter now
attempted to silence Kossuth by gentle means, promising him high offices
and a pension, but he refused the enticing offers and continued his work
for the benefit of the nation.
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