sons of Louis Philippe, so as to
secure the throne of Spain to the House of Orleans, as it had once been
secured to that of Bourbon. For the French people the interest in Spain was
revived by Gautier's new book, "Tras los Montes." During the negotiations
over the new extradition treaty with England, the project was
confidentially broached to Lord Aberdeen. He gave his consent to the
proposed marriage of the Duke of Montpensier to the Infanta Fernanda, on
the express understanding that it should not be celebrated until Queen
Isabella had been married herself, and had children. For some time still
the plan hung fire.

In the meanwhile, Hungary was once more in uproar. Kossuth, after his
release from prison in 1840, had become the spokesman of the new generation
of Magyars. The other wings of the Hungarian party were led by Scechenyi
and Deak.

[Illustration: THE EMPEROR OF CHINA RECEIVING THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS]

[Sidenote: Hungarian reform movement]

[Sidenote: Clash at Agram]

[Sidenote: Kossuth's oratory]

By the time the Hungarian Diet of 1843 was convoked, all parties united in
demanding the most important reforms, _i.e._ of a new electoral system, a
new criminal code, trial by jury, and official recognition of the Magyar
language. One of the first resolutions of the Lower Chamber was that no
language but Magyar should be permitted in debate, and that all persons
incapable of speaking Magyar should gradually be excluded from all public
employment. Against the prohibition of Latin in the Diet, the Croatians
appealed to the government. The Emperor promptly vetoed the resolution.
Upon the publication of the imperial rescript a popular storm broke forth
in Hungary. At Agram, the capital of Croatia, the two factions fought on
the streets. The Austrian Cabinet receded from its position. A compromise
was accepted whereby Latin was to be permitted in the Hungarian Diet for
the next six years. Of all the important schemes for reform brought before
the Hungarian Diet of this year, only the language compromise became law.
This was due to the fact that the members of the Lower House were bound to
vote as directed by the Provincial Assemblies, which vetoed everything
affecting their local interests. To do away with this anomaly Kossuth and
his followers now set themselves to bring their appeal before the country
at large. Kossuth dropped the pen and became an orator.

[Sidenote: Algerian campaign]

[Sidenote: "Foreign Le