[The reader may be glad to possess the most important portions of this celebrated document.  The opponents of Kossuth have of late pretended, that the deposition of the Hapsburgs caused the overthrow of Hungary.  But the deposition was not carried until Austria was thoroughly beaten, and Russia had engaged to give her utmost aid.  This finally united all Hungary.  At no earlier period would Hungary have acted with full unanimity in so decisive a step.  To have delayed it longer would not have averted Russian invasion, and would have caused deep discontent in Hungary.  Nothing but the wilful disobedience of Goergey, who wasted a month at Buda at this very crisis, saved the Hapsburgs from being conquered in Vienna, before the Russian armies could possibly come up.]

We, the legally-constituted representatives of the Hungarian nation assembled in Diet, do by these presents solemnly proclaim, in maintenance of the inalienable natural rights of Hungary, with all its appurtenances and dependencies, to occupy the position of an Independent European state; that the house of Lorraine-Hapsburg, as perjured in the sight of God and man, has forfeited its right to the Hungarian throne.  At the same time, we feel ourselves bound in duty to make known the motives and reasons which have impelled us to this decision, that the civilized world may learn we have not taken this step out of overweening confidence in our own wisdom, or out of revolutionary excitement, but that it is an act of the last necessity, adopted to preserve from utter destruction a nation persecuted to the limit of the most enduring patience.

Three hundred years have passed since the Hungarian nation, by free election, placed the house of Austria upon its throne, in accordance with stipulations made on both sides, and ratified by treaty.  These three hundred years have been, for the country, a period of uninterrupted suffering.

The Creator has blessed this country with all the elements of wealth and happiness.  Its area of one hundred and ten thousand square miles presents, in varied profusion, innumerable sources of prosperity.  Its population, numbering nearly fifteen millions, feels the glow of youthful strength within its veins, and has shown temper and docility which warrant its proving at once the main organ of civilization in Eastern Europe, and the guardian of that civilization when attacked.  Never was a more grateful task appointed to a reigning dynasty by the dispensation of Providence than that which devolved upon the house of Lorraine-Hapsburg.  It would have sufficed, to do nothing to impede the development of the country.  Had this been the rule observed, Hungary would now rank among the most prosperous nations.  It was only necessary that it should not envy the Hungarians the moderate share of constitutional liberty which they timidly maintained during the difficulties of a thousand years with rare fidelity to their sovereigns, and the house of Hapsburg might long have counted this nation among the most faithful adherents of the throne.