which the place was swarming. "When
morning broke he shuddered to behold his
limbs and arms. They looked as if he were
afflicted with a cutaneous disorder. About
noon on that day he was summoned before a
court-martial, composed of a Major and four
officers. Their first questions were merely
formal, and related to his birthplace, parentage,
and profession; but when these matters
were disposed of, the presiding Major
entered upon the real business of the day by
asking,

"What are your objects in Hungary?"

Frankness, it is said, will gain the heart of
any military man. Mr. Bunce was happy to
speak out. He said he travelled in Hungary,
as he had travelled in other lands, for the
purpose of studying the character and manners
of the people, and with the particular
object of investigating the old political institutions
of the Hungarians.

He had evidently never realised the idea
of military despotism. "Where the soldiers,
instead of being the defenders, are the jailors,
the accusers, and the judges of a people,
they must, by the very nature of things,
become cold, keen inquisitors. Such did he
find the members of the Grosswardein court-martial.

""We do not believe your account, sir," said
the Major. " "We are aware that your countrymen
sympathised with the revolutionists here.
No American traveller would leave the highways
of Europe for such a vague purpose an
this. Denial makes your case but worse. "We
know your object."

Upon which Mr. Bunce assured him that the
Americans travelled in all countries; and that,
to a thinking man, nothing was more interesting
than the political institutions of the various
nations. The Major would not listen to any
such argument; and at length the prisoner
turned boldly round upon him, and asked
"for his proof of any other object than the
one he had stated."

The answer to this very sensible question,
was the production of a letter of introduction
which the Hungarian general, Czetz, had
given Mr. Bunce to a friend in Pesth, and
which that gentleman had failed to deliver.
This important document was couched in the
following terms:

"Herr von C——introduces with pleasure
Mr. Bunce to his friend Mr. Sandor of
Pesth."

This letter the Major read and held up
with a triumphant air.

"Aha! " cried he, " have we caught you
at last? We understand the countersigns of
the Democratic Society and, sir, what do
you know of Vrjhazy?"

"Very little indeed."

"When did you speak to him last?"

"I never spoke to him."

"What is your connexion with him?"

"I have none."

"Speak out, sir, open and frankly. What
is your agreement with Vrjhazy, and where
are your letters from him?"

Mr. Bunce repeated that he knew very
little of the exile to whom the Austrian
inquisitor attached so much importance; and
that an acquaintance of the Hungarian fugitives,
even if he could boast of that honour,
was no proof of any conspiracy with them.

"But you have visited persons who were
engaged in the revolution of 1848?"

"True; but I have also visited some of
the other party; besides several Government
officers. Indeed my letters of introduction
are to the distinguished men of all
parties."

"We understand you, sir! That is your
screen! " quoth the Major. " But what do
you say to this? " holding up a revolutionary
pamphlet of 1848.

"I say that it proves nothing. I have been
collecting all sorts of documents. I can prove
from Vienna, that when there, I read works
on the other side. It may show my political
sentiments; but it does not prove my being a
conspirator. Besides, emissaries know better
than to travel about with old revolutionary
pamphlets."

"You lay great stress upon proofs," said
the Major. " But what does your reading the
works of our party prove in your favour?
Nothing whatever. As an educated man,
you are bound to do so."

"Indeed! " cried the poor prisoner. "' " Then
pray tell me what is not suspicious in the view
of an Austrian court-martial? It is suspicious
to visit men of the Hungarian party, and it is
only a sham to visit those of the other. It is
revolutionary to read books on one side, and
it proves nothing in my favour if I read them
on the other."

"I am not here to argue with you," said
the Major. " And now I will tell you the
charge against you; which every one of your
answers has confirmed. You are a member
of the Democratic League, and you travel for
their committee. You are an agent of Vrjhazy
and Czetz, and you travel in Hungary for the
purpose of spreading revolutionary sentiments.
—Soldiers, take the prisoner away!"

It will be worth while to recapitulate the
proceedings, and to show the gross oppression
and immorality of such a system as that
adopted in Austria, and—we grieve to say—in
many other continental states. A stranger is
suddenly arrested, and arraigned before a
secret tribunal. He is not allowed to hear
the accusation against him. He knows nothing
of the evidence. He is denied the assistance
of counsel. He must defend himself on a
question, perhaps, of life and death, in a
foreign language. The examination is not that
of a magistrate searching for the probabilities
of an offence; but that of an inquisitor, who
has made up his mind to convict and to
punish.

Wicked as these proceedings are, the proofs,
if proofs they can be called, which sufficed to