Defense Appropriation

	†
Count László Teleki

He entered the hall supported by friends, for he was weak with illness. Nevertheless delivered a lengthy speech, covering problems with Croatia, the Serbs, fear of Russia, relations with Austria, France, England and the emerging Germany. His delivery was meant to call for action, including the establishment of a 200,000-man army, (40,000 immediately)and 42 million gulden in taxes over several years. Before he even finished the deputies exclaimed their support, (megadjuk) many rising to their feet. Kossuth concluded: "this is my request ! (...) if your (...) carrying it out equals the patriotism with which you had made this offer (...) even the gates of hell shall not prevail against Hungary."
Two days later the diet responded to the king's request for aid in the Italian war. Hoping the king will bear down on Jellacic and expressing a desire to see the people of Lombardy and Venice achieve their right. Support was voted provided that peace return to Hungary. The proposal caused a split, with Laszlo Teleki (speaking for the "liberals") proposing independence for much of Austrian-occupied Italy and expressing doubts about Vienna curbing Jelacic. István Széchenyi expressed similar fears, but eventually supported Kossuth.

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