Chapter 1592 - 1498: Vienna’s Fear
Chapter 1592: Chapter 1498: Vienna’s Fear
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In the Vienna National Assembly Hall, which was previously the City Hall, a man dressed as a lawyer stood up and said loudly, "No, the government’s financial resources belong to all Austrians, and we have no right to use them!"
Stephens, with his face covered in wounds, replied, "Even if we were to use that money, at the very least, it would need to be approved by a parliamentary vote."
A week ago, he was rescued from the secret police prison in the East District and quickly joined the preparatory group for the Assembly.
Hilt whispered, "In fact, the gold coins in the Court Finance Bureau’s treasury should also be sealed... Robbery at any time is a crime."
Lucas cast a cold glance at him.
Without the 1.2 million florin gold coins in the Schonbrunn Palace’s treasury, the temporary national government would have already gone bankrupt. It was this money that paid the salaries of the Constitutional Committee and the Assembly Preparatory Group, as well as the compensation for the wounded and deceased student troops.
Of course, the majority was spent on bread subsidies for Vienna. Currently, the national government has taken over all the bakeries in the city, and any operating losses are covered by the government.
Lucas walked to the front of the wooden platform in the hall, looking serious, "If we don’t confiscate the taxes in the city banks, we may not even have a chance for an Assembly to appear!"
The focus of everyone’s discussion now is the nearly 3 million florins in fiscal funds of the former Austrian government, mainly sourced from taxes, currently held in the Vienna city banks.
The Radical Faction, represented by Lucas and the student troop leaders, believes they should be confiscated immediately, whereas Hilt and some nobles strongly oppose it.
Indeed, if we wait for the Assembly to be established, the use of this money would have to achieve a balance of interests among different party members. And now, if directly confiscated, most of it would end up in the hands of the National Guard.
The previously speaking lawyer stood up again, "If we negotiate with the Emperor, we wouldn’t need to form a National Guard of tens of thousands, nor would we waste millions of florins in expenses."
"Negotiate?" Lucas snorted coldly, "Do you think a tyrant would really allow a genuine Assembly to appear? Let me tell you, the Emperor would not hesitate to kill everyone in Vienna for the sake of his power!"
"No, no, His Majesty the Emperor already knows our strength, he will compromise..."
Amidst the intense dispute, a series of shouts was heard from outside the Assembly Hall. Lucas and others, having just experienced a massive protest throughout Vienna, could easily tell there were at least a thousand people gathered there.
Moments later, a steward ran in, telling everyone, "The citizens hope that a citizen named Adorno joins the Assembly Preparatory Group."
Lucas looked at the others, "Who is he?"
The lawyer shook his head. The journalist shook his head. The university professor shook his head. The factory owner shook his head. The nobles followed suit and shook their heads.
Lucas, helpless, brought a few preparatory group members to the front of the Assembly Hall, seeing a man dressed in a patched gray flax coat and loose black trousers being pushed to the front by the crowd.
He inclined his head to the young man, "Are you Mr. Adorno?"
The latter looked very uneasy, and with exaggerated movements, he bowed and stammered, "Yes, I am..."
"It seems you have earned everyone’s respect."
A limping old soldier behind Adorno shouted, "That day, it was Mr. Adorno who, facing hundreds of guns, was the first to charge into the Golden Armory."
"He even carried Rinek’s head and led everyone in a parade."
"He is a hero of Vienna, he should join the Assembly!"
"Indeed, we support him!"
These citizens couldn’t tell the difference between the Assembly and the Assembly Preparatory Group, just feeling that someone should speak for them in that so-called "most sacred" institution.
As Lucas hesitated, Hilt stepped forward, examining Adorno, "This...worker friend."
He emphasized the word "worker": "Your enthusiasm is very touching. However, first, I would like to boldly ask, can you read?"
The literacy rate in Austria is not as high as in France, and people dressed like Adorno are mostly illiterate.
Indeed, Adorno’s eyes were fixed on the floor, and he shook his head.
A gleam of disdain flashed in Hilt’s eyes, and he continued, "So, do you have any knowledge of law, philosophy, military, or finance?"
Adorno suddenly realized, the attitude of the person in front of him seemed familiar.
He quickly recalled, it was the same demeanor as that noble who made him kneel for blocking his way.
His hands began to tremble, and an inexplicable deep fear welled up inside him.
He suddenly noticed Mr. Stephens also standing by and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, looking at him pleadingly.
However, the teacher showed no reaction. He didn’t recognize him at all.
Adorno’s lips moved slightly, but he ultimately said nothing, turning to push through the crowd and flee from this unfamiliar place.
Lucas and the others quickly forgot this little episode and continued debating in the Assembly Hall for two days, finally deciding not to touch the money in the city banks on the condition that a few factory owners and merchants agreed to provide 400,000 florins in funding.
The recruitment scale of the National Guard would also be controlled within 40,000 people.
Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away in Brno, Franz II was loudly proclaiming to the court officials, "Have Carl return to Vienna at once.
"And also, put the Swiss troops under his command. There are nearly 50,000 soldiers, adding Carl’s new army, enough to completely purge those insurrectionists from the Empire’s land!"
Count Speelman beside him hastened to say, "Your Majesty, but this would make the situation in Switzerland completely out of control."
"That doesn’t matter anymore." All that filled Franz II’s mind were those rioters besieging the Imperial Palace; had he not had the experience of escaping Vienna, he might have already been captured by them.
He continued, "Also, have the parliaments of Hungary, Bohemia, and Croatia send all their troops, to arrive in Vienna at the quickest time!"
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Under the influence of the revolutions in the Southwest States, on March 13, workers, students, and citizens of the Austrian capital Vienna held anti-government demonstrations, which quickly turned into an armed uprising, resulting in bloody battles between the masses and the government troops. Prime Minister Metternich was terrified, forced to resign, and fled Vienna in disguise. In the face of this situation, Emperor Ferdinand was forced to make concessions, announcing the immediate drafting of a constitution, the establishment of a new Cabinet with bourgeois representatives, and agreed to the formation of a National Self-Defense Force and a student army composed of university students.
Soon, an imposed constitution was promulgated, granting the Emperor considerable power. The subsequently issued electoral law imposed high property qualifications, stripping the lower masses of voting rights. The people were extremely dissatisfied with this "constitutionalism," determined to further advance the revolution. Due to the government’s order on May 14 to disband the student army and close Vienna University, new uprisings erupted on May 15 and 26 in Vienna.