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C HAP T E.R F I V E The Innsbruck Assembly: German Tyrol versus the 1790 Italian Movement ~ro\'sopen Diet was not, nor was it intended to be, a legislative body. It could petition for a redress of griev, ances and could accept, bargain over, or reject the ruler's postulates, but it had no legislative initiative and could not enact laws. The Innsbruck as, sembly could therefore not grant the Italians most of what they sought, but the Estates could decide (as could the emperor) on who was to be entered in Tyrol's Matricle and would therefore be entitled to seat and vote at the Diet. The assembly could also decide on the members of the Ausschusse and Steuercompromiss and on which grievances would be presented to the emperor as grievances of the entire land. The Confinants, therefore, first turned to the Diet with their domande, and it was there that they first confronted the Etschlanders' opposition. The Bozen party's initial attacks were aimed at the staunchly Jo, sephian governor, Count Wenzel Sauerj his secretary, Wenzel Eppsteinj and their ally, the Estates syndic and referent at the Gubemium, Joseph von Aschauer. As the Diet got under way, the anti,Sauer propaganda grew harsher, more intense, and more scurulous. The governor was now being attacked for more than being a forceful Josephian, opposing the convoca, tion of the Diet, and supporting the Italians. An additional strike against him in the eyes of some at the Diet was that his secretary, Wenzel Eppstein, was a converted Jew. That fact led an anonymous writer at the Diet to compose an unpleasant bit of calumny against both Sauer and Eppstein: To the Assembly How long must you yet nourish the crafty vipers Oppressed Land Tyrol! in your bosom? 81 82 CHAPTER FIVE They hiss destruction at you; poisoned sap and blood, And seek to dishonor quite cruelly your honest heart. They eat your bread, and still want to take your children, Their selfishness devours more than a hyena; To their tyranny must everyone submit, Only let it not bum more intensely. To be banished, breadless. O! would they go away from us soon, Count Sauer, Jew Eppstein and their band, From the school of Mufti Defraine, Director Tartuf Sybul Out of our Land, How Innsbruck would hold a feast, how we would live in jubilation! o King Leopold! hear the pleas of these children o Brother Enzenberg! altogether we pray, That this lawbreaker yet would leave our borders, Quickly deliver us from this evil. Amen. V. Plead for us, 0 Burg,countess Elisabeth X. On that we become worthy of the promise of your brother.l The Bohemian,Austrian Court Chancellery in Vienna was also discus, sing what to do about Sauer and Eppstein, whose actions in carrying out (perhaps a bit overzealously) their ruler's wishes had so enraged the Tyro, lean Estates. According to Archduke Francis's careful records of the pro, ceedings, the Estates claimed that Aschauer had become referent, that is, the single representative of all the Estates at the Gubemium, without ever having been elected or approved by them and that in any event they no longer needed any representative since they themselves were about to as, semble. The emperor's court commissar Count Enzenberg, Francis re, corded, had tried to reason with the hotheads but had been unable to calm them, and they threatened to break up the assembly if Aschauer was not sent away. As for Count Sauer, Enzenberg reported that he feared for the governor's life; and he also feared a repeat of events similar to those in the Austrian Netherlands, where the Estates were in open revolt and had to be subdued by military force. The Chancellery noted that Sauer, "who had done nothing other than to execute the commands of his ruler too hastily and without moderation:' would be dishonored if he were now recalled. The councillors therefore proposed that for the moment the unpopular governor be left in Tyrol and supported until the Diet had been organized and was under way and that he be recalled as soon as this was completed. The matter, noted the Chancellery, required a prompt decision.2 In response to the Chancellery's urging, the Staatsrat moved quickly and on 24 July took up the matter. Leopold had learned firsthand of the high level of feeling against Sauer, Aschauer, and Eppstein during his Florence,to,Vienna journey and realized that to avoid...

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