P. 4 - Col. 2 - After Jan Hus and Ziska, there is not another man to whom we feel more attached than to Karel Havlicek. We have Procopius the Great; George of Podebrad, King of Bohemia; John Comenius, Peter Chelcicky and Palacky, master historian, all of whom excelled Havlicek in greatness, but none of whom became so dear to our hearts as our Karel Havlicek Borovsky. There may be many causes for this, but foremost among these is that he possessed a quality which the others possessed in lesser measure: a strong incorruptible character. "Go on making promises to me, threaten me - but a traitor I shall never be." This rallying cry of Havlicek enlightens us best about his entire life, his entire person. For us, Havlicek was the model of which a replica is rarely found. We have many men, but none who could stand comparison with our Brixen martyr. For this reason Havlicek is beloved by our people. He accomplished very much for his nation during the short period of his youth, before he was cut down by the Reaper.

Reviewing his activities, from his first journalistic deeds in the year 1846, we see that up to the hour of his death which overtook him in 1856, at the age of thirty-five, his struggle had lasted barely ten years. His 2work during this time was nothing short of monumental. Still a youth, he built up a political program for his nation, such, as there has been none better offered, and which has been serving as a guide for all political leaders up to the present time. There was no man in Bohemian politics greater than Havlicek, save perhaps Palacky, who had more leisure and opportunity to work for his people. What Havlicek wrote fifty years ago in his paper Narodni Novinny (National Bulletin) has not aged and shall never become obsolete. Though very young, Havlicek stood out above mature men with his brilliant mind. It would be faulty reasoning to think of Havlicek as a rash person who could do no better than shout: "You can't keep us down!" as Reiger did in his young years - the same Reiger who proved to be a slacker in bad times. His principle was to tame ill passion in his nation, to hold the people in check when stampeded and battle the elements he considered detrimental. He would never compromise. In the stormy year of 1848, Havlicek was proclaimed a reactionary and a henchman of the government, because he warned against precipitate action as practiced by Sabina, Liblinsky, Arnold, Faster and other lights of those 3times whose names have sunk into oblivion. When persecution began there was not a trace to be found of these people, whereas Havlicek steadfastly remained true to his ideals, combating the government. He had not changed a whit; conditions only had changed, and with them his environment.

Havlicek was the greatest Czech journalist. In the year 1848 he became, upon recommendation by Palacky, the editor of the Vladni Novinny (Government News) which at that time appeared still under government censorship, but which within a short time he transformed into the most perfect Czech paper that could possibly be kept alive in those times. In the revolutionary year of 1848, he began to publish his own newspaper, Narodny Novinny. He then was persecuted by the government, driven from place to place, and the publication of his paper was prohibited, whereupon Havlicek started publishing a new paper, Slovan (The Slav), but he soon became aware of the futility of all this. The government put a stop to his activity as a journalist. Havlicek was given an enforced abode in Kutna Hora, but soon even this did not satisfy his enemies. One night his house was raided by the police who took him to the town of Brixen in Tyrol into 4exile, where within four years he became a martyr. He contracted a deadly disease, tuberculosis, and was not released until his life hung on a thread. Ultimately he passed away in his homeland where his wife had preceded him in death.

The last days of his life were embittered by viewing the pitiful condition of his native land. "People are shunning me as they would a brigand," he confided to his friend Pinkas. "No one wants to know me." This was said in those times, when to adhere to one's Czech nationality was dangerous; when Reiger fled to foreign lands; when Trojan took care of his law office; when several men genuinely principled, as for instance, Sladkovsky, were in prison either in the fortress of Olomouc or Komara, when even Palacky avoided journalistic activities. It is not to be wondered at that Havlicek, who had never changed his convictions, could not recognize his native land. Havlicek's principal merit consists in having taught the Bohemian people to read and think. Never have the Czech people had a journalist who was capable of writing more on the most serious subjects and at the same time in such an entertaining way that everyone eagerly awaited the appearance of his paper. His Narodny Novinny was read by peasants, people who had hardly 5the education of a grammar school, who through his paper took a liking to Czech literature, finally becoming patriots. Although in those times the circulation of Czech books did not exceed a few hundred copies, Havlicek's newspaper spread all over the country. As a resurrector of national consciousness, Havlicek has no equal. Others have written and thought, but no one heeded their word or read their books, but Havalicek's words became common goods among the Czech people.

No wonder, that all Czech claim Havlicek as their own nowadays. All the political parties in Bohemia lay claim to him; every one of them knows how to select from his political writings something akin to its own political program. But not on good grounds. All Bohemian parties, regardless of conviction, are lacking too much, in order to justify them in identifying their programs with the one Havlicek stood for. His program demanded in the first place, truthfulness, sincerity and readiness for any sacrifice, such as adorned his own character. In view of what Havlicek has done for his nation in so short a time, we ask ourselves the question: How much might he have accomplished, if his enemies had not hastened his death?