The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-03-16 00:00:00

FRANCE.

FRENCH DEMANDS upon SWITZERLAND.
The following is a translation of the deepatch ad.
dressed by Count Walewski to the Federal Council of
Switzerland:—

"Paris, Jan. 20, 1858.
"To M. LE COMTE DE SALIGNAC ?MELON,
MINISTER 01 FRANCE AT BERNE.

"H. le Comte,—ln the despatches which I had the
honour to address to you on the 7th of August, 28th of
November, and the 12th of December last, I directed
you to acquaint the Federal Council of the manceuvrea
in which the refugees in Switzerland, especially those in
the canton of Geneva, notoriously engaged, and to do-.
mind their removal from our frontier. In spite of your
zeal and activity in the matter, we have up to the pre-
sent time, obtained only dilatory and evasive replies,
and I find myself obliged, H. le Comte, to ask you to
renew your application to the Federal Government.
Our complaints, as you are aware, are principally di-
rected to the presence of refugees belonging to the
Italian emigration. The late events at Genoa and Leg-
horn have shown the violence and perversity of this
fraction of European Demagogues. The attempt on the
14th of this month against the life of the 'Emperor
shows that we have only too much reason to watch the
attitude and the plots of Italian refugees, and that it is
among them that the most corrupt and docile instru-
ments of the regicidal conspirators are found. It seems
impossible to me that any honest man of the Helvetio
Confederation can have been otherwise than struck by
this fact, or that he does not share our impressions
thereupon. I dare, then, to flatter myeelf that in re-
newing at Berne your former requests, you will find on
the part of the federal authorities • greater readiness to
do them justice However that may be, H. le Comte,
the Government of the Emperor knows not how to re-
main indifferent to the voice of public opinion, which,
from one end of France to the other, demands how is it
that neighbouring and friendly countries protect with a
, complacent hospitality men who openly oonspire against
I the life of the Emperor.
"In addressing itself to the confederation, in order
that these dangerous men may be expelled the cantons
which touch our frontiers, and placed at more distant
parts, the Government of his Imperial Majesty only
makes use of the law of legislative defenos and invokes
the principles of the rights of nations. The Federal
Government will disregard the condition, of the Hel-
vetia neutrality, and will deceive iteeLf as to the nature
of its privileges, if it believes it can invoke them in
order to avoid giving satisfaction to our grievanoes. To
tolerate more or less directly, even by silence and Mac-
tion, that refugees who have received an asylum upon its
territory, abuse that hospitality to attack a neighbouring
Government by their writings or their plots—that, with-
out doubt, is not to observe neutrality, for if neutrality
has its rights it also has its duties, which require above
all that it shall avoid any attack upon the repose of other
States. I pray you, then, M. le Comte, to insist upon
it, with the President of the Confederation' that
measures be taken without delay, in order that refu-
gees notoriously known as disposed to take part in crimi-
nal enterprises, especially those organized into societies
in the Canton of Geneva, be deposited far from our
frontiers.

"The Government of the Emperor does not see that
in an affair which so nearly concerns our inter-
national relations, the Federal Council can be checked
by the indifference or illwill of the cantonal authorities,
as has so often happened since 1852. In the event of
the Helvetic Government not °engulfing upon the
means of satisfying our just requirements it will incur
a grave responsibility, and will only have to take to it-
self the consequence which its determination may en-
tail.

"Be so good as to read this despatch to hi Furrer,
and to leave a copy with his Excellency.
"Receive,
"
It would appear from the telegram published by
Le Nord, that the above despatch has not been without
result :

" BERNE, Meson 9.
"The Federal Commissioners demand the ambition
of the 'ltalian Society of Mutual Assistance.' The
foreign members will be sent back to their country
or into the interior. Every French refugee will be placed
at the disposal of the Federal Council in order to be sent
into the interior."