The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-05 00:00:00

THE SAVOY QUESTION.

In the first of the two notes relative to the Savoy
question, published in the Moniker, M. Thonvenel
enters historically into the question in order to
establish that Switzerland has no legal rights.

This despatch, which is dated as far back aathe 7th of
April, throws no new light upon the question. It concludes
with the following declaration:
" France, which succeeds to the territorial rights of Sar-
dinia in virtue of a regular transfer, has conformed to the
spirit of treaties by offering to confer with the Powers
represented at the Congress of 1815 on the clauses relating
to the neutralisation, and the can which she has taken,
when principles did not impose it on her as • law, to de-
clare that she would also come to an understanding with the
Helvetic Confederation, proves in the clearest manner that
she accepts, so far as she is concerned, the complete execu-
tion of Article 92 of the General Act of Vienna. Nothing
more can be required of the Emperor's government ; and to
admit that, if circumstances should render that provision
applicable, it would seek to elude it, would be equivalent to
declaring that the Emperor's government would nut show
any greater respect for the neutrality of Switzerland, whose
territory, accessible to France as well as to Germany on
many important points of her frontiers, is only protected
from all attack by the authority of a superior right placed
under the protection of Europe, and founded on the mutual
interests of the adjacent states."

The following second note on the same question
considers the matter in a strategic point of view :
PARIB, April 18.
We have examined the pretensions of Switzerland on
the affair of Savoy, as regards legal right, and we have
shown how slight is their foundation in that respect. Is
the Federal government more in the right when it invokes
strategic interest.? Did the Congress of Vienna intend to
insure to the Helvetic Oonfederatiou a great military peat.
Hon in the centre of Europe ? Was that the special aim it
Malin view in extending the regime of neutrality to &portion
of Savoy ? Thetis now the point we propose to examine.
The document& of the Congress of Vienna acquaint us
with the real notions of the Powers on the mission they
assigned to Switzerland in the European system. Doubtless
they desired to give bee the best possible frontier, but in
; promising her to interpose to that effect they took care to
define her part. What they slaked of her was not to keep
up a numerous fume, to arm such or such a position, or to
construct such or such works to bar certain passages. The
Congress consideeed it. engagements obligatory towards
Switzerland only so long as she presented to Europe by
her cantonal institutions and the nature of her federative
constitution, a sufficient guarantee for her fitness to main.
tale her internal tranquillity ; and it was in such conduct
that the Congrims beheld the means of the Confederation
making the neutrality of its territory respected. We do but
rep
ort here, almost textually, the consideration of the com-
on the affairs of Switzerland of the date of the 16th
of January, 1815.
The Powers signified to Switzerland, then, that the true
guarantees fur Helvetic neutrality lay as much in the wis-
dom and prudence of her government as in their own en.
pienieuts.
- Moreover, it Is sufficient to look at these frontiers as they
were traced by the Congrees, to be convinced that it could
not have acted under the inspiration of any other idea.
Switzerland is open to Germany and to France at all points.
She is open to Germany by the lake and town of Constance,
and by Shaffhaueen, partly enclosed in the Grand Duchy el
Baden. She is open to France from Basle to Geneva, prim
cipallv by the Pays de Get, which put. us within a few
hours &steno° of the latter town.
In this state of things, if you abstract the neutrality of
the Helvetia Confederation, France, to have an. sasy en-

trams into the territory of Geneva, has no need of poisons-
* the GULL* Faucigny, or the (envois JUGS. Those
then, were nut neutralised with a view to testify
rOolimaredemtion's line of defence. If the powers had pro-
posed to themselves that end, the beet, or rather the only
means of attaining it, as far at least as regards Geneva,
would have been to impose on France the sscrifice of the
Payed. Gel, sad to have attached it to that canton. Why
did not the Oangyess do so? It was because military ag-
greadieenseeta were looked on precisely es contrary to the
political destiny prepared for Switzerland-- a peaceable
destiny better assured by the mutual engagements on which
it reposes than by more solid means of defence, sad more
important strategic positions.
The neutraliaation of Chablais, Faucigny, and the Gs-
nevois really forming no part of the military system of
Switzerland, could it have been looked on in tire least, in
MA as being of greet interest in Europe? Will it be said
that those provinces were destined to ekes to us the route
fie Italy by the Valais and St. Bernard? But the principle
of Swim neutrality was itself sufficient to ensure that re-
mit; and if it is hinted that the powers could anticipate
that it might perhaps be violated by us, is it admissible that
he that case we should have been deterred by the neutrality
of ilertheerkedl When we get on the domain of hypothesio
why forget that there are two routes leading from France to
fns Tel* sad that $ French army, which had not been
abre m ws* for public right, would ha reached that
quae se well by the right as by the left bank of the
of Geneva?
The seeleelisatiec of Savoy brought, then, no serious
guarantee to Helvetic neutrality, nor to the petition as-
lugged to it is the political system of Europe, and the mo-
tives for it must evidently be sought for in another class of
entaiderateass. The very history of the negotiations to
which that arrangement gave rise loaves no doubt as to Its
tree object. The neutrolieation was demanded by the Oa-
bfeet of Turin in the interest of Sardinia. The Sardinian
governmeut, in case of a war between France and Austria,

desired to place the moat exposed partials of the territory
of Savoy out of reach of invasion ; and on this point we
cannot do better than reproduce a passage from the me-
morial of the Swiss government of November lost :
"It was in the interest of the King of *inhale," says
the federal government, "to place the portions of Savoy
approxisnating to evriteeriand under the pnitectism of the
neutrality of the latter country. The topographical posi.
Moo of a part of Savoy is, ia point ef fact, of such a nature
that it could not well be defended fmni the sole of Pied.
'moot .ittaris Is so passible communication between th-
pwtnrea ot Savoy and of Piedmont but by the pubes of
Most Genie and the Little St. Bernard, the restitution of
the Valois to Switaerland intercepting the route by the
St. Bernard simultaneously with that of the Simplon. An
enemy's force, penetrating into the lower districts of Savoy
by the valleys of the Isere and Fier, could, in consequence,
cut off the retreat by Mont Cenis and St. Bernard of auv
Piedmonteee troops posted farther to the north. It would
prove, moreover, a singularly difficult teak for the Pied.
ruontese, in case of aggression by a powerful military state,
to defend the provinces of Savoy, which are open to inva-
sion and utterly unprotected. As often as history M 0144
the conflicts between France sad the Howe of Savoy, we
Bed that the Savoyard territory has invariably formed the
•pereary object. To these considerations must be attributed
iha Erin et Sardinia that these provinces of Savoy adjaceut
to Switirerised should be placed under the protection of e
neutrality recognised and guaranteed by Europe. By this
means, moreover, a retreat by the Valens would be secured
for the troops of Piedmont miner circumstances when re-
-' should be --

treat neeessary.'
We have ben, seocediag to the Federal government
itself, one of the pine:lipid reasons for the neutralisation of
adizrtt ion of
the oitaryv:yn.e,ln oar epialoa, amo
and the aacndees :rthpirgrerst:uu!dzatti,
made to Switzerland in order to obtain her consent to this
combination sufficiently prove that any other conclusion 14
in manifest opposition to the spirit and objects of the Con-
gress of Vienna. THOUVIENEL.