The Sun.
London, England, 1814-02-01 00:00:00

11I1'011TANT OFFICIAL DOUAI ENT.


The following Mhnifesto, published by Prince
ScHwIRTZENSERG at the same time with his Pro-
clatiiption to the Swiss, may be considered as the
Official Reply of the _Allies to the Tirades of
BUONAPARTE 011 ClIC.SUbjeCt of the Neutrality of
Switzerland : _ _

In the. eyes of the world, it is perhaps a sufficient -justifies'
tion of this step that it is neceisarily connected with an on-
dertakingof acknowledged justice and utility ; and yet the
4Thed Sov.?reigns would not have been decided by this consi- •
deration, weighty -as it is, had Si';itterland been capable of
enforcing a fair and strict
But withbut the possession of real independence, real neu-
trality cannot pos.sibly subsist. The pretended nentrality
of a State not -merely influenced, but actuallY,goveraed by a.
foreign power, is for itself a word without meaning, for its
neighbours a two-edged sword, and to him only by whose
retters it is shackled, an important advantage over his oppo-
nents and a secure medium of promotir; his plans. If,there-
fore,in a war the express and 'sole object of which is to re-
duce a mischievous preponderance within proper limits, this
illegitimate neutrality is converted into a bulwark for that
preponderance, anti an obstacle to those whose exertions arc
directed to the establishment of a Vetter order of things, it
ought no more to be Suffered to exist than the parent stock of
the evil itself, whiCh it serves to shelter and to defend.
_ _ _

The history of this important country, which, flourishing
in pristine purity and beauty, was for many ages an orna-
ment to Europe, exhibits during the last fifteen years no-
thing but a long series of violence, by means of which the
Aulers of Revolutionary France have subverted its venerable
constitution, overthrow its liberty and prosperity, armed its
peaceful citizens one against another in our quarrels, plots-
. dered the treasures collected by their industry, wrested from
it. on all sides portions of its territory, and trample'? under
foot its Most sacred rights. After Switzerland bad expe-
ronceeevery hind of misery and disgrace which the cruelty
of her oppressors was capable of devising; Wafter she had lost,
together withbor western and southern, frontier provinces,
every barrier of her independence, and, together with her
laws, her property,. her national institutions, the simplicity
and generou's sentiments of her children likewise the power
of resistance, a form of government was forced upon her, its
1803, by the name of an Act of Mediation, a term so vague as
scarcely to admit of explanation. This constitution, it was
alleged, was to put a period to her sufferings; hot in fact,
as it completed and sealed her political insignificance, it
merely paved the way to greater evils in the sequel, and had
it not been for the late fortunate turn of affairs, would earlier
or later have plunged her into titter ruins
This form of Government was exclusively calculated to give
a solid and permanent forsen to the Freifch dominion over
Switzerland, which had hitherto been exercised with lawless
and often tyrannic sway, and to impart to it a shadow of legi-
timate authority. The etrength and tboresources which she
might yet have retainad, were required to be devoted to the
service of France; the will of the French Emperor was to be
ber law; ho other neighbotring State could reckon upon the
slightest favour, if the fear of offending France stood in tha
way. No resistance to the demands of that Power, not evee
when, as in commercial prohibitions, the supply of articles
of primary necessity was cut off; no measure capable of coun-
teracting, in a manner however remote, the 'influence of
this foreign arbiter; no loud tomplaint, no public expression
of the most just resentment was allowed. Switzerland,
though nominally a distinct body politic, was nevertheless in
every essential point, though with some slight remains of jts
peculiar forms, a mere province of the French Empire.
Under such circumstances, every political measure adopted
by the Helvetic Confederacy, whatever might be the imme-
diate occasion of it, could not fail to bear the stamp of the
foreign master front whom itreceived its original impulse and
direction. A declaration of neutrality springing from such a
sell loses all legal claim to the appellation with which it
adorns itself. In regard to the preponderait power, it is, at
a time when the latter is vanquisfied, a favour Of greater im-
portance than a formal participation in itt operations; for it
must be obvious on the most superficial view, that it would be
suffered only so long as this "tower derives adyautage from it,
and annihilated as speedily as it was calle.j into existence.—
In respect to the Potentates who arc desirous *fretting a
period to the convulsion, and miseries of the world, it is hot
an injudicious attempt to obstruct the progress of the most
benevolent and laudable-of enterprizes, and consequently a
hostile step, not only against the Allied Sovereigns, but
against the interests, the wants, the ardent wishes and anxious
expectations of the whole 'population Of Europe. In regard
to Switzerland herself, the best construction that can be put
upon it is, that in order to avoid a temporary burden, and a
few momentary sacrifices, she would maintain her late poll—,
lical relations that is, doom herself to a continued privation
of all that is dearest to mankind, to perpetual tutelage, to
everlasting slavery.
In this light appears the act of neutrality, even admitting
fhe position (which however, there is nettling to jostify) that
Switzerland implieitely submitted to the, resolution of the
diet' of Zurich, and that only one sentiment and one opinion
pervaded the chiefs of all the different cantons, respecting a.
measure of such equivocal expediency.. The ancient Swiss
national character must hale been extinguished to the very
last spark before such unanimity could possibly prevail; and
the Act of Neutrality is completely stripped of its legitimate
consequence, if the authorities by which it is to be maintain-
ed and carried into exteution rel.ise their aequiescenee its it.
In a constitution so irregularly (earned and so loosely put to-
gether, as that which the French Act of Mediation entailed
upon Switzerlend, the opposition of a single canton in an
affair of such momentinu3t even have been coesidered as an
immediate step towards a faetiout dieolutiois of the whole
Confederacy : for the moment the states, before independent,
but linked together by this constitution, deem themselves

justified and srrong enough-to protest sagain,t the resolutions
of the Diet, the federative system formed by France is at
an end.

The Allied Sovereigns consider the entry of their troops
into Switzerland, not only as a measure inseparahle'from the
general plan of operations, but also as a preparation for those
steps by which the future fate of this interesting country
must be decided. It is their object to place Switzerland in
regard to her foreign relations, on the- same free and Advan-
tagevus footing, upon whi.ll she stood prior to the revolu-
tionary convulsions. The perfect independence of this coun-
try, the most essential requisite far its own prosperity is at
the same time one of the first pnlitical wants of the whole
comifiunity of European Stoles. With this independence, the
present -of thin:,;s, in which Switzerland is reduced from a
free cnnfedqrazion of independent repnblics to a degraded,
imbecile, and suffering instrument of French dominatilin, is
totally incompatible. • When this evil is radically corrected,
when thejnlegrity of the Swiss territory accortlie,z. to its an-
cient limits on all sides is restorer!, and Switzerland is placed
in such a, situation as to enable her to re-model her future
federative system in whatever form she may herself think fit,
without resivet to foreign influence—then will the Allied
Powers consider their work as accomplished. .The internal
-constitution and legislation of each indivnlual Canton, and
-the establishment of their reciprocal relations, is a purely
'national concern of-the Swiss, which must he committed with
perfect confidence to their own justice and discretion.
Actuated by these sentiments, the Allied Sovereigns pledge
themselves, whenever the moment for negociating a general
Peace shall arrive, to their whole attention' and vigi-
lance to the-interest of the Swiss nation, and to consider no
Treaty as satisfactory in which the condition of Swit-
zerland shall not be regulated_upcn the principles here laid
down, in which it shall -tiot/ be pertnalenly secured, and ac-
knowledged and guaranteed by all the Eniopcan Fvwers.,