The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-03 00:00:00

SWITZERLAND.

We have received the following letter from our correspon-
dent at Lucerne, with details of the proceedings of the Fe-
deral Diet, relative to the affairs of Louis Bonaparte :
" Lucerne, Aug. 28.
• '

" At yesterday's sitting of the Helvetic Diet, M. Kern,
Chief Deputy for the Canton of Thurgovia, communicated to
the Assembly the instructions received from the Grand
Council of his State, and expressed himself in the following
words :

"`The Grand Council of the Canton of Thurgovia having
examined the report of the Committee appointed to attend at
the deliberation of the Diet at its sitting of the 6th instant, re-
lative to the demand of the French Government for the expul-
sion of Prince Louis Bonaparte, and having taken into consi-
deration the decision of the High Diet, dated the 6th of Au-
gust, have decreed that—
" The vote given by the deputation of Thurgovia at the
sitting of the above date, is approved of to the full extent.
" On this account, and considering the explanations de-
manded from the Diet by the State of Thurgovia, the deputa-
tion is instructed to give the desired explanations, and to the
following effect

" The state of Thurgovia thought it its duty to reject in
the most formal manner, the demand of the French Govern-
ment for the expulsion of Louis Bonaparte from the Helvetic
territory.

" consideration of the fact that Louis Bonaparte has
obtained the right of citizenship in the canton of Thurgovia.
" That, in consequence of letters of naturalisation accepted
by Louis Bonaparte, he is not, nor can he he considered in
any other quality (either according to the Constitution of
Thurgovia or the French laws) than that of a citizen of the
canton of Thurgovia.
" And, bearing in mind the letter dated Arenenberg,
August 20, and addressed by the said Louis Bonaparte to the
Grand Council of Thurgovia, the deputation has further to
declare that the authorities of the Canton of Thurgovia will
take upon themselves to prevent the commission of any act,
upon their territory which might be contrary to the rights of
nations or compromise the tranquillity of other States. At all
events, and in case any such acts should take place, the can-
ton of Thurgovia, by virtue of the exclusive rights of cantonal
authority, will reserve to herself the poner of proceeding
against the guilty parties, and of carrying into effect the laws
of the Constitution and of the country. '
" Finally, the deputation will maintain the right of object-
ing against any decision which might infringe upon the sove-
reignty of its State.'

M. Kern, in the next place, entered into details relative
to the instructions he had received, and according to which he
was specially bound to declare that the vote given by him at
the sitting► of the 6th August, was entirely approved of by the
Grand Council of his State, and that he had moreover to lay
before the Diet the explanations previously demanded, and
which were drawn up in the tollowing terms :
" In the event of Prince Louis Bonaparte's quality as citi-
zen of the Canton of Thurgovia becoming matter of doubt the
State of Thurgovia declares itself solely competent to give an
answer upon this point, and principally upon the question pro-
posed by the high State of Neufchatel, consequently the other
States will be bound to receive this answer as the only official
one. The authority of the Diet in its relations with the Can-
tons, does not give it the power of deciding with regard to civic
rights. It is, therefore, merely through respect for its sister
Cantons, that the State of Thurgovia consents to give the fol-
lowing explanations:—

" 1832, Louis Bonaparte, having been placed in an ex-
traordinary position, was deprived of his rights as a French
citizen. This was at the same time the result of the law of
banishment decreed against all members of the Napoleon family,
and of the recent conduct adopted by France with respect to
Louis Bonaparte—conduct which fully proves that the Prince
was no longer considered as a French citizen.
" This state of exception in which other Frenchmen could
not be placed belonged exclusively to the family of Bonaparte.
A member of that family could not therefore be called on to re-
nounce a right which he did not possess, and which he must
have lost upon accepting the quality of citizen of the canton of
Thurgovia, even were he at the time in the enjoyment of the
rights of a Frenchman. Thus, in a double point of view, the
presenting of an act of special renunciation was unnecessary,
and consequently the only condition required by art. 25 of our
constitution in such a case was fully complied with. The proof
of the renunciation of a civic right previously held was only
required from a person requesting to be admitted as a citizen of
the canton of Thurgovia, and in a case in which it is supposed
that the petitioner is in the enjoyment of his ancient rights.
But when the fact of his having been deprived of them is no-
torious all special renunciation becomes useless. Such is the
law of Thurgovia, and such its interpretation, as will be proved
by the following example :—ln 1836 the commune of Salens-
tein had offered the right of citizenship to M. Rousseau, stew-
ard to the Duchess of St. Leu. It was necessary for the con-
firmation of this gift to exhibit letters of naturalisation in the
canton ; but upon M. Rosseau declaring that he wished to
retain the quality of French citizen, the Grand Council would
not listen to this reservation, and refused the letters of naturali-
sation.
' It is sought to ascertain whether Louis Bonaparte con-
siders himself as a citizen of Thurgovia. But the Hon.
Deputy had already fully explained that, in this instance, it
mattered little in what quality the individual might view him-
self, the only question being what quality he held in the eye of
the law. Besides this, doubt must entirely vanish upon the
perusal of Prince Louis Bonaparte's letter, addressed to the
Grand Council, and dated Arenenberg, August 20. In this
he declares that be is, and wishes to continue, a citizen of the
canton.' _ _

Having concluded the above details, the Honourable
Deputy begged that the Chancellor be directed to read the
original letter in the Prince's hand-writing, and of which the
following is the text:—

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE GRAND COUNCIL.
" In sending you a communication in the present circum-
stance, my object is to rectify (for your satisfaction) certain
facts and at the same time to give you a proof of my confidence
and esteem.

It is now a year since I returned to Switzerland from
America, with the firm intention of remaining a stranger to
all kinds of intrigues. My resolution is not varied for a moment,
but I could never consent to purchase repose with the sacrifice
of my honour. I became the object of shamefulcalumny, facts
have been strangely distorted ; I therefore intrusted my defence
to a friend ; this is the full extent of any political act on my part
since my return. The French Ministry, on the other hand, in
order to gain its ends, will allow no opportunity to escape
without putting forward false allegations against me ; it goes
so far as to assert that the house where my mother expired, and
which I now inhabit, has become the centre of intrigues. Let
the French Ministers prove this if they can 1 For my part I
deny the accusation in the most formal manner, for my
decided wish is to remain quietly in Thurgovia, and arid
anything which might tend to interrupt the friendly relations
existing between France and Switzerland. Moreover, to show
the complete falsity of the accusations directed against me, I
have only to call your attention to certain articles lately pub-
lished in the Ministerial papers, by which it will appear that,
not content with persecuting me in my retreat, those writers
endeavour to make me an object of ridicule to the eyes of the