The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-06 00:00:00

allegation ? Has it ever been proved that the refu-
gees plotted against France ? It was whispered, in-
deed, that they were privy to the design of Alibaud ;
but it is not difficult to trace the source from which this
calumny took its rise, when we remember that the spy
Conseil was missioned from Paris to Switzerland, and
ordered to tell the lie that he was concerned in that af-
fair. No less unjustifiable is the accusation brought
against the men at the head of the present Swiss Go-
vernment. They are " a faction," it seems, whose
proceedings are dangerous to Swiss liberty, and de-
structive of the ancient spirit and morals of the land.
It is impossible, according to this note, not to perceive
" the spirit of anarchy" manifested in the conduct of
the Swiss Government. Here is an outbreak of Doc-
trinnaire monomania. Where absolutism is not esta-
blished, there anarchy is sure to reign. There is
" anarchy" in Madrid—" anarchy" in Switzerland—
' anarch, ' no doubt, in England too, though they
durst not so openly say so. Now, suppose the Swiss
Directory were to draw up a note stating that a retro-
grade " faction" had cot hold of the Government of
France, had perverted the liberal spirit and the consti-
tution of that country, and had evinced its intention
by sending spies and incendiaries to excite troubles in
Switzerland, in order to afford a pretext for interfering
in the internal affairs of the land,—supposing this had
been done, what, may we ask, would France have
said ? And yet is not this what she herself has done ?
It is an aggravation, too, of the offence that the at-
tack, wholly unjustifiable as it would be upon any
party, is made, not upon the Democrats or Radicals,
but upon the moderate Liberals, the party of the Re-
formists—a party which grew into importance and
power in consequence of the Revolution of July. But the
taste of the French Ministry, of the Monarchy estab-
lished by the Revolution is, it seems, to combat and
to undermine the consequences of that Revolution at
home and abroad. Can anything be more unbecoming
than that silly invention by which it is attempted to
account for the conduct of Conseil ? We are to be-
lieve that this agent is an innocent and timid being,
and was terrified into all his untoward admissions ! Is
it not strange that during the first rumours and pub-
licity attending Conseil's case, and its discussion in
the Diet, this version of the affair was never thought
of ? But hear the official defence. While writing,
the Moniteur of Tuesday has just reached us. It
says—" Conseil is represented as a French spy, which
is far from proved (rzen mains que pronve). It is
said that M. de Montebello was in connection with
him. This is loudly denied. At no epoch was M.
Montebello aware of the part assigned to Conseil :
never did he use to him the language reported : never
did he seek to enable him to escape from the Swiss
police." The vagueness and casuistry of this official
contradiction need not be pointed out. So it is not
proved that Conseil was a French spy. Why does
not the official scribe deny the fact, if Conseil really
were not a spy ? Surely he has means of informing
himself on tile subject. Who is it that loudly de-
nies AL de Montebello's connection with Conseil ?
Had the Ambassador himself come forth at the com-
mencement to deny any connection of the kind, surely
the moderate Deputies of Zurich, Friburg, and Ge-
neva would not have condemned M. de Montebello,
and the justification would have been put forward by
M. Chambrier, the Deputy for the Prussian Canton
of Neufchatel, and the friend and organ of France in
the Diet. It was proved to the Diet and the Com-
mission, beyond the possibility of a doubt, that Con-
seil, after being denounced by the French Embassy,
received at the French Embassy a passport, written by
the very hand of the chief secretary, contrary to the
usual custom, and signed by this secretary, M. de
Belleval. How could the Diet doubt the complicity
of the French Embassy at Byrne with Conseil ? No
vague or late contradiction of other facts can invali-
date or destroy this conclusive one. But the story
will not bear discussion. The Cantons and their De-
puties who condemned Conseil and France were not
Radicals, as the French Government insist. Zurich
has ever shown the utmost moderation, and even obse-
quiousness, to the demands of the Great Powers. Friburg
is equally moderate. Geneva !—who can doubt the res-
pect of the Genevese for France and for moderation
Yet all these moderate States join in the universal
cry of reprobation. No ; it is not upon Swiss Radi-
calism that the French Government is about to declare
war, but upon the Moderate, Constitutional, and
Liberal party in Switzerland, the party comprising all
the manufacturing and commercial wealth as well as
the intelligence of the country. Up to the fatal note
of M. Thiers, the Swiss Government had shown every
obsequiousness to that of France, and, so far from
being under the dictation of a Radical faction, as the
French Minister states, the Swiss Government was ac-
cused by the ultra-Liberals of mean obsequiousnes to
France in the affair of refugees. If there were at first
backwardness in the Government and the Diet to
adopt the measure which the French Government de-
manded, it was not from any Radical or Liberal feel-
ing, or from a leaning to the refugees, but solely from
a fear and a reluctance of infringing the local rights
and privileges of each Canton, and exciting federal jea-
lousies. But when the discovery of Conseil was made
—when it openly appeared that the French Govern-
ment had paid spies to excite these refugees to the very
acts for which the French, in conjunction with the Ab-
solutist Powers, were tormenting Switzerland—then the
Swiss Directory lost patience, and boldly gave up the
French Envoy and Government to the disgrace of having
their conduct published before Europe. Thus mon-
strously in the wrong and in the mire, the French Govern-
ment lifts itself, like a big bully, shamelessly denies, cr
half denies, the most manifest and incontrovertible facts,
and demands that Switzerland shall beg pardon.
Switzerland may do so, as the plundered and mal-
treated traveller might do of the armed highwayman,
who holds him at his. mercy ; but this will rather in-
crease than wipe away the infamy of the proceeding.
We are told, indeed, that, in avenging its offended
dignity, France will " not compromise the peace of
Europe." The Doctrinnaire Journals assert that Swit-
zerland will yield. We shall see. No doubt " Swit-
zerland will yield," if the French Government can
succeed in establishing the old aristocratic party of
Berne, the absolutist allies of Germany attached to
Austria and to the elder Bourbons. This cannot, we
believe, be committed without an invasion and occupa-
tion of Berne. For such a bold step the Doctrinnaire
Ministry of France desire but the pretext. By fair
means or foul the Liberal party in Switzerland must
he put down ; but not, we apprehend—we had almos
said hope—without " compromising the peace of Eu.
rope."—Morning Chronicle.

The time for the Revising Barristers taking their
seats is at hand. We adverted some days since to the
importance to the Liberal party of being at their posts
on that occasion. Mr. Protheroe, M.P., referred the
other day, at the Halifax dinner, to the same subject.
" It is in the Registration Courts," observed the
Hon. Gentleman, " that the power of the elector
lies." The observation is worthy of attention. That
a dissolution of Parliament will take place before an-
other year has elapsed, is so very probable as almost
to amount to a moral certainty. When Lord Mel-
bourne is again defeated by the Tory Peers, he will
doubtless give the people of England an opportunity
of expressing their sentiments as to what is to be done
with that incurable body—incurable if left to them-
selves we mean—by sending the Members of the
House of Commons back to their constituents. Let

it, then, be recollected, that the question of Peerage
Reform will be virtually settled either for or against
by the result of the next general election. A general
election involves, under any circumstances, conse-
quences of vital importance to the people of England.
The next n.
eneral election will involve more momentous
results that'll any election for very many years past.
Those results may be comprehended in the general
question—c, Are the Lords to be suffered to trample
both the Commons and the people in the dust, and go
on, as they did last Session, scornfully throwing out
every important measure which the nation demanded,
and which the Commons, in compliance with that de-
mand,
up to the Hereditary House ?"
mand, sentln the
between the Tories and Reformers,
deadly struggle
which is sure to take place at the next election, the
fate of many a contest, as we before remarked, may
be decided by a few votes. What more need be said
in the way of impressing on the minds of Reformers
the importance of being at their posts, when the Re-
vising Barristers sit, to defeat the machinations of the
Tories to shut them out from the elective franchise.