The Sun.
London, England, 1838-11-17 00:00:00

SWITZERLAND.

In transmitting the despatch of Prince Metternich to the
Cantons, the Federal Directory accompanied it with the
following circular : _ __

" Lucerne, Nov. 7, 1838.

" Faithful and dear Confederates,—His Excellency the
Count de Bombelles, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary from his Imperial and Royal Majesty the
Emperor of Austria to the Helvetic Confederation, has
remitted to the President of the Diet the copy of a des-
patch to him addressed on the Bth of October by his
Highness Prince Metternich, Chancellor of State of his
Majesty the Emperor of Austria. The contents of that
despatch appears to the Federal Directory of too great an
importance to permit it to hesitate in recommending them
to the anxious attention of all the States of the Confedera-
tion. The Vorort is perfectly of accord with the des-
patch, of which a copy is subjoined, inasmuch as it esta-
blishes the principle that Switzerland, as other independent
States, must fulfil the obligations which the law of nations
imposes on all members of the political system of Europe.
But it cannot admit in all its extent the point of view in
which the said despatch presents the intention of Switzer-
land as to the maintenance of its actual international re-
lations with other States. The Vorort cannot still less at-
tach to the abrogation of the conclusuni of the Diet of the
23d of August, 1836, concerning the turbulent refugees,
the importance given to it by the Austrian Cabinet.* In
fact, according to the letter of those guarantees, the Vo-
rort acknowledges that every independent State has incon-
testibly the right to admit within its bosom foreign refugees
who remain quiet ; the duty which corresponds with that
right in case where foreigners abuse the, asylum granted to
them to carry troubles into other countries, is to prevent
them creating in future similar disturbances. In conse-
quence of this principle of international law, Switzerland
will in future expel from its territory, without giving •per-
mission even to re-enter it, the refugees who abuse the
asylum afforded them to disturb the repose of other States.
Moreover, the conclusunz of the Diet of the 23d of August,
1836, concerning turbulent refugees, can only be construed
as an exceptional measure, produced under the particular
circumstances of the moment, having in view in a similar
ease the application of the general principle above men-
tioned, and ceasing, according to the letter itself of the last
article of said conchtsum to produce its effects as soon as the
extraordinary circumstances that have given it birth have
ceased.

When, on the 25th of April last, in the circular of the
tractanda for the Diet of 1838, the Federal Directory,
conformably with its powers, declared the said conclusum
abrogated, it was guided by the opinion that the extraor-
dinary•circumstances which had given rise to it ceased to
exist.

In consequence it has declared the concluvon abrogated,
in the full confidence that all the confederated States
will of themselves, and without it 13,,ing necessary to resort
to any special invitation for such purpose to the Vorort,
prevent in due time all that may be likely to compromise
in a serious manner the amicable relations with neighbour-
ing States, to the preservation of which Switzerland attaches
the greatest importance. The Vorort never had the idea
that this abrogation was a reason which authorized those
refugees who had been expelled from the Helvetic territory
• The guarantees given by the Vorort in the name of the
Confederation, on the 24th of Jane, 1834, and
sanc-
tioned by the Diet the 22d of July ow are still existing
ing, in
W
al their forces