The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-10 00:00:00

EVENING-, JANUARY, 10 IP-1S
5

OFFICIAL DISPATCHES RELAT-
ING TO SWITZERLAND.
M. Guizot has laid before the Committee on the
Address the documents connected with the affair 'of
Switzerland. They are twenty-two in number. The
most important are the following :
No 1 is the treaty of alliance, or federal compact,
of the Swiss cantons, entered into on the 16th of
August, 1814.
No. 2 is the declaration of the 20th March, 1815,
by which the Congress of Vienna recognise the in-
tegrityi and independence of the Helvetic confede-
ration.
No. 3 is the adhesion of the cantons to this declar-

ation.
No. 4, is the act recognising the neutrality of
Switzerland.
No. 5 is a dispatch from M. Guizot to the Count de
Pontois, dated the 10th February, 1845, by which the
Count is desired to invite the Vorort to take measures
f.or the suppression of the free corps.
No. 6 is a dispatch of a similar tenor, dated the 3d
of March, 1845.
No. 7 is a dispatch of the 25th March, 1845, in
which M. Guiz,.t declares his friendly feeling for
Switzerland, and his respect for its independence.
No.B is a dispatch, dated June 19, 1845, in which
M. Guizot
desires M. de Pontois to engage the Diet
to discuss in a pacific and conciliatory spirit the
questions of internal policy which would be submitted
to it.
No. 9, dated October 24, 1846, is a dispatch from
N:. Guizot to the Count de Flahault, the French
Ambas,ador at Vienna. In this dispatch, which may
be regarded as the commencement of the project of
a congress in the affairs of Switzerland, M. Guizot
alludes to a note from PrincelMetternich, recommend-
ing a council of the great Powers, and wishing to
know what view the French Cabinet took of the new
revolutionary Government at Geneva. M. Guizot
desires M. de Flahault to inform the Prince that he
regarded the change in Geneva like others which had
taken place in other cantons, and did not intend to
interfere then, but would see what was to be done at
a later period. As regarded the council of the great
Powers, suggested by the Prince, N. Guizot expresses
his perfect concurrence, and desires M. de Flahault
to make this officially known.
No. 10 is another dispatch to M. de Flahault,
dated Jan.2s, 1847, in which M. Guizot acknowledges
the receipt of a communication from Prince Metter-
nich, recommending that the great powers, in order to
prevent the breaking out of civil war in Switzerland,
should declare that they would not permit the sove-
reignty of the cantons to be violated, and the Diet to
have recourse to arms. M. Guizot approves of this
suggestion, and says it is the only way that can have
any real effect. He recommends that the representa-
tives of the great Powers should be instructed to make
it, as soon as the question of the expulsion of the
Jesuits, and the dissolution of the Sonderbund, is
brought before the Diet. M. Guizot observes to M.
de Flahault, that Prince Metternich does not express
any decided opinion as to whether England should be
invited to join the continental,Powers in this declara-
tion. He adds, " I think it is not only proper, but
important, to come to an understanding with England
also in this delicate affair."
In No. 11, which is a dispatch from M. Guizot to
the Count de Bois-le-Comte, dated July 2, 1847, the
Minister for Foreign Affairs expresses his approba-
tion of the conduct and language of M. Bois-le-Comte
in his relations with M. Ochsenbein, and states that
he had taken an opportunity of declaring this in the
Chamber of Deputies. Our readers will remember
that M. Bois-le-Comte had almost, in direct terms,
told M. Ochsenbein that the Diet could not be per-
mitted to attempt the dissolution of the Sonderbund
by force of arms. M. Guizot observes in this letter
that he does not approve of an offer of mediation
under existing circumstances, as it could be attended
with great inconvenience, and involve the mediators
in a host of complications. lie thinks the best course
would be, according to M. de Metternich, for the
Powers to declare to the Federation that they would
not suffer the cantonal sovereignty to be violated,
and the peace of Switzerland to be disturbed by a
recourse to arms on either side.
In No 12, to the same Ambassador, dated 2d July,
M. Guizot declares that if the Diet should attempt
anything against the basis of the federal compact and
of treaties, it would be guilty of an interpretation of
the federal compact similar to that of the Ministers
of Charles X. on article 14 of the Charter, and would
risk the loss of the neutrality of Switzerland,
guaranteed by the Congress of Vienna. M. Bois-le-
C mute is ordered to state this to the Vorort.
No. 13 is a note dated Nov. 4, addressed by M.
Guizot to the French ambassadors at London, Vienna,
Berlin, and St. Petersburgh, inclosing the project of
a note to be transmitted to the belligerent parties in
Switzerland, in which the arbitrage of the Pope in
the religious question is approved of, and an offer of
mediation is made by the great Powers to assemble in
congress at Baden, and there to receive a delegation
from each of the 22 cantons.
/Co. 14 is the note alluded to, but as its contents
have been published and are well known, it is unne-
cessary for us to go into details.
No. 15 is a dispatch from the Marquis de Dalmatie
to M. Guizot, dated Berlin, November 10, informing
the Minister for Foreign Affairs that the project of
the note had been communicated to the Prussian
Cabinet, and received its entire assent. The Marquis
de Dalmatie adds that the Prussian Minister for Fo-
reign Affairs had written to the Courts of London,
Vienna, and St. Petersburgh to announce this fact.
No. 16 is a dispatch from the French Ambassador
at Vienna, dated November 11, stating that the
Prince de Metternich approved of the note intended
for the belligerent parties in Switzerland, but desired
that it might be distinctly laid down that the 'great
Powers were unanimous in their determination.
No. 17 is a letter from Lord Palmerston to Lord
Normality, dated Nov. 16, and communicated to M.
Guizot two days after, in which his Lordship replies
to the proposition of mediation made by the French
Cabinet. This dispatch declares that the English
Government would be well pleased to contribute in
any way to put an end to the dissensions existing in
Switzerland, but that it conceives that the five Powers
ought first to come to some understanding as to the
course to be pursued to effect that object. The dis-
patch then declares, that as the neutrality of Switzer-
land is a matter of importance for the general in-
terests of Europe, very grave, and, up to that time.
unanticipated events would alone warrant an armed
interference on the part of the five Powers ; also the
refusal of a certain number of cantons to conform to
the decisions of the Diet must not be considered
sufficient to deprive the Diet of the character
of being the official organ of the Con-
federation in its relations with foreign
Powers ; and hence, if a mediation was to be
agreed on, it should be based on such motives as
would fully comprise these two points. Before, there-
fore, entering on any attempt to arrange the differ-
erences in Switzerland, the first thing to be done was
to decide what were the matters in dispute ; there
appeared to be, on the one hand, the establishment of
the Jesuits in Switzerland, and the separate union of
the seven cantons, under the name of the Sonderbund;
and; on the other hand, the measures determined on
by the Diet relative to that separated body. As to
the Jesuits, the Britannic Government thought that
the objection made to their continuance in Swit-
zerland by the Diet could be most fully justified,
and that, consequently, the Five Powers ought to
apply to the Pope to recal them ; this being
done, the Diet ought not to have any objection to
give up all further proceedings against the Sonder-
bund, but ought to declare that it was fully deter-
mined to maintain the principle of a separate move -
reignty of each of the confederated cantons—a principle
universally recognised as the very foundation of the
federal compact. Once that the Diet had made this
declaration, the Sonderbund, the British Cabinet
thought, could not have any pretext for continuing
its separate association. Such were tite points to be
regulated, should the opposing parties in Switzer-
land consent to a mediation of the five great
Powers ; but should they not, such refusal could not
be considered as any sufficient cause for an armed
intervention. If the offer, however, were accepted,
it would be necessary to establish a conference, com-
posed of seven representatives, one from each of the
five Powers, one from the Diet, and one from !,he
Sonderbund. The dispatch concludes by naming
London as the most suitable place for the conference.
—Annexed to this dispatch is a note to be presenttish
cl,
on the subjects alluded to above, b.y the Bri
the
Charge d'Affaires at Berne, to the Diet, and to
official organ of the Sonderbund.
M.
Gu.
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t ist
oa
tdhies pDa tuckh
e,
ddea tße dr Ng Ilie, nBw,
ha di
cdhr e
thessed byfor-
mer announces that the King's Government, taking
into consideration the counter project proposed by
Lord Palmerston, insists on its being well understood
that, in case of a refusal of mediation, all the rights
which may belong to each of the 1
owers shall remain
entire and thoroughly reserved; as to the place where
the conferences were to take place,
,!bat could be de-
cided at a later
oa
pcecrei odp t the Frenchwhatever p
l(axcoev
mighter nme n t b
appeareing
convenient to the several Courts engaged with it
quite
most ready t
in the mediation.
No. 19 is a dispatch from the Duke de Broglie, of
Nov. 20, in answer to the foregoing. It announces
Lord Palmerston s consent to the proviso contained in
M. Guizot 's dispatch, as well as his Lordship's acqui-
escence in a suggestion made by the Duke, that the
seven cantons of the Sonderbund should be induced
to apply to the Holy See, to learn if it was not ad-
visable for the Pope to interdict the order of the
Jesuits from forming or occupying any establishment
on the territory of the Helvetic confederation. It
also contains some changes, of no great moment, in
the text of the circular note to be submitted to the
five powers.
No. 20. is a dispatch from M. Guizot, dated No,
vember 24, informing the Duke de Broglie that, with

the modifications contained in the preceding dispatch,
the circular note containing the offer and bases of a
mediation in Switzerland had been agreed to by the
Ambassador of Austria, and the Minister of
Prussia, who had engaged to transmit it to
their representatives in Switzerland, in order
that these latter gentlemen might hand it
in simultaneously with the Ambassador of France and
the Charge d'Affaires of England, to the President of
the Diet and to the President of the Council of War
of the Sonderbund. The dispatch adds that the
Charge d'Affaires of Russia, not having as yet re-
ceived any instructions from his Court, could not
enter into any engagement to take immediately a
similar step, but that be was of opinion that his
Court would adhere to the line of conduct pursued
by those of Vienna and Berlin.
No. 21, dated November 28, is addressed by Ni.
Guizot to M. de Bois-le-Comte, enclosing the circular
note to be presented to the President of the Diet and
to the President of the Council of War of the Son-
derbund.
No. 22, dated Dec. 2, is from the Duke de Broglie
to M. Guizot, informing him that Lord Palmerston
had that morning, in the course of an official conver-
sation, observed that the proposed mediation would
in all probability be rendered unnecessary by the
rapid progress of events. "If the Sonderbund
still
exists," observed his Lordship, " it will receive from
Sir S. Canning, on his arrival at Berne, in concert
with the envoys of the other four Powers, the note
agreed on ; but if that body no longer exists, the
mediation falls to the ground." The dispatch further
contains the rest of the conversation which took place
between his Lordship and the Ambassador, chiefly on
the precise meaning of the words " perpetual neutra-
lity" and " inviolability of territory," as applied to
Switzerland. The N'ble Duke maintained, he
states, that though an intervention was to be consi-
dered highly objectionable, and to be justified only
by very extraordinary circumstances, still it might
be rendered necessary by the relations existing be-
tween the Swiss cantons and the Powers contiguous
to their frontiers.