The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-17 00:00:00

SWITZERLAND.

The Swiss Government have sent the following
memorandum to the powers that have guaranteed
the Treaty of Vienna :

44 CIRCULAIRE.

" Berne, April 11.

"From trustworthy and agreeing reports, the vote upon
the annexation of Savoy to France has been fixed for the
22d of April next. The question is to be put as follows :

Annexation to France, Yes or No ; the voting will take
place in each commune.
" The Swiss Federal Council cannot accept in silence the
new phase into which the pending question is entering.
They have already had the honour to set forth in the Note
Circulaire of the 19th of March from what point of view
they think it right to estimate in a general way the results
of such a vote. They then already expressed the opinion
that the existing rights on the neutralised provinces 41
Savoy—rights so solemnly guaranteed by Europe—cannot
be cancelled by a simple cession nor by a popular vote. As
to the voting itself, the Federal Council have thought it
well to express their views quite frankly and repeatedly,
and have reserved their rights on the subject.
" Immediately after the well-known proclamations of the
Governors of Annecy and of Chambery, of the Bth and 10th
of March, the Federal Council instructed their representa-
tives at Paris and at Turin to protest against any voting
until an understanding had been come to with Switzerland.
They formally declared that they could not consider as
binding a vote taken without a previous understanding—
a vote in which Switzerland and her legitimate pretensions
would be forgotten.

" The Fedezal Council have absolutely maintained this
point of view in their fresh protestation of the 27th March,
when they asked that Switzerland should be consulted upon
the mode of voting in the neutralised provinces, and that
nothing in this respect should be done without her consent.
The Federal Council have had the honour to give informa-
tion about this to the Powers guaranteeing the European
treaties in a note dated the same day, in which they added
that they must insist upon the absolute maintenance of the
status quo until the proposed understanding with the Powers
and with Switzerland herself should be come to.
" By the above-mentioned projected voting all these re-
quests, all these just and equitable demands of Switzerland,
are entirely passed over. A most important political and
moral act is to be proceeded with without, the concurrence
of one of the principal parties interested, and without any
previous understanding with the Powers whose concert, in

participation with Switzerland, has been positively solicited
by the note of the sth inst.
" In the presence of this fact, showing an open contempt
of their rights, the Federal Council feel anxious to declare
positively that they cannot look upon the result of the
coming vote as decisive, and that they must explicitly pro-
test against any inference to be drawn from this act for the
purpose of interfering with the rights of Switzerland.

" The Federal Council can all the less admit the validity
of the voting as, while on the one hand the free expres-
sion of the will of the people of North Savoy, which has
been constantly asked for, is not ensured, on the other the
voting will be proceeded with without previous understand-
ing with Switzerland. Finally, the Federal Council have
no means to control the voting, while it is notorious that
French agents, having Senator Laity at their head, are
working in Savoy in the interest of France.
" The Federal Council find themselves thus in the neces-
sity of renewing, in the face of all Europe, their protesta-
tions to the Powers guaranteeing the European treaties.
They earnestly recommend them .0 deliberate seriously and
impartially ”.pon the present request, and also to take into
due consideration the rights of Switzerland, and to take
prompt steps to maintain the status quo.
"In the name of the Swiss Federal Council."

Under date of the 11th inst. the Federal Council
of Berne has issued a note to the great Powers re-
presented at the Vienna Congress, protesting against
the voting which is being organised in Savoy for its
annexation to France, and declaring that Switzer-
land cannot admit the validity of such a proceeding,
as it is notorious that French agents, directed by
Senator Laity, are canvassing the population in
French interests.