The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-25 00:00:00

TEE SWISS CONFEDERATION.

We published a few days back the reply of Russia
to the Swiss note relative to the affair of Savoy, and
calling for the intervention of the great Powers
which guaranteed the neutrality of Switzerland.
We now give that of Austria, addressed to Baron de
Menshengen, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary for that Power at Berne :
" Vienna, April 8.
" Monsieur le Baron,—The Chargé d'Affairs of
Switzerland has presented to me the note which the
President of the Helvetic Confederation addressed

• _
to me direct, under date of the 19th March. The
Federal Council having been kind enough to com-
municate to you a copy of that despatch, I can dis-
pense with transmitting you the text. By that
document the Federal Council has demanded the
intervention of the Powers which guaranteed Swiss
neutrality, in order that, in concert with it, they
may provide the means of protecting the rights
reserved to Switzerland in the neutralised districts
of Savoy, which are compromised by the cession of
that province to France.
"The Austrian Government has examined with
all the attention it deserves the communication
which the Federal Council haS addressed to it. The
Powers which signed the declaration of the 20th
March,lBls, have admitted that the neutrality and
inviolability of Switzerland, and her independence
of all foreign influence, are required in the political
interest of all Europe. Faithful to that principle
Austria, whether in the internal crises which the
Confederation has had to pass through since 1815,
or in the external dangers which menaced it, has
given decided proofs of the high price which she
attached to seeing Swiss neutrality preserved from
all encroachment. Still more recently, when, at the
beginning of the last war, the troops of one of the
belligerent parties passed through a portion of the
neutralised territory of Savoy, we ;veie the first to
call the attention of Europe to that interference
with the principle of Swiss neutrality.
" The Federal Council, therefore, cannot doubt
of our readiness to co-operate in any arrangement
calculated to reassure Switzerland, and to put the
maintenance of her neutrality out of the reach of
all danger.
" The Federal Council, nevertheless, does not
disguise from itself the difficulties of that task, and
it would have preferred for its part the ttatu quo
to any change. We agree with it in that apprecia-
tion. The Federal Council admits, moreover, that
the cession of Savoy to France is intimately con-
nected with the territorial changes which have
taken place in Italy. Penetrated with that con-
viction, we have not ceased to maintain that to
favour or tolerate the annexations effected by Pied-
mont in Central Italy was to prepare territorial
changes on the side of the Alps, and that, with a
wish to prevent the effect, it was before all things
necessary to combat the cause.
" Placed now in presence of the difficulty which
our efforts in vain tended to prevent, wo derive
from the engagement taken by the French Govern-
ment to come to an understanding with Switzer-
land, and the Powers which guaranteed her neu-
trality with regard to the neutralised districts of
Savoy, a just motive of hoping that this question
will receive a solution in conformity with the legiti-
mate interests comprised in it.
" In authorising you, Monsieur le Baron, to offer
to the President of the Confederation the assurance
that we are ready to cooperate in this spirit in
bringing about a_general understanding, I beg you
to read to him this despatch, and to leave him a
copy of it.—Receive, etc.,

"itECIIIIERG."
The following is the reply of England addressed
to Captain Harris, British representative to the
Swiss Confederation :

" Foreign Office, April 19.
" Sir,—l have had the honour of receiving the
communication which your Excellency addressed
to me, under date of 19th March, in the name of
the Federal Council, on the subject of the provinces
of SaToy which were included in the neutrality of
Switzerland by the treaties of 1815. The Federal
Council cannot doubt the deep interest felt by the
British Government in the Swiss Confederation,
and it may rest assured that the important objects
mentioned in your communication will be taken
into most serious consideration by the British Go-
vernment, which has lost no time in coming to an
understanding on this subject with the other Powers
which signed, in concert with Great Britain, the
engagements of 1815.
" I have the honour, etc., " RUSSELL."
The replies of Prussia and Sardinia have been
already published by us, in our number of the
12th inst. We subjoin the following circular note
sent by Switzerland to the Powers which signed
the Treaty of Vienna:—

" Berne, April 11.
"From trustworthy and agreeing reports the
vote upon the annexation of Savoy to France has
been fixed for the 22d April inst. The question is
to be put as follows Annexation to France ;
yes or no.' he voting will take place by com-
mune.

" The Swiss Federal Council cannot accept in
silence the new phases into which the pending
question is entering. They have already had the
honour to set forth, in the note circulaire of the 19th
March, from what point of view they think it
right to estimate in a general way the results of
such a vote. They have already expressed an
opinion that the existing rights of the neutralised
provinces of 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
formally reserved their rights on the subject.
" Immediately after the well-known proclama-
tions of the Governors of Annecy and of Chambery
of the Bth and 10th March, the Federal Council
instructed their representatives at Paris and at
Turin to protest against any voting until an under-
standing had been come to with Switzerland. They
formally declare that they could not consider as
binding a vote taken without a previous understand-
ing—a vote in which Switzerland and her legiti-
mate pretensions would be passed over.
" The Federal Council have maintained this
point of view in a most absolute manner in their
fresh protestations 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 information 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 mainte-
nance of the start quo, until the proposed under-
standing with the Powers, and with Switzerland
herself, should be come to.

" BY the above•mentioned projected voting—all
these requests, all these just and equitable demands
of Switzerland are passed over. A most important
political and moral act is to be proceeded with
without the concurrence of one of the principal par-
ties interested, and without any previous under-
standing with the Powers, whose participation in
concert with Switzerland has been positively soli-
cited 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 protest against any infer-
ence that will be drawn from this act to invalidate
the rights of Switzerland.
" The Federal Council can all the less admit the
validity of the voting that, whilst on the one hand
the free expression of the will of the people of North
Savoy, which has been constantly asked for, is not
insured, on the other, the voting will be proceeded
with without previous understanding with Switzer-
land. Finally, the Federal Council have no means
to control the voting, whilst it is notorious that
French agents, having Senator Laity at their head,
are at work in Savoy'in the interest of France.
" The Federal Council find themselves thus in the
position of renewing, in the face of all Europe,
their protestations to the Powers guaranteeing
the European treaties. They earnestly recommend
to them to deliberate seriously and impartially upon
the present reclamation, and also to take into due
consideration the rights of Switzerland, and to take
prompt steps to maintain the statu quo.
" In the name of the Swiss Federal Council.
" (Signatures.)"