The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-18 00:00:00

FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND.

The following is the article in the /if omiteur , of
which a telegraphic summary appeared in our im-
pression of yesterday :
" The great Powers signed in 1852, at London, a
protocol stating the rights of the King of Prussia
on Neuchatel. The Government of the Emperor,
bound, like the other Cabinets, could not, what-
ever interest he might take in Switzerland, dis-
avow what has been consecrated by treaties.
" In 1848 a revolution took place at Neuchatel
and broke asunder the bonds which connected the
canton with the King of Prussia. That Sovereign
constantly protested against the new order of
things, making an express reserve of his rights,
and has never ceased to raise his voice in favour
of a portion of the population which complained of
being oppressed by the victors.
"In the month of September last the vanquished
party endeavoured to take its revenge, invoking
the name of the King. That attempt failed. The
canton was occupied by the Federal troops, and
the Neuchatelois taken with arms in hand were
brought before Swiss tribunals.

"This event would lead to a conflict between the
Helvetic Confederation and Prussia ; for the
former in advancing troops to re-establish order in
the canton of Neuchatel pretended to fulfil a Fede-
ral obligation ; Prussia, on her part, found her
honour engaged not to allow men to be tried who
had raised the standard of the King, and who,
according to their conviction, were fighting for
right and justice.

" The attitude of the Government of France
from her geographical position must necessarily have
a marked influence upon the settlement of this
difference. Consequently, it was the interest of
both parties not to neglect anything to make sure
of its support.
"The King of Prussia addressed himself to the
Emperor, expressing to him, in emphatic language,
all the interest he felt for men compromised in his
cause. Ho begged his Majesty to request their
liberation, communicating to him at the same time
his conciliating dispositions.
" The French Government, happy to be able to
prevent a conflict between two Powers to which it
is bound by friendly intercourse, hastened to comply
with the request of King Frederick William, and,
strong in its good intentions towards Switzerland,
and with the knowledge of the conciliating senti-
ments of Prussia, it requested the liberation of
the prisoners.
" At the same time the Government of the Em-
peror did not conceal the happy results which that
concession might have, as it would become a sort
of obligation on the part of France to prevent any
armed conflict, and to exert itself to obtain from
the King of Prussia a final settlement of the ques-
t tion conformable to the wishes of Switzerland.

"Unhappily these wise considerations have not
been appreciated ; the counsels of France have
been rejected, and the Federal Government .has
preferred to yield to democratical influences which
are agitated around it, rather than to comply with
well-meant counsels inspired solely by the desire of
effecting an amicable settlement of a question
which, pending too long already, might, if more
complicated, disturb the peace of Europe.
" Thus France has met, on the one hand, with
moderation, the sincere desire of terminating a
delicate question, and a courteous deference for
her political situation ; on the other hand, on the
contrary, a lamentable obstinacy, an exaggerated
susceptibility, and a complete indifference to her
counsels.
" Switzerland must not therefore be astonished
if, in the course of events, she should no longer
find that good-will which she might so easily have
obtained at the cost of a very slight sacrifice."

THE COMMERCIAL BARK OF LONDON.

Towards the conclusion of our report yesterday,
of the meeting, held at the Commercial Bank, a
misprint occurred of too grava a character to be
left uncorrected :—it was

The Chairman, in returning thanks for himself
and directors, is made to say " We are able to pay
every shareholder 14s. (fourteen shillings) in the
pound :" whereas, what he did say, with reference
to the stability of the Bank, was, " Were we called
on, we could pay every depositor BACK HIS MONEY
IN FUA. ; and, in addition, 245. (twenty-four shil-
lings) to the shareholders."
Surely nothing could have been more satisfac-
tory than this ; and that, too, after a run of three
months ! We are glad to see The Times of this
morning follow up our denunciation, yesterday, of
the vagabonds who originally whispered about
the lying rumours.—[En. SuNd

The details published yesterday of the trial of Snell, a
clerk on the Great Northern Railway for embezzlements,
and of the shameful character of the late rumours circu-
lated to injure the Commercial Bank of London, afford
further illustrations of the way in which mischief may be
caused in the financial world by persons who, although
utterly reckless of the safety of their neighbours or of the
public, contrive to escape reprobation. The 'malpractices
of Snell, it appears, originated solely in unsuccessful
specu ations on the Stock-Exchange, and had he not
found brokers willing to undertake and carry them on,
he might possibly to this moment have preserved his cha-
racter. The facts, however, that he had only been a
few years in the company's employ, that he was well
known to have been taken into their service on account
of his having been left unprovided for by the death of
his father, a clergyman, and that he had, probably, a
salary of less than 1501,13 em to have offered no im-
pediment to his finding individuals on the Stock-Ex-
change ready to conduct his operations. With regard
to the mean offenders who make it their business to
spread reports to break the credit of banks or commercial
firms, it may be hoped that the exposure given yester-
day of the nature of the attacks on the Commercial
Bank will stimulate the public in future to afford every
aid in defeating the folly or malice of such people. Just
to the degree in which a bank is well managed is its
liability to danger from this source, since such establish-
ments reject all questionable paper, and, nine times in
ten, the persons who concoct libels against them are
smarting from the annoyance of having been refused ac-
commodation—Times' City Article.
in