The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-28 00:00:00

CIVIL WAR 1N SWITZERLAND.
The New Gazette of Zurich, of the 22d May, contains
a circular letter of the Vorort, dated the 13th of the same
menth, and addressed to all the cantons of the Confe-
deracy. Its object is to acquaint them with the steps it
has adopted in order to maintain tranquillity in the Va-
lais, by ordering the various corps of the federal troops
to march into that canton. To this document is an-
nexed a dispatch from M. Meyer, the Federal Commis-
sioner sent into the Valais. This report, which is dated
17th May, says in substance :
" The Grand Council assembled this morning, and will
meet again this evening. Order prevails in appearance,
but in reality the country is placed on a volcano, which
must explode either to day or to-morrow. Both parties
are preparing, and there is much talk about gunpowder
having been distributed in Lower Valais to ' Young
Switzerland,' and of orders issued to keep ready. The
same has been clone in Upper Valais. The impending
arrival of volunteers of Old Switzerland is even men-
tioned. Thus a collision is to be apprehended."
M. Meyer writes at ten at night :
" A catastrophe is preparing; the debate in the Grand
Council has been a most stormy one. Violent scenes
are stated to have taken place. The Opposition and
some members of the Conservative party have left the
hall. It had been beforehand resolved to propose the
occupation of St. Maurice, and to appoint a comman-
dant of the troops. The Opposition were aware of that
project. To-night, or to-morrow, Young Switzerland
Hill march. Under these circumstances I have notified
to the Executive Council that I should assume the title
of Federal Commissioner, if matters required it.
" Quarter to Eleven.—Tbe Grand Council have just
ordered the occupation of the communes that have re-
belled, and the appointment of a commandant of the
Landwehr in the person of M. de Kalhermatten ; it has
issued extraordinary powers to the Executive Council.
and appointed a Committee of three members of the
Council. These resolutions have been adopted by a ma-
jority of forty-two votes."
" The communications," says the Ami de la Consti-
tution, of Berne, of the 22c1 May, " are intercepted ; the
priests direct the movement. Great and serious dis-
orders are committed. ' Young Switzerland' is in want
of arms, and ammunition. Letters from the Canton de
Vaud state that the whole western part is stirring. The
arquebusiers of that part of the canton have proceeded
to the assistance of Lower Valais, without waiting the
Government orders. Provisions have been sent. The
people of Vives are coming to the assistance of the
liberals. Never have the affairs of Upper and Lower
Valais presented so much importance as at this moment.
What determination the Vorert will come to is not
known ; but Berne and Vaud have resisted and will not
let any troops pass."
The Paris Quotidienne, a Legitimist and High Church
paper, gives the following account of the cause of these
disturbances, and infers that the civil war will extend
to every canton :
It is reported that the government of the Valais had
been victorious, and that the people of the Lower Valais,
beaten by the Conservatives, had been obliged to sub-
mit. However great may be the truth of this news, the
affairs of this Canton are undoubtedly in a deplorable
state, and order can be no longer maintained. Catholics
and Radicals are in arms against each other ; and al
though the first are the more numerous, the others are
better organised, and have little or nothing to lose. To
this we may add, that the latter are sustained by the
Radical States of the Confederation, and that these
States, with Berne at their head, have already proved,
as in the affair of the convents of Argau, how little it
costs them to adopt illegal and violent measures in ob-
taining a triumph for their principles. or rather for their
wilfulness. What is passing in the Valais is, in a de.
gree, the faithful image of the state of all Switzerland.
In every part there is division and disorder, if not fla-
grant, at least in all hearts and in all the governments.
The most anarchical doctrines are set up in opposition
to Conservative opinions, and in face of the Conference
of the Catholic States we find a haughty league of most
of the Protestant Cantons. It is in vain that Bale Town
and Neufchatel endeavour to keep up some appearance
of order ; men's minds are too much excited, and the
present President of the Directory, M. Siegwart Mul-
ler, is as ready to carry his ideas to the extreme as ever
was M. Neuhaus, the late Radical chief of the Con-
'ederation."

SUPPOSED MURDER and SUICIDE.
Yesterday, considerable sensation prevailed amongst
the inhabitants of the neighbouring village of Bootle,
in consequence of a rumour that a child had been mur-
dered by its mother, and that the latter had then com-
mitted suicide. Upon inquiry, it turned out that the
report was not without foundation, and that there was
but too much reason to believe that both these horrible
crimes had been perpetrated. The facts appeared to be,
that about nine o'clock on Saturday night, a remarkably
fine male child, with long brown hair, and apparently
between seven and ten months old, was taken out
of the canal, near Coffee• house-bridge, Bootle.
When first taken out, he showed symptoms of life, but
soon afterwards died. He was very respectably dressed,
having had on a striped printed frock, flannel petti-
coat, linen shirt, dark check gingham pinafore, black
and white netted worsted handkerchief, blue and white
worsted socks, and a brown bonnet, lined with blue silk.
The canal was afterwards dragged, and the body of a
female, supposed to be the mother of the child was
speedily found. She was rather delicately formed, and
was apparently between twenty-one and twenty-four
years of age. She was five feet one or two inches in
height; and the colour of her hair was brown. She, also,
was rather respectably attired, having on a dark printed
cotton dress, lilac printed apron, plaid worsted handker-
chief, stuff shoes, not much worn, black worsted stock-
ings, and a black stuff merino bonnet. A gold ring was
found on the fourth finger of her left hand ; and she was
supposed to be from Liverpool.
There appears very little doubt that the female was
the mother of the child. She was, at all events, its
nurse ; for, in the earlier part of the evening, she was
seen suckling it on some steps near the canal bridge.
There were no marks of violence on the infant, but
there were a couple of large black spots on the right
leg of the female, and a contusion under one of her eyes.
The child was first discovered by a gardener named
Edmund Smeahurst, who happened to be passing along
the canal at the time, and who states that his atten-
tion was directed to the spot by having heard
something like a person moaning in the water. He
succeeded in getting the infant out, and then ran and in
formed the police, who, upon their arrival, found Mr.
Reid, surgeon, in the act of endeavouring to restore ani-
mation. The bodies were conveyed to the Rising Sun
public-house, where they remain at present, and where
they were visited by some hundreds of persons yester-
day. The female was recognised by several, who stated
that they had seen her frequently in and around Bootle.
A carter, amongst others, said he observed her nursing
the child on Saturday, near one of the Bootle turnpike
gates.—Liverpool Al/ ion of Monday.

ANDOVER.—Rumour states that our borough is
likely soon to become the arena of another political con-
test, by the anticipated resignation of Lord W. Paget.
Mr. H. B. Coles, of Middleton House, has for some time
past aspired to the honour of a seat in Parliament by
the suffrages of the electors of Andover. An agent of
the Conservatives has paid a private visit to the town,
making the fullest inquiries confidentially, doubtless
hoping " to catch the weasel asleep;" but we can assure
them the Liberals are stirring and quite prepared for
the struggle, come when it may. The present state
of the register is highly satisfactory, and leaves no
doubt of a triumphant majority.—Hampshircindependent.
DEATII DT CLIMBING.—On Saturday, an inquest
was held before C. Collins, Esq., on the body of John
harry, of Rhossilly, Gower. It appeared that on. the
Walnesday previous he called at Stouthall, the seat of
J. A. Lucas, Esq., for the purpose of gaining permission
to get down some young rooks from the trees adjoining
the park. Not being able to see that gentleman, he was
requested by the housekeeper to call on some other day,
when he would very probably gain permission. It is
supposed that the deceased must have proceeded imme-
diately to climb the trees, and that he laid hold of u
decayed branch at a considerable distance from the
ground, which gave way, for on Friday morning he was
discovered quite dead in the road, his head, on the back
part of which was a wound, having evidently come in
contact with a stone. Verdict, " Accidental death."—

Cambrian.
DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM PORTS-
MOUTH GAOL.—Within the last fortnight, a plan has
been organised by three desperate prisoners in the above
gaol, to liberate themselves. Their names are, Dennis
Kirby, a private of the 49th regiment, committed for trial
for a robbery with violence; William Allyn, for stealing
a piece of print; and John Maclin also for felony. It ap-
pears from information communicated to Mr. Hunt, the
governor, that the prisoners intended to have put their
plan into execution on a Sunday, and that last Sunday
was the day fixed upon for the purpose; but on Sunday
they were all secured. It is usual for the prisoners
all to pass into chapel before the turnkey, who counts
them as they pass, and when the whole number
have gone in he turns the key upon them, and
awaits the conclusion of the service before he unlocks
the chapel door ; thus all the tenants of the prison are
locked in, including the governor, and every person con-
valescent. It was the intention of the three prisoners
above named to have lingered until the last in going
into chapel, and then to
,have turned the key upon the
whole community, overpowered Mr. Hill, the turnkey,
and possessed themselves of the keys, by which means
their liberation would have been easy. When the plot
was discovered, Maclin offered to turn Queen's evidence,
but Mr. Hunt being already, through a secret agency,
possessed of the facts, dispensed with Mr. Maclin's ser-
vices.
Kirby, the soldier, was promptly sent off to
Winchester gaol, there to await his trial at the next
Allyn and Maclin were both ironed • and their
assizes.
irons will not be removed until their trials, ner then, un-
less ordered out of the country.—Hampshire Advertiser
.'.
steamer Trent, now in harbour, before
sadfrom royal mail
TRAGICAL EVENT.—Shortly the al
Cuba, a very. fine-looking back slave went On.abgo°ardo,
who on being reported by the purser to the cdaptem, was
wiouta
told that he could not be taken off theisl
passport, and therefore must go on shore again.
he strongly demurred, and on being urged, iTo this
broken English, " Me go shore again ?" aenrdeplireedwill
a
knife from his pocket, with which he nearly severed his
head from his body. The unfortunate man had in his
possession 200 dollars, three boxes of cigars, and a copy
of " Gil Blas," which were taken ashore along with his
body by the Spanish authorities. It was understood,
adds our informant, that he had the misfortune to belong
to an unkind master, and that, finding his hope of escape
thus baulked, he had committed the rash and fatal act
above described—Jamaica Times, March 22.
The Reformers of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields will
dine together this day, at Roberts's, the Artichoke
Tavern,l3lackwall, to celebrate the opening of the select
vestry and the triumph of Reform principles in the parish.
J.T. Leader, Esq., M.P., will preside, supported by General
Evans and a host of Reformers of this important parish.