Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-12-22
Civil War i'm Switzerland.

= S4AS
foreign news received by the packet ship, New
York: " [-
"The news from Switzerland is very important
civil war was about to commence. NJ. NJ. foch-
an, Charge d'Affairs of Switzerland, is about to
leave Paris for short time. The affairs of the
legation will be entrusted to an attache. This is
said to indicate an important political movement
in Swiss affairs.
''In the Swiss Diet, Oct. 90, the Cantons of the
Sunderbond proposed to adhere to the PROPOSE
tions offered by Zug which required the disarm-
posal was rejected, On the ground that it offered
no mode of reconciliation. The seven Cantons
having then recapitu[ated their grievances, thro'
the representatives of Lueerne declared that they
could no longer take part in the deliberations of
the National Assembly, and u their representa-
tues ,cithdrew. A letter from the Pope has been
published, written some months ago. which con-
tains an indirect censure of the Sunderland, and
recognizes the Dieta the legitimate representa-
tive of Swiss nationality
"The Pope's legate in Switzerland, to whom
the letter was addressed, is accused Of withhold
ing it from the public in order to favor the move
ments Of the Cantons Of the minority. A very
great excitement pervades the Cantons of the
majority, and it is said that their army under
Gen Dufour will number sirty thousand men
They had pledged themselves to raise SO, 900, but
so great was the enthusiasm in favor of the rights
of the republic, that volunteers were pouring in
from all quarters, and the Diet had authorized
the enrolment Of all that offered. These meas
ures had caused the representatives of the Sun
derbond to lower their tone, and although war
was said to have been declared by the Diet, it
was hoped that the Jesuits would come forward
and agree to restore peace to the republic by re-
tiring at once" .---- ..,-.-.
Thus, it will be seen, that Switzerland stands
in danger of having its soil drenched in blood
from the veins of its own people, All Civil wars
have been more terrible than national wars, be-
ing founded upon religious differences, which
stimulates the advocates of either side to the
rankest and bitterest animosity. The New York
Sun, in speaking of this matter and the causes
that have brought about this state of things says
that this country is divided into cantons, which
are governed by Congress in union similar to
our States. The spirit of the Swiss Government
islibera1 and vigorous, as the intelligence and
general character of its people sufficiently attest
This small but invincible republic, girt by noun
tans covered with sterile SOIL has maintained its
freedom against all modern attempts to subjugate
it, and is memorable to the world for the revolu-
ton of William TELL which cast out the last of it's
tyrants, Gessler. With their civil liberty the
Swiss people were among the first to associate re-
ligious freedom. Switzerland gave some of the
earliest apostles to the Reformation and was fore
most in harboring the more voluntary religion in
troduced by Luther and her own Zwingle The
great body of her people went over to the Refor-
nation, and are now Protestants; but consider
able class of Catholics remain, and between these
religious divisions feeling of enmity has been
kept up, and at last famed into civil war The
Swiss Congress, composed principally of Protes-
tants, has for long time considered the Catholic
order of Jesuits dangerous to the liberty, happi-
ness and government ofthe people, and determin-
ed to break itup. The Catholic canton of Lu-
cerne, one ofthe most powerful in Switzerland,
has opposed this movement of the government,
and given protection to the Jesuits. 1t has also
united with such other cantons as are Catholic,
in compact called the "Sonderbond" which is
pledged to resist the action of Government and
shield the Jesuts by force of arms, if necessary.
The "Sonderbond" claims that the respective
cantons have individual or state rights justifying