The New York herald., 1850-05-03
Switzerland.

The National Council OF Switzerland was opened
on the 9th, at Berne, with long speech from NJ.
Escher, the President After few words OF intro
ductcn, the President said: -
We must before all notice the relations Of Swtser-
land with foreign countries Of the hostile
attitude which two pswers appeard to take towards
us short time 1t cannot be denied that IL
cling demonstrations made abroad the Swiss press
with some honorable exceptions. displayed unsstsfsc
tory Seai in spreading reports respecting them 1t Is
not possible, nevertheless to dnubt that the plans
which the reaction meditat-d against Switzerland. or
realization, have not been eifaced from its idea Our
country cannot be otherwise than in bad odor with the
reaction, ,inasmuch as 1t was not by furious propa
ganda but only BY the pacific force of example that II
gave the eian for the last aud mt OF
the nations Of Europe and that amidst the storms oc
casoned thereby and which have shaken this part OF
the world Il hss succeeded maintaining intact the
most important and lasting conquests Of our time.
Sr.eslard is fact as rpubiic f Of life aud rigor is
pg,y thorn fr European reaction. The essential
complaint made against it Is the very essence Of its
exstcnce. IL Ia true that when II Is desired to act
sgainst Switzerland ranknest II not displayod-rea-
useless when pretexts can lead To the same
end. The vertable action employed aga nst Switzcr-
land therefore prudently complaints
of n nat urr. such may always be found when they
sought for put forward on paper In presence
such dispositions the part OF the EuroYean
ton towards what should b. the conduct Of
country towards foreign nations! said 10 you in
closing our last session: The W" OF The Swiss people
is opposed to the confederation mixing itself up in
quarrcs abroad except under imperative circumstan
ces but when foreign nation may attempt TO injure
1t any whatever must resist its attempts
with great fmness. and have to all the
in It's power" | can only repeat to you what said
then The win Of our people has re.nsined the same
it repOscs just appreciation Of the peculiar state
in which country IL placed. We must not forgot
that Switzerland Is little csunry No doubt the cir
. cumstance should not weigh with any weight when
there Is question Of maintaining national indepen-
lence; for country coasider the smslncss OF
but when the question il of exercising influence
European political affairs, 1t Is permitted to count
square leagues and our population"
The President then proceeded 10 comment on
the mutual responsibility (s0lidag1te) of nations,
and to defend the idea of such responsibility
among the democracies OF European nations, IN
presence OF the European reaction. But he says
that Switzerland should not, therefore, take arms
10 defend liberty wherever attacked, but call ma
tions to liberty bv the force OF example, and mann
tain the Alps as the altar of liberty in Europe. IT,
he added. The reaction should dare 10 place crm-
MI hand on Switzerland, the confederation alone
should not be left raise the glove, but all demo-
cracy should aid her, inasmuch as it would not be
hcrruin alone. bat that of democracy, which would
I've attempted. Alter referring to the questions of
Tolls and coming, the President proceeded To notice
Ton Of Xug. which resulted in the triumph of
the conservatives. Without denying the right
of the canton to make such elections, hc sud
that they proved that the spirit which led TO
the formation nj the s;onds rbund was not
dead, and that they required the representatives
of Switzerland 70 take into consideration that spirit
as regarded the relations Of the canton with the
rest of the confederation. He added that the cleo
lions in question were proof that the confe,era-
ton had "antagonists in the interior, well as
enemies at the exterior" The President thcn re-
ferred to the forthcoming elections for Zurich. &C.
neya and Berne, and he expressed his as;onshmeut
at The conservative parry in the latter canton having
put forward "a programme nearly similar 10 that of
the radicals, bui he broadly iniimatcd that the
people would do well in the choice of men to take
those belonging to the latter party lie concluded
Dy calling all men OF progress To draw closer
their ranks and To bc more united. aud then form
ally declared the National Council spen