New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-04
PRUSSIA AND NEUFCHATEL.

ne uANeltI, Oh IcdHluS oClmony az IHO
south. western extremity of Baden, enters
the Federal Republic of Switzerland, an
hours ride from the old City of Bdsle.
Proceeding southwardly through the Can
ton, or State of the same name, he enters
that of Soleure, and then taking the road
to the Lake of Bienne, he passes south
westerly through the Canton of Berne, and
OF the farther extremity of that small but
lovely lake, at one time the chosen abode
of Jean Jacques Rosseau, enters the fourth
of the six Swiss Cantons, which lie upon
or near the borders of France. This little
State is, in its greatest length, only about
thiry-one miles, and in its greatest breadth
about thirteen. 1t is bounded on the east
by the Lake of Neufchatel, and on the west
by the river Doubs, and is traversed length
wise by several ranges of the Jura Noun
tains. The population may be about 10000.
This is the Canton of Neufchatel, separated
from Germany by a great portion Of Swift
erland, and from the dominions of Frederick
William of Prussia, by the whole addi-
tional extent Of the French department Of
theRhine, yet claimed by that King as
owing allegiance to him and his heirs.
Our readers have been informed of the
various recent events which have occurred
in relation to this Canton; the London
Protocol of May 10; the note since
addressed by the Five Powers to
the Helvetic Confederation, calling
upon it to acknowledge the Sover-
eign rights of the King of Prussia in the
Canton of Neufchatel; and the great mass
meeting of the people of the Cantoon the
9th ult., held for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the popular feeling on this subject.
At this great and enthusiastic meeting,
the republican portion, for the royalists
and the republicans met at the same place,
on the same day, though they continued
apalt-elch party celebrating separately
passed the following resolution:
"The people of Neulchsel, assembled to day In popu.
lar meeting at V8iaDgln declare In the face of Heaven
and before God That theydesire to remain Swiss and
nothing but swiss that they protest In the ener
getic against all nthgues whatsoever they may
be, which may have for object population of the rev.
Oluon Of March and Its consequences and that it con.
sideIs these inrlgues criminal and ami national
This 10 what the undersigned declare and attest by their
signature and this what they hereby engage to cause
to DO respected, If need be, by all the means IN their
power"
Thus, then, stands the matter. The
weak and vascillating nonentity, in all
save that which tends to hinder the politi-
cal progress of the age, and restore to him
the despotic powers which his ancestors
welded, who now fills the Prussan throne,
claims the restoration of the sovereignty
formerly exercised over people, who
almost unanimously deny his right, and
are determined to oppose his claims, even
to the last alternative. This people forms
now q sovereign State in Federal Re-
public-the only one left in Europe. This
Republic is the object of the hatred of all
European tyrants, and has thus far, under
its present Constitution, owed its safety
alone to the disturbed State of Europe, and
the influence of the English Government
during the Foreign Secretaryship of the
pseudo liberal Lord Palmerston. With
the fall of the Russell Ministry a night
began to settle over Switzerland, and now
q covert attack is to be made upon the last
vestige of Republicanism on the Continent,
in the revival of a forfeited claim to
sovereignty over member of the Confede-
ration.
Under the old rule of ari,tocracies ard
oligarchies in the several Cantons, and so
long as the bonds which joined them to-
gether were too feeble to enable them TO
act with any effective power, the Republic
of Switzerland presented little cause of
jealousy or alarm to the rulers of Austria,
Prussia and France. Under her new Con-
siitution, so similar in many points to our
own, the case is altered. An active. pro-
gressive, democratic State. is exhibiting.
in the very heart of Europe, and in the eyes
of all her nations, the glorious progress of
people, when free from the absurdities and
clogs of monarchy. Carthage delenda est.
Switzerland must be destroyed.
Such, in few general terms, is the po-
sition of the Canton of Neufchatel, and the
political significance of the present attempt