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

and pledged body and soul to the reactlon'
the Prussian king seeks his own aggran-
disemeIt, and also hates freedom Louis
Napoleon hopes to find it hereafter aprctext
to rednnex Belgium or Savoy, and the five
powers will be more or less precluded by
this case from making any decided oppcsl-
ton thereto.
To an American the case seems exceed
ingly simple, for it is one in its general fea-
lures singularly like that of one of our
States while Colony of England. Neuf-
chatel, as we have seen, is as completely
separated from Prussia by intervening
States as Massachusetts, or New ork
from England by the ocean. The former,
like the latter, was governed by native
born citizens, who filled all public Offices,
saving only that of VicerOy, who was ap-
pointed directly by the King The Swiss
Canton and the American Colony were
both obliged to send the acts of their legis-
lative bodies to the King for his sanction.
Both sought for progress and development,
making laws for that express purpose, and
in both cases all laws of this nature were
refused the sanction Of the monarch.
To an American then, we say, the case
seems exceedingly clear. Neufchatel has
declared herself independent Of Prussia,
as the American Colonies did of England,
Greece of Turkey, and Belgium of Hol-
| land: and as in the latter case the treaties
of 1915 were set aside, so in this, with
much better grounds, they should also be.
There is this difference in the cases, how
ever Greece furnished throne to an i'm
beetle Bavarian, and Belgium to another
poor German Prince, disappointed by the
death of his corsort, in the hopes of sit
ting in the place now occupied by Prince
Albert, while Neufchatel has formed for
herself a free and moderately democratic
Republican Constitution.
But American reasoning on such topics
does not suit the latitude and longitude Of
Emperors, Kings. and Holy Alliances, and
we therefore add brief historic exposition
of the case from another point of view.
Ncufchatel, in the eleventh century, be-
longed to the German EmperorS, by one Of
whom, Rodolph Of Hapsburg it was ceded
to the Duke of Burgundy, and thus it be-
came fief cf that old kingdom. 1t had
its own line of Counts until A. ID. 1888,
when it passed int the house Of Chdlons,
from which it came into that of Tongue
vile. In 14OG the torn of Neufchatel en-
tered into a treaty with Bern, AMI allied
itself soon after to the Swiss Confederacy.
Msry, Duchess of Ncmours the last of
the house of Longuevillc, died in 1907,
leaving the sovereignty vacant. In those
days the little canton needed protector,
and it degolved upon the Estates of the
canton 10 select from the various sOvereigns
of Europe one to whom it should give its
allegiance in exchange for his protection.
Prominent among the candidates whose
names came before the estates, was Fred
erick |, King of Russia. He presented
sort of claim as heir Of the house of Cha
Ions: but. what was of more Importance
TO Protestant people, he was the immcdi-
ate successor of the Great Elector of Bran
denburo, the heroic defender Of Protestant
ism in North Germany. On these grounds,
and through the influence Of gold upon
members of the Estates, the sovereignty
was vested in him: and among the condi-
tions upon which the principality was as
signed to him in preteren c to the other
nine aspirants to the succession, was the
following:
"That the King of Prussia should preserve intact and
inalieneble in bis family by the rules of prmogenure
and regular succession the sovereignty of the princ
pality Of Neuichatel and Valangn."
During space Of ninety mine years the
Prussian kings kept this condition inviolate,
appointing viceroys, who seem in gen
eral to have governed the canton reasonably
to the satisfaction of the people but in
1906, Napoleon in order to shut out all
German influence from the west bank of the
Rhine proposed to exchange for Neufcha-
tel, the fine Duchy of Berg, small but ex-
ceediDgly rich territory rich in mines of
copper, lead, iron and coal-with the King
of Prussia. To this the king assented and
The exchange was made without reference
to, or consultation with the Estates of the
principality. tits true that Frederick very
soon after broke with Napoleon and lost
the duchy again together with a great part
of his kingdom. But this does not change
the fact that be had of his own act oiyen