Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-04-27
Switzerland to Washington.

A few days ago a Swiss Consul, acting
in behalf of his Government, presented a
carved stone, suitably inscribed, as a tri.
butte to the memory of Washington, from
the Republic of Switzerland The frag.
ment of the Alps-the gracious gift of the
only free people of Continental Europe
was suitably received by the committee
and will be placed IN a conspicuous posi-
lion IN the national monument.
Although S Nitzerland is sister republic
and of course should be duly appreciated
by every. American, it is quite singular
how little is really known about her hardy
children or their institutions. We have
some nursery notions of certain William
Tell, who shot an apple off the head. Of his
son and then drove an airow into. the heart
of the Austrian Governor who commanded
the perllous experiment. To this romantic
story we add, perhaps, our delicious expe-
rience of invigorating exercise amid Alpine
SHOWS, and our personal ,admirahan OF
Swiss chalets and shepherds bnt with these
unsatisfactory glimpses of the mountain re-
fuge of, Teutonic liberty, our knowledge of
the republic is veryapt to end. Swtzer-
land, however,h has just sent us bit of her
self as keepsake, and accordingly, while
we ''set' this precious stone" amid the
marbles dedicated to the founder of mod
ern freedom, let us ru0 up our history of
the Gland of Tell"
Mountains inspire men with their own
loftiness, for they endow the dwellers a
mong their Businesses with the stern spirit
of independence. From the earliest periods
of reliable history, the Swiss have mani
tested this, manly self-reliance, and when
their numbers swelled 10 the dignity of a
nation, they strove olnstl its essence INTO
the genius of their government. But, in
time. as modern civilization crept into the
larger towns and cantons from the border
ing monarchies, Switzerland felt the inAu-
ence Of its corruption. Before the revolu-
ton of 1889, the people were more oPpress-
ed by an aristocracy than many nations
living under>Kings. There were Sovereign
cantons and subject cantons; dominant
towns and dominated districts. The sub
ject cantons were ruled by bqil0s whose
authority became despotic, and who gene
rally made it felt with all the Igor that is
common inthe administration Of power by
upstarts. But when the French entered
Switzerland, all these rival soveyeignties
were merged in Q. central power, while the
relative rank of districts was abolished for
ever. Unluckily, however, when the great
Emperor fell, the holy alliance managed
once more 10 diftuse its poison throughout
the Helvetic territory, The union was
weakened ; the people lost theirrights ; the
aristocracy re-asserted their alleged ''privi-
leges' in the larger cantons,: and, in GER
tain districts, the elections were controlled
by electoral colleges, wherein the large
land holders and councillors alone acted
After fifteen years of popular dissatisfac-
ton, in 1S30-31, Switzerland again moved
progressively for the establishment ofa true
republican Federation yet, 1t was not IN
til the recent brief but bloody conflict, that
the people obtained their rights and consol-
idated their power in the Constitution OF
1S48. The two millions of Swiss are now
in realty free. :. A. .+
BY this organic law the legislative pow
er is veStedih Federal Assembly com
posed of the National Council and the Sen
atc,, Or, Council of the States. The Nation
al Councili is elected by the people of the
cantons, every 10000 being represented by
member who holds. Office. for three sue
cessiye years. The Senate, e,--composed of
44,--is formed by a delegation of members
from each canton and each half canton.
The great Federal Assembly of Switzet-
land selects seven members for federal
council, whose office lasts for three years
while the President and Vice President of
the conlederacy are chosen annually by
joint meeting of the two sapreme aqthori
Ties. but are not fe-eIigibls until after the
expiration of au intervening twelve month.
A federal tribunal, and a central federal
bureau, whose members are trlennialiy cho-
sen By The federal assembly, exist under
the constitution: The federal tribunals ju-
risdiction extends to civil suits between
the cantons, or between the cantons and
the confederacy, and between the contede-
ration or The cantons on the one hand, and
citizens on the other. The right of making
war and peace, Of entering into treaties
and alliances, Of regulating the post Office
and roads, is confined exclusively to the
national authorities.
This brief sketch of the political system
of Switzerland exhibits many resemblances
with our own institutions. A Eindred spir-
it Of independence animaies both nations,
and if the war Of liberation which must
some day break out in Europe shall end
disastrously for the striving people,we may
cherish the hope that the massive walls of
the Alps viii still. enclose and preserve the
last spark Of continental liberty. Recent
occurrences in Milan show how much the
Austrians dread the SWISS. Probably more
than six thoqsand who resided in Lombar-
dy have been expelled by the foreign ty-
rant that lords it over the north Of Italy,
and have been hurried across the border
into the canton of Tessin, without even the
delay necessary to realize their little prop
erty. These exiles Of SUSPECTED freedoin2ii are
now destitute in the land of their birth, and
an appeal for succor has been made in
their behalf 10 their compatriots in Ameri-
ca.-BaH. ,amarican.
WHISPERING IN CoMpANY.-This habit.
so often INDUCED in by young ladies,ih the
presence of friends Or strangers. sayors
strongly of rudeness, if not of gross lgno-
rance. The valnest being, the most con-
ceited, or the most perfect, suffers alike un-
der that emancipation from the government
of true polteness. We cannot help, though
perfect we may imagine ourselves, to con-
sider our humble self the theme of mer.